Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-04-14
4 NOVEL SINGING SCHOOL.
TEACHING SwEET-voICED BULL
TIECHES TO SING.
Various Glasses For the Little reath-
cred Pupils With the
Aid Of organs and Flutes.

~ NE Of the best cage songstsrs
that comes 10 rs from across
Y ! the water - the little bull
finch. a small. shy bird which
inhabits the weli-wooied districts. Of
Asia, central AMI southern Europe.
and parts Of England. 1t Is found III
thi. country only as a captive. AZ
home the bullfnch attack. the young
buds Of fruit-trees, ard lncEIs the en-
mit- Of the gardeners MI through
Europe; but the bird is such a sweet
singer AMI whistler that his
fault IN this respect is over
come BIZ his excess Of good quail
ties. In Germany thousands at bull
fnches are bred and trained for the
market every year, and many are i'm
ported 10 this country as case-birds.
At Hesse and Fulda are several cele-
brated si~nging-schot /. where tliese
singers nave their voices mil ears
trained alm0-t to perfection. Ger
many has supplied t. the world some
Of the Srandest human musicians ani
she excels as wei, in cultlvasing and
training the little bird-musiclans sent
ioILu 10 All ptFlS 81 tlc NbGN
The little ~bullinches are rsised in
confinement, and when vert young
they are divided into classes OF SIX
each, Each class. has a separate room,
where the six little birds are smut MP
in darkness, with plenty Of fooi near
them This is before they have yet
learned to whistle and initiate the
songs of other birds. Suddenly the
sweet notes of IL organ startle the
birds, and cause them to hop around
in their dark prison. As the music
continues, their spirits become enllv-
ened. Soon they pick up some of the
food and chirp forth a few crude notes
in imitation. Of the music. Light IS
then gradually allowed Il enter the
room, thus increasing the happiness
Of the singers, and they break forth
nto ccststic song. The music IS con
tlnued all day, and the enthusiastic
birds try to follow and initiate it until
fairly exhausted by their efforts.
This is the preparatory school; and
after each class of six has spent some
time here, the several birds are handed
Owe to training boys whose business
it is to continue their instruction. The
advanced pupils are taken into sepa-
rate rooms where organs are played
from early morning until night. The
organs used are ordinary organs that
nave soft, pure, iute-like notes, with
nothing harsh or disagreesble in the
sound. Sometimes birds are trained
by means of the flute, but in the larger
ocfo 1Iicl,r o,+c email nrIoDC or0 no1n-
monty used.
Everything is done for tne Dir Is
happiness, and the little creatures are
kept in the best-of spirits. The owner
comes around every day or two to ex-
anime his pupils. SO We'll does he un-
derstend the natures OF the little sing
ers that he reproves or praises the
various ones IN a manner that they
perfectly understand. This training
goes on for eight OF nine months, when
the birds are ready for their diplomas.
Ii their voices have acquired firmucss.
and they do not forget or leave out
passages III their songs, they pass the
examinations, and are permitted to
leave the singing school. There are
different grades of pupils in these bird
semlnarles. as IN every other large
school, and, while the majority can re-
member only y simple air with a short
prelude, there are some intelligent
ones that can be taught to whistle rs
many as three different air.. without
spelling or confusing them. Such
bright birds arc often kept longer in
the seminary, and a postgraduate
course is given to them.
In this course they are taught to
initiate the songs Of other birds, which
they do to perfection; hut care is
taken to preserve their mcmory Of the
early education. Tlty are also
taught amusing tricks. which increase
their value as performers. The birds
from these German senlinaries are dis
tinsuished all over the country. and
are sold for good prices. Sometimes
on first being taken from their sem
mary home the nulliinch becomes
gloomy and quiet, and refuses to sing.
This is al important period i'll its life,
and theme owner should at first oc-
c~asloually play the air that the bird
has been accustomed to hear on the
organ. This viii cheer the captive's
dropping courage, and start 1t into
ong once more.
These bullhnches begin their train
ing about four days after they arr out
OF the she'll. and are not dismissed an
til nearly 3 years instruction has per
fected their voices. Like the parrot.
they are very attentive, and they will
learn some OF the harsh notes Of their
parents If allowed 10 rernaia with thenl
nanv days They never pipe until
they can feed themselves. and then
they are given correct piping 10 aul-
safe 4 high, pure. manly whlstle
will be responded = by them N a
full. round. hue-like tone. Bull
inches brought up careiesslv soon ac-
quire bad habits n their singing, but
those sent from the German singing