Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-19
ARE YOU a MUSIC TEACHER?
Then the Public Schools Furnish Your
Best Field.

Best Field.
To YOU, girl graduate. who, after some
examination OF self and observation Of
others. have decided that in the world Of
muse you may tnd place, these
thoughts ana suggestions are directed.
and especially if you are Of those whose
opportunities for extended consecutive
study are, for financial reasons. limited.
You have said to yourself, perhaps,
sonnet thing like this: II know | am mu-
steal; ! feel that | could teach: | know
the endurance and patience are within
me; but now can ! iii myself to teach mu-
sic without funds AT my disposal to tide
myself over the preparatory period? ]
have after numerous self-dcnids sue
cccded in graduating. and now must be
come self-supp0rting. "A music teacher
would be. Is there way Of accomplish
ing my desire?'
Let me tell you what little | can i'll few
words To help You. What You feel Of the
ways Of art Is true. There are multi
tudcs Of lights Of greater or less magni-
tudc in the musical armament, and ii is
somewhat diSCouraging at the outset to
tnlnk OF placing one self in the same
field. But remember it is not how mucn.
but how well, ana If You are not over
anxious TO dazzle the world. you also may
be able To shine in your little corner"
There are several lines of music teach
ing which might ~ discussed, hut / have
in mind one which opens 4 broad out
look for the teacher ANA Yet does not Pre-
preparation rs 10 place ont Of the
reach nj the C.rl who il not possessed OF
much except energy ana personal re-
sources. refer to the comparatively re-
cent Introduction 80 music into our public
sclnn.S. WhlCa mas created places f1r SUI
U'iNlSHfS tt !ruSlC ia many C-;ICs and
TOWNS. hpth EAST ANA West.
Now. what are ine rcuuIremc MS for q
public school muse teacher? I.ci It's sam
UP the most Important ones. y KNOW
edge Of music in general; ability To play
tbs piano; knowledge Of voice piIciis
ana culture. particularly OF the CiI 2
voice; ability ~ manage and tCntr 4 lars
classes; ability 10 adapt ones self to pE-
pills Of any age from the kndcrgurtcr
ones to those VINO fill the last year CLASSES
at the high schools; ability to meet. u
gain the respect of ana TO work with the
city superintendent ana teachers. IL
those we might add others, such as stand
ing among the other musicians of the
town, but We Will let the above stand as
covering the immediate work of the SUI
pcrNiSor.
VERY Wen" you say. ~ have the gen
cral musical knowledge. otherwise |
should not have discovered my natural
benz. | play the piano, or | sing. | have
had vocal lessons; how about the oth-r
There is only one answer. You mus
study ana work. No profession can be
possessed Of any dignity which admits to
its membership unqualified people, amt
this IS especially true of the profession
Of music Get out OF your depths or
claim more than you can perform, and be
sure your sin will hnd YOU OUT"
Let me tell you Of the way many sue
cCSsful supervisors have trOu. They have
served an apprenticeship. going over the
ground which they were aftCrward to
help others TO traverse. They have begun
BY teaching school Ey doing this thev
learned now to manage children. ana how
To SympathlZe with ana advise their fr.-
low teachers. as they could have learned
nowhere else. Al the same time, thcy
tyit trht,
pursue their studies. aud were using Their
spare time and strength in these studies
Hard work? Yes. Why not? There IS
nothing worth gaining that Is not worth
effort They nave spent the long sum
mer vacations at summer schools OF
methods for special teachers, and there
have met other supervisors and those
who could help them later to obtain that
place to when they were looking for
ward. How long ala this take? That de-
pended on the individual. Perhaps one
year. perhaps three. The previous gene
raj education, musically and otherwise,
and The adaptability Of the individual ali
have their influence on the specific prep
aration.
We might now. for n minute, look at
some Of the reasons for preferrlng super
Visurship over other departments OF mu-
sic. We will suppose that you are a be-
glnner ana cannot command the indcpen-
denCc of action concerning omitted lesson
hours which might be exercised by a
master. Collections cannot always be
made in advance, and sometimes not al
ways for value received
a year or so Of financial stringency
comes, the first economy is and some
times must De, made upon the music les
sons. Your income is consequently UNI
certain. In the work we are considering
there is the sure satisfaction Of a. salary
and in the case Of ability and self avclop-
mcnt, advancement in both position ami
salary. Many competent and experienced
private teachers have laid aside that
work and taken something Of the course
outlined above, in order to fiji a public
school position, preferring the sure return
for their Ia Dor. You see, while salary
may not ana should not be Inc main AMI
only object Of endeaVor. it is a necessary
adjunct. since not love alone but money
makes the world go rOund, unless you
are supervising a large town, and some
times even then there are opportunities
for keeping in touch with music outside
of the general routine. through the giving
Of private lessons. church positions ami
Oh. The public school supervisor may
hold position Of much influence. mu-
sically. in her community as her natural
ability will command.
Should you chose this work. all thought
Of litteness in connection with ii must be
put cut Of your mind. This is n warning
which Won viii not need when once in the
work. but az YOU stand on the outside ami