The herald., 1898-09-12
MUSIC AND The CHILD
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATION
OF SINGERS
Great Chorus Leader William L. Tom
lins' High Idea in His Future
Work for the World

POSSESS high ideal and patiently to pursue
it. This is the thought that ran through
the mind of the interviewer, with increasing
force, as William L. Tomlins, ;he grea;
apostle of musical development in chill
dren, talked of his work. The Herald re-
porter, whose routine has not lain 20 any
great extent along musical lines, and who
makes no pretense to the fine art Of musical
criticism, had rather a haZy idea Of Mr..
Tomlins' special mission when happy
chance brought them together last even
ing. A brief question or two, few rapid
answers, and. 10! the idea and the mission
were made plain, like the unfoldment Of a
beautiful landscape In ascending a noun
tain trail. TO develop the child's intellect
and educate It's emotions, as distinguished
from mere sen,!men;ality. to cultivate all
sides Of his nature, broadly speaking
while teaching him to sing, and so event.
ually to produce a nation Of singers, to ma
tionalize music-ssemed so iogca! and phil
osophical that it seemed strange we had not
all thought Of i, long ago.
But we didn't, and that Is why Mr.. Tom
Inns, impressed with the belief that this
special work has been given him to do, has
abandoned the concert and chorus work
that has made him famous, and has re-
signed the dictatorship of the great Apollo
club Of Chicago, after twen:ythree years
connection with 1t in the capacity of leader,
TO devote himself TO the children of the
United States and team them how really
10 sing. L; was his training of 10000 chill
drens voices that made the great Column
bian exposition chorus possible and a world
famed success.
Mr.. Tomlins Is a native Of London, but
has been a resident of Chicago since the
great fire in 1871. He is middle-aged, above
medium height, with strong physique
rather inclined to embonpoint, dark hair
and eyes, and swarthy complexion. The
enthusiast is tempered by the logical and
metaphysical ;ha; predominant in his
mental makeup.
During my twenty-five years work in
Chicago" said Mr. Tomlins, II have been
invited 10 every section of the country to
talk about this work among children, but
l could never stay long enough 20 impress
1t upon the minds of other teachers that
they could do the same thing. The man
who can get at the hearts of children can
accomplish more than with adults. Al
frs, school authorities were suspicious of
me; they thought l had a new book to in
troduce or some money-making scheme to
advance, and I had to create a taste for
music, SO that schools would desire and
crave II. I found that in harmonizing the
throat and tongue, in teaching them to cor
rectiy pronounce and enunciate words, l
reached their minds and hearts. 1 then
sought to accoun. for results, as student
and philosopher, and in my study of musical
s.atics developed my present system Of in
struction.
THE matter Is now being studied by such
eminent psychologists as DR.. Stanley Hall,
DIR. Elmer Gates of Washington and DR..
Hailman, the great kindergartener, who
says it Is one Of the greatest things since
Pes.alozz's time. In a nutshell, all edu-'
cation has been along the line of the mind
alone Educating the heart is giving the
bird the use Of two wings, when he has
been trying to fly with one A nation Is
never a unit unless It is touched through
lis emotions, like the death of Lincoln or
some great national calamity or interest.
The way to educate a child is to get right
down to his hear; and cultivate all sides of
his nature, which can be done through
music, for It touches him al every point"
Mr.. Tomlins has been in San Francisco
for the past month, and will return there in
a few days TO conduct chorus In psalmody
and meet other engagements. His object
In coming 10 Los Angeles is primarily to
visit friends but he has consented 10 lee
ture this evening before the Ebell on Han
dels immortal composition, 1.-THE Messiah"
This morning. Tuesday, Wednesday and
Mr.. Tomlins will give Informal
talks on the musica! education of children
in Mrs. F. A. Eastman's parlors, 1006 Wash
lngton street. Thursday evening there will
be mass meeting of musicians in some one
Of the large churches, for instruction In
the singing of the standard hymns that de-
serve to be classed with the chorals of the
masters, such as Lead, Kindly Light"
and "Holy, Holy, Holy. Lord God AL
mighty" The Herald predicts that the
singers Of Los Angeles will receive such
musical uplift from Mr.. Tomlins' visit as
they have never before known.