The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-08

The sailor sings of ropes and things, In
The children sing in far Japan. the children
sing in Spain; .,,,,,,,,r -
The organ with the organ man is singing III
the rain"
1.-THE rain is falling all around.
It falls on field and tree,
1t falls on the umbrellas here,
And the ships at sea-"
These lines were characterized .et :. as as
is respectfully maintained that they are
nothing of the SORT On the contrary, they
beauty. full of child-mood, child-thought
and simple, natural child-expression. More
| over these same child-poems appeal In
| Now, as to the poetry which these books
really contain, the following from Mr.. G.
| schools of Cincinnati o., is to the point:
Neither is there an unmeanfng word ac-
eepdyh i1c Inc amonr many Others ths
names of Shakespeare, Tennyson, Addison,
| Cowper, Colerdge. Wordsworth. Longfel-
| low, Browning, Burns, Holmes, Goethe, etc
Even the primer, which is intended for the
| very Youngest pupil contains children.s
| poems from Robert Louis Stevenson. Sir
| Walter Scott, Frank Denpster Sherman,
Julia Ward Howe and Ralph Waldo Elmer
| son..
Another point in the criticism is: 1.-THE
| songs are few in number, and the majority
| of them are uninteresting." This is con-
Herbert Griggs supervisor of music in the
public schools of Denver. Col, who. says
1
| tains SO many good songs as the natural
| course"
SO, Also Mr. Carl Betz supervisor of
music, Kansas City. Mo. "One of the strong
| features of the system is the splendid mu-
sic material it contains. This plan of edu-
eating the child to appreciate the works
! of the standard composers is a grand
idea"
Also, Mr. Carl Faction, director of the
New England Conservatory of Music, Bos-
| ton, Mass, says: THE right kind of ma
terial is selected, properly graded and well
TO the same effect is the testimony of
THE natural music course contains, a
quality Of musical material the like of
which has never before been embodied in
any music for school use. Melodies of the
nboseS , ondrac t are SET TO earetuily
orally of genius"
We quote further the verdict of the emf
nent critic and writer, Mr.. II. e. Krehbiel,
musical editor of the New York Tribune:
What seems, to, us the most adm rable
feature of the books is the excellent judg-
ment displayed III the selection of the words
as well as music-a matter of the gravest
| concern when one reflects upon the inflt1-
ence which the exercises and songs are
bound to exert upon the taste of children"
"a another lot nror 1b1eetion urged Is: The books
to rearrange the exercises before they
could be used Upon this point. the fol
lowing are few of the many favorab BILE
testimonies which might be offered:
,n Mrs IRIS I Emma a. Thomas director Of music
H..
| arranged"
does net follow pan of fhat h
n 1nar eve eyes help to the regular teachers,
gardng II n IS Tae % ware
ance with this statement.
MI, MT, W. Il. Lott. supervisor of music, CO.
sqp s n Gat sne reso Of Kalamasoo
Mich, says: THE teachers without excep-
moi
it, they are enthusiastic in its praise
Va, writes: 1T is the unanimous voice OF
our teachers that this system is an inn
prepayment ven on ANYTHING hitherto. in use
writes. Every One who knows si'a Anything l.
There is no doubt that this system "i Is far ar
IN ADVANCE of anything We have had be-
Also. Mr.. Amos Hiatt, superintendent of
schools, Des Moines, Ias: II cannot saw
TOO much in favor of the natural music
If there were space the names and opin-
ions or scores of the most competent ex-
perts could be quoted, all precisely on
poslte to the sharp tongued allegations IF
the indlaanapolis critics All of these ex-
South and e east or 70 the north west
pronouncing the natural course the hest
course OF public school music ever offered
BUT there still remains the most brilliant
gem of all the criticisms Objectine to The
early Importance which is given to the sub
49, Vi ny tsiIl III the natural If ie
sald: 1 md that children learn tune in
music easier than they do rhythm This
criticism is based upon absolutely false an5
unsound pedagogy. Pleasure in rhyfbmic
order is the most elementary beginnintr or
taste for music. Rhythm is the soul and
substance of music-the element which an
peals at once to the heart intelligence "a
spontaneity of the child 80"
The Natural Music Course had AZ tba
hands of the Indianapolis SUPERVISOR one
years unwilling trial. in which none of the
pedagogical points of the system were com :
pretended. Why let US ask has a svster,
or such merit and so strongly indorsed bv
the best authorities been thrown out WITH
out proper trial simply upon partisan and
incompetent testimony? Unfortunately
there is no adequate reply to the question
| The change of music readers will cost the
year. Some one has used the argument
that when q school board hires a carpenter
it does not insist upon selecting the tools
with which he is TO work This is very
We'll But when a school board with "a s. 061
outfit of toes on hand. practically new and
of the latest and most improved LatterD
permits a workman who has made no ef-
fort 10 understand or properly use these
tools TO cause at great expense the wrcle.
sale purchase of an entirely new kit sfrl,-
ply TO please whim or crafty a prejudice
II may be permitted. perhaps, TO question
the wisdom of such action
In this case IL would doubtless have been
better TO have made change In the 81 eco
tools. C. C. RIRCHARD
For the American Book Company
Cincinnati. Oct. 6.