Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-03
IMPORTANT OUTCOME
Of the Third Annual Session of the
Music Teachers Association.
THE PRESENT FINANCIAL STATUS.
1t Is Not Body of Technical Professors.
Eut General
SOCIETY OF ACTIVE MUSICAL PEOPLE

The third annual meeting of the Penn
sylvania State Music Teachers Association
has passed into history. 1t has passed just
about far enough to make it possible and
profitable to review, in general fashion, Its
leading features and its principal results.
First as to that least artistic, but none
the less in indispensable element, the finances
The first two meetings held in Philadelphia
resulted in deficit of nearly $500 55, as
stated in the second annual report. To this
is to be added $50 sent from this years
funds for postage on that second report,
making the total deficit $40 55. OF this
5000 55 was wiped out by the Pittsburg
concert given by Messrs. Webster & Hen
ricks and s53 20 by similar effort on the
part of Mrs. Murray in Philadelphia, leav-
ing the net deficit of S1S6 so to be met by
this meeting.
That deficit has been paid and all the ex-
penses of the third meeting provided for,
and there is present balance to the credit
of the association of about $500, which will
pay the cost of printing and mailing the
report and leaving a net surplus of between
5000 and $780,
The Figures for 1t.
The exact figures are not yet made up,
but in general they may be given thus:
Receipts-From memberships, $3.50; from
Andrew Carnegie, $3.50; from admissions at
the door, S11O; surplus from souvenir pro-
gramme, $50; patrons tickets, S36
with many to hear from), max
ing total of S976. Expenditures
Deficit, S1s6 so; expenses of the
meeting Qiberally estimated) S275, total
s461 so. This would leave the present bal
ance at s515 20, which is certain to be
lessened very little, if any, and may be in
creased by the complete returns.
Pittsburg has good right to be proud of
this showing, which means much for the
stability and growth of the association.
Not many items of business were acted
on at the meeting. 1t was determined to
hold the next meeting at Reading, as the
list of officers for 1892 would of itself indi-
cate. These are: President Edward A.
Berg, Reading; Secretary and Treasurer,
Edmund Wolseiffer, Philadelphia; Execu-
tive Committee-Carl Moter, Reading;
Arthur Wittig, Reading; Thomas a'Becket,
Philadelphia; Programme Committee
Joseph Fl. Cuttings, Pittsburg; A. W.
Borst, Philadelphia; Roscoe Huff, Will
Transport; Auditing Committee. H.
Kurzenknabe, Harrisburg; w. H. Keller,
Reading: Clement A. Marks, Allentown
The post of Secretary and Treasurer, the
most laborious of all, will henceforth have
salary of S15O per annum attached to it.
The resolution for the organization of a
tuners bureau, to examine piano and organ
tuners and certify their competency, was
wisely postponed again, and the proposed
amendment to the constitution limiting the
active membership to actual music teachers
only was not called up at all.
Not a Body of Technical Professors.
These actions imply that the association
is content to remain as a general organiza-
tion of all kinds of actively musical persons
rather than to assume the position of body
of technical professors of the art of teaching
music. 1t only remains now to make such
change in its name as will fitly present this
status to the public, as the present title does
not. -----.
The one important action taken by the
association was the suspicious beginning of
the movement looking toward the improve
ment of music teaching in the public
schools. The keynote of this movement
was struck by President Carter in his open
ing speech, wherein he said, in part:
believe that the influence of our society
should be directed first to securing proper
and effective study of music in the public
schools of the State. This is a sphere of mu-
sical work almost totally neglected by our
competent, cultured musicians. \
Singing is a healthful physical exercise and
Of oi'D either sex. But it is positive
injury to the vocal organs and an unpleas-
ant and oftimes dangerous, nervous and
muscular strain for pupils TO try to sing
and especially sing with the full voice
without instruction how to use the voice
in the case of young singers. Let US, then,
have practical voice culture taught
in the schools. There is no reason
why pupils should not become
proficient in sight reading of music by
means of graded course of study, just as
they become proficient in arithmetic,
geography and spelling. An occasional
lecture with illustrations, and periodical
should be provided for, and would be of
benefit in. awakening
an interest in music as an
instruction in any branch of
music study. 1 believe that it lies within
the scope of our organization to draw the
attention of educators throughout the State
to the advantage of giving this subject care
ful attention; and Hook forward to the time
when the methods of instruction employed
in the public schools shall be the means of
musical art among the people.
Public School Auxiliary.
The stirring note was sounded again and
at greater length by the essay of Mr..
of Harrisburg The result
was the organization of s'The Public School
Musical Auxiliary of the P. S. NJ T. A."
with Mr.. Kurzenknabe as President, for
the purpose of extending this movement
the State, and further resolu-
ton to devote an entire session of the next
meeting to this cause-than which none
more worthy, more practical and more
could be undertaken by the as
sociation.
Other thoughtful essays were presented by
ex-President William Wolseif1er, NASSAU NJ.
Warner (read in his absence by Thomas
a 'Beckett), DR.. w. T. English, Homer
Moore and J. H. Kurzenknabe. The dis
cussion evoked by some of these readings
was an interesting and valuable feature.
The opinion was quite prevalent that it
would be well for future programme COM
and the discussion as we'll of the
set topics as, especially, of the general ques-
tions and suggestions, apropos of the asso-
ciation's aims and objects, which naturally
would come up in such gathering of inter-
ested and experienced individuals. AS
with the musical performances,
these matters are of greater and more per-
value-it only because the can be
printed in the report, which goes all over
the State.
1t is not the design of this review to
make any detailed treatment of the musi- |
cal performances, though they were we'll |
worth full review, did space and time per-
nit. 1t may be said, with perfect truth,
AL-& e Hr,. D