The record-union., 1899-12-29

going to meet it by economy without
| waste of our capabilities. All our
teachers are going to stand in and
| work together for the glorious cause
and the possibilities of the glorious
State of California.
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC.
Papers ON Its Relation to Educa-
ton Read.
The most enjoyable session of the
California State Teachers Association
| by far was that of the Department of
Music, which convened In the Supreme
Court room yesterday morning. Every
paper presented was replete with rhyme
| and rhythm, and each subject had
every symptom Of dryness and dullness
eliminated. Interspersed with the read
| ing of the papers, songs were rendered
by some of the sweetest voiced singers
of the Pacific Coast, and the humorous
! yet pointed speeches of the President,
Mrs. Juliet Powell Rice of Santa Bar
bara, aided materially in the enjoyment
of the session, as did the sweet voiced
rendition of child song by the Secretary,
Miss Este11a Carpenter OF San Francis
CO. The opening paper, Voice in Spir-
itual Education" was read by DR.. +.
B. Dresslar of Berkeley.
! In his Introductory the speaker quoted
the words of Martin Luther, ITO keep
music in the school is a necessity, and
youth ought to be kept practicing this
art, for it makes skillful. genteel peo-
pie of them A schoolmaster must be
able to sing, or I would not recognize
him." At the time he wrote thus, music
was cultivated exclusively for churh
services but Luther's keenness of OBJ
servation and his interest in education
led him to recognize the true value of
music.
The child is born physically deaf and
it's ears are not unstOpped until from
three to ten days after birth. When au-
tomatically perfect. the ear offers OPP
portunities for cultivation far beyond
that attained by our best musicians.
Mr. Gelman, curator of the Boston Mu-
scum Of Fine Arts, during the progress
of his valuable study of Chinese music,
found it necessary to recognize and ap-
preciate difference in pitch equal to one
eighth Of a tone, and yet the vast
majority are satisfied If they can read
! lily distinguish half tone
Investigations, that there are fewer
people functionally disqualified from
| learning to sing than there are those
who are color Blind some are quick to
| acquire, as are pupils in all branches
of study. The ability to express the
emotional life through song and chants
is one of the most fundamental and
deeply rooted instincts of the race, and
when given opportunity develops into
higher and more spiritual yearning.
In this fact music finds it's chief claim
as an educational agency. 1t is capa-
BILE of molding and developing the
sensibilities Of the race.
The speaker urged that little ones
be taught to hear music and sing it
before they are drilled in the use of
notes. Better singing is obtained in
the schools of Hawaii than in this
country because time is given to songs
instead of notes.
Each teacher should have at her
command a score or two of beautiful
ennobling songs which have grown
up out of the hearts Of the people, and
they ought Ito be selected to suit the
advancement and special needs of the
classes. In closing the speaker urged
that more time be devoted to ear cul-
ture and instanced this need by stating
that the California meadow lark was
similar in appearance to his eastern
brother, but his notes were far richer
and sweeter, and he claimed that he
who has been taught to listen and has
learned to estimate and interpret what
he hears can go as deep into the mys-
teries of life as he with scalpel and
microscope. True, it is another phase
of life, but who will dare say that it is
less important.
After a brief discussion of the sub
ject by the President, Mr.. Foshay, SUI
perintendent of Schools Of Los Angeles,
related an example of the power of
music in an instance that came under
his personal observation. A certain
boy in his school was eternally in trou-
Bile, both at home and in school. The
boy possessed a very heavy voice and
eventually he was enabled to interest
the lad in music with the result that
he became one Of the best pupils in the
school, and to-day was drawing a sal
airy of S125 per week in opera.
Miss Estelle Carpenter, Supervisor Of
Music of San Francisco, followed with a
charming paper, the subject chosen
being THE Songs to be Taught Chill
dren and Where They Can be OBJ
tanned" In introducing her subject Miss
Carpenter said: IF we study the his
tory of the various nations of the earth
we find that song has been closely con-
nected with their most notable events.
War, peace, life, health and religious
and secular festivals have been COM
memorated by song" After illustrat-
ing the power of song amongst the I'M
civilized tribes all over the globe, she
said 1.-THE love, the joy, the sacrifice
and the religion Of a nation is uttered
through it's song. Children, old and es-
pecially young, quickly take and hold
songs that are rhythmical and melo-
dious. Songs should be selected that
appeal to the affections Of the children,
such as the house, the mother, the
father, the sun, the moon, birds, flow
ers, pets, playmates, etc. Give them
| songs of this nature and then lead to
CONTINUED on Sixth Page.)