Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-08-13
Music az an Educator.

w
tween the mind and things which pro-
duce the best competency or easiest ex-
istence, is the education desired by the
masses. Grammar and geography de-
velop memory; arithmetic and algebra
develop discipline; music, art, etc., de-
velop sensibility and refinement. There
vas Il time when the three RS educa-
ton insured a fair competency, but that
time Is past. To prepare the boys and
girls for the greatest usefulness and
happiness, and to enable them to act
we'll their part in the great drama Of
life, Is the great educational problem Of
to-day.
That vocal music is one Of the agen-
cies to be employed to secure this end
has ceased to be a debatable question.
1t pays to learn reading, writing and
arithmetic merely because we are bet
ter prepared to battle for a bare exist
ence. It pays to study geography and
astronomy because we learn facts that
put Is in touch with the races and the
universe. 1t pays to study algebra and
geometry for the mental discipline at
tanned, and a score Of can be
given as proofs that it will pay to learn
both vocal and instrumental music. 1t
pays many teachers of music who re-
ce1v. from three to six dollars per hour
for private lessons. 1t pays many
others who earn a competency as teach
ers and performers. 1t pays many me
chan.cs and merchants who make and
sell thousands Of musical instruments.
1t pays in the public schools to begin
and end the day with song. 1t pays in
the family and social circle where we
are entertained with divine melody, or
where brother and sister or the whole
family al join in the home concert. 1t
will pay any community large or small,
to spend some time and money in learn
ing this heavenly language-the only
n not invented by man, and probably
the only one he will be permitted to
take with him to the spirit world.
Music will make your boy a gentle
man, your girl a lady. 1t will keep
your boy home evenings; If 1t will keep
him from the saloon and degrading
streets, will it not pay? Save the boys
by giving them something to do that is
pleasant and beautiful. Save the young
boys and the young men will take care
of themselves.
We believe every teacher should study
music and try to teach it. You will
probably say, l can't sing! Can you
read? Every teacher studies reading
and tries to teach it. BY trying to teach
the rudiments of music, giving black
board exercises and singing lively,
cheerful children's songs, you will not
} only increase your WI knowledge In
this Heavenly science" but will in
creasc the interest In your school. Mu-
eic c%ultivates discipline and refines. Its
power soothes the unruly pupil and
| commands his respect for you. We
believe the annual teachers institute
Is the place to talk and teach this sub
ject. The county institute officers can
do more than any n else. II they
would engage a competent music teach
er as one Of their normal faculty the
teachers would receive instruction that
would qualify them to teach this sub
ject. II as much time were put OH
music as any other branch in our
schools it would not be in the back
ground, but would be considered as
important as any other branch. We
cannot teach that which we have MT
been taught. Let us begin at the begin
ming to teach 1t. We have been teach
ing music in the public schools for four
ten years and have long been convinced
that emusic as an educator excels.-
G. w. Fields, in Voice and Melody.
Education md Learning.
1t is a very common error Of the pop
xlar mind to confound the education
with learning. The phrase "a well
educated man." or "a highly educated
man. is not unfrequently applied to
one who has gone through a college or
university ourse with success. In the
more properly used, a man may be
very learned and at the same time a
very lily educated person. A man il
not necessarily a well educated nan be-
cause he commands the whole range OF
mathematics, biology, sociology aud all
other allied sciences, or Is versed In
Greek dialects. Latin, prose or the
verse Of Horace. He may know sll
these and yet be very poorly fitted to
discharge the functions and duties Of
life.-D. NJ. DelmaS.
Room at the Top.
Never you mind the crowd, lad,
Or fancy our life won't tell:
The work is a work for a. that
To him that doeth 1t well.
Fancy the world a hill. lad;
Look where the millions stop!
You'll find the crowd at the base, lad;
There's always room at the top.
Courage and faith and patience:
There's space in the old world vet: