St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-02
PRACTICE AND PREACHING.
They Are Mingled in the Programme
of the Music Section. s-,

They Are Mingled III the programme
of the Music Section. sc->.-
Another sectional meeting of inter
est was that of the music section, held
in the afternoon in the Assembly hall
Of the central high school, President
o. E. McFadon briefly introduced the
meeting and then a paper was read by
Prof c. w. G. Hyde, assistant SUI
perintendent of public instruction, of
which the following is synopsis
This topic involves the question, How can
these two things-O the general practice Of
music be secured in the country schools?
This paper directs discussion along two
lines: % What are the difficulties to be
overcome? and (2) how can these difficulties
be overcome? The obstacles may be included
in four classes a. The Indifference of teach
ers and their lack of acquaintance with the
subject; (2) the Indifference or hostility of
patrons; 90 the indifference or hostility of
school boards; (4) lack Of interest on the part
of the children. Teachers may be divided
into two classes: Those who are well dis
posed toward music In the schools and (2l
those who are Indifferent or hostile. Those Of
the first class, who are ignorant of the sub
ject, may fit themselves to teach 1t by study
Ing it up as they would any other subject.
The remedy of the second class is the pas
sage of law including music among the
branches required for teachers certificate.
Those teachers who are now doing good
work but are ignorant of music would not
be injured by such a law If 1t were provided
that the law should not take effect until
year after Its passage.
Three. plans suggested for overcoming
hostility on the part Of pupils. patrons and
school boards. o. If the teacher has strong
personality he may teach music without con-
sulting the people or the board % 1t would
be better for some teachers to secure, IL pos
sible, the support Of the board before begin
ming the work. (S) Many teachers would sue
pills. and through the community by indi-
rect means. Great tact is here needed and
no specific rules can be given for accom-
plishing the result.
The discussion Of the paper was wide
being led by Prof Congdon, Of ST.
Paul, and Supt. Williams, of Kasson-
oil. were agreed that there was room
for much better musical instruction.
even by the present corps Of teachers,
If their latent talents in the direction
Of music could be brought out. This
might be done by a slight pressure,
such as the requiring Of musical ex-
aminations as preliminary to the
issuance Of teachers certificates.
Supt Joel N. Childs, of the Farming
ton schools, had present class Of lit
tie girls from Lakeville and Farming
ton which gave an illustrative lesson,
and after a solo by Miss Foster, of
Fargo, a delightful Interpolation in the
set programme, there was another IL
Illustrative music drill by a large class
Of second-grade pupils from the Jeffer
son school in this city. Miss Kate Slye,
the teacher of the class, not appear
ing, Prof. c. H. Congdon conducted
the exercise. It's chief interest lay in
the fact that the class is taking an eX-
perimental course Of training, the sys-
tenn of denominating the tones by syl-
tables do, re, mi, ETC., being aban-
doned.
The afternoon session closed with a
paper by Miss Jessie Van Valken-
burg, Of Faribault, emphasizing the
value of individual work in musical
instruction for the young.