The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-03
MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS.
Progress Made by the Pupils Under
the Tutelage of Prof. Smith.


Last October a course of training in
the principles of vocal music was begun
i'm the public schools under the direction
of Prof, w. y. Smith
At that time it was impossible to grade
the work because no music had then been
! taught in the schools, but since then the
work has progressed so far. as viii be
/ seen from what Prof. Smith says, that il
! can be graded easily and systematically
/ even in the primary departments. Prof
| Smith has given in the schools eighty
/ four lessons each week, each class receiv-
/ ing one of twenty minutes once each
| week After the work had been gong
on for some time a model class was estab-
lished, two or three pupils being taken
from each room. This class was taught
| once each week at Hunter hail up to
April l.
Something over a month ago Prof.
Smith found that the work was growing
rather heavy for him alone and in many
instances where it could be harmonized,
two classes were thrown together for a
lesson. The method of teaching is Mason's
method, which is used in the conservatory
of Leipsic and in other well known
musical Institutions and has proved emf
nently satisfactory in every respect.
Prof. Smith found the pupils from the
model class a great aid in the rooms as
buGS Det0u1e lGauGES IN Iile WORK.
a great many of the pupils are musical
and the work is said TO have been more
successful in the Savannah schools than
anywhere else owing to the fact that
Prof Smith has given it his personal IT.
teutiOn in every instance, and also to the
aptness of the majority of the pupils
During the recent musical festival Prof
Smith taught four separate classes to sing
DIR. Palmer's 'SiumbcrN song within
forty minutes, which was characterized
as marvellous by DR. Palmer himself
The schools have been visited by people
from Boston, New York and Ohio, and in
every instance they have spoken highly
of this feature of the work. In speaking
Of the work and the progress made, Prof.
Smith said yesterday:
1.-The difficulties to surmOunt at first
were tremendous, as very few of the
teachers were capable of teaching music,
and it was absolutely necessary that the
work should be carried on with some sVs-
ten. Some of the teachers had a system
of their own. but il was necessary to civ
ing proper instruction that the work
should be taken in hand by some one who
understood il. When it was first taken
up there were no books or charts. and
nothing to work with except common
blackboard. The fact that some of the
teachers al first opposed the work was
naturally a setback, and there was
only one way possible to make it a
success, and that was TO go right into
the school rooms and give the children
lessons.
This has gone on now with a certain
success, and the children in most of the
rooms above the second grade are now
able TO read easy music in one KEY. If
properly carried out by the teachers the
method used here would be almost per-
feet. In most instances the teachers have
taken an interest in the work, and are
themselves being benefited by it.
Another of the chief difficulties in the
way is that only about half of the pupils
have books. This is in a great measure
the fault OF the parents and not of the
teachers. The result is they are a con-
slant drag upon those who try to make
progress in the work. At the
examination on Friday, however,
l think / shall be able
to demonstrate that the pupils have
made wonderful progress in the work
considering the circumstances which
have surrounded it.
Il think | can say that the success in
the colored schools has been phenomenal,
partly from the pains the pupils have
taken, and partly from the fact that
many Of the teachers have had special
preparation for their work The teach
ing is mostly from books, but introduced
great many points suggested by the ex-
erclses in the course OF the work. The
examination on Friday will demonstrate
what has been done in this line since