St. Paul daily globe., 1896-01-03
MUSIC SECTION RESTS.
Electfng Officers After Day of
Deep Study.

Deep Study
The music section held a very inter
eSting meeting at the assembly room
of central high school yesterday morn
ing. 1t was largely attended and of
great benefit to all.
L. c. Lord, president of the Moorhead
Normal school, delivered an able adj
dress upon the Importance of Music in
the Schools" The place of music
among the arts, and it's claims as
factor in the highest type of mind, were
briefly indicated Sight and touch were
held to be the senses emphasized in
modern educa ton. The Greeks were
a hearing, not a reading people, their
ears being as finely discriminative of
audible, as their eyes are of visible, beau
ties. Not SO the modern arts.
Those boys and fathers who believe
that music is enervating and unnanly
were referred to Won Moltke as a eel
loist, Thomas Jefferson as a violinist,
and John Fiske as a singer and pianist.
Nothing womaniSh about Won Moltke,
nothing long-haired about Thomas JEFF
ferSon, nothing so very efferninate about
John Fiske with his big, burly body
and his keen and profound thinking.
A great range and variety of emo
tiOns are excited by music. Some of
these emotions are superficial and af
feet only the heels of the listener, and
he dances or wants to dance. Others
touch the heart and the hearer weepS.
Still others touch another side of the
feeling and the man trembles and cold
ehills go over his body Again, a great
feeling of joy and awe possesses the
whole being, and physical demonstra-
tion is as out of place as dancing in
the holy Of holies, and tears as impos
sfble as before the throne of God
Each and all Of these emotions have
helped to develop man. But what
pity to awaken the lower emotions
when the higher are waiting to be call
ed! What shame to keep children
singing Hold the Fort" when they are
ready for Lead, Kindly Light and to
have in our churches Salvation Army
music, even If 1t be accompanied
by the organ instead of the drum and
the tambourinei
The regenerative power of art was
emphasized. Resolves follow the emo
tions excited by music as surely as they
succeed emotions from any other
source, and resolves made under the re-
fining and inspiring Influences of mu-
sic as often bear fruit in actions as re-
solves made under any other influences.
A general discussion of the subject
was then made. A. M. Sperry spoke at
some length of the refining influence of
music upon the school children. 1t
afforded the greatest addition to cul
ture and for this reason was a very
important branch of school work In
his experience he had seen the influ-
enee of music in the school marked in
the, action of the children. 1t appeals
to their better and higher natures and
can therefore have no influence other
than good. Another noticeable feature
of the benefits of musical instruction in
the schools was upon the actions of
the pupils. He had found it invariably
the case that where music was taught
the teacher had less trouble in preserv-
ing good order than in schools where
the scholars had not developed the
musical side of their natures.
so forTthese reasons it seemed to him
that music was, in some ways, the
most important study and the most
practical good resulted theFefronn. 1t
was folly for the taxpayer to object to
its being included in the list of studies.
He was followed by Miss Hattie E.
Ruddy, of st. Paul. She stated that in
her experience as teacher, she had
brought out by Mr.. Sperry in refer
ence to influence upon mfsbehaved chill
dren. She also brought out the benefit
of music in school upon monotones..
She had found that by diligence the
greater number of these voices could
be so cultivated as to be able to sing
and in some instances she had known
some very beautiful voices to develop
therefrom. From personal experience
in the school room she found that a
wonderful benefit resulted in training
the ear of the pupils. They learn cor
rect time and it makes their hearing
much more accurate. The greatest
Improvement, however, resulted in the
added refinement and culture. Pfofs.
McFadon, CoRgder and Kfinbill also
discussed the question from a similar
Standpoint. They brought out the fact
that from good authority nearly as
large per cent of people gain a Hveli-
hood In some kind Of musical work as
in any other branch and many of these
receive a part of their education in
music in the schools.
Hon. F. G. Staples, of saltwater, said
there was a growing interest through
out the country in favor of music in
the schools, and although the bill in
tfoduced in the legislature by A. M.
Sperry, last winter, making music a
consideration in granting frst-class
certificates to county school teachers,
did not pass, it was not for want Of
supporters.
A test in sight reading was then
made without the Italian syllables, by
a class of boys and girls from the sew
enth and eighth grade of the schools,
under the direction Of Prof. Congdon.
Several choruses were rendered in good
style and taste by pupils Of the Mime
apolis high schools under the direction
of Prof. McFadon.
Music From a Psychological Stand
point was presented in a very able
way by Prof Harlow Gale. of the Uni
veFsity of Minnesota. He stated that
it was not q matter of original "inten-
to the popular idea, but a great COM
plexity built up of many components
of more or less education. After some
discussion the following officers We're
reelected for another year: Prof. G.
E McFadon, of Minneapolis, presi-
dent; Miss E. A. Granting, of Roch-
ester, vice president; Prof. e. KrinbiH,
of JTi1ona Saoretary