The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-11-24
What Music Does
For the Little
Ones.
AS TO RHYTHM IN
THE KINDERGARTEN
Miss Jennie E!sner Speaks Before
the Mothers and Teach
ers' Club.

1t Punahou preparatory school yeSter-
day and listened to the reading of the
following essay by Miss Jennie Elsner:
Very often that which comes to us in
an unexpected way proves a pleasure and
is of lasting value; we are stimulated by
the unexpected incident TO stronger men
tai action. and our Investigations are not
unlikely to lead rs into new realms OF
thought and possibilities.
/ Kindergartnering. for instance was an
element entirely absent in my field of OBJ
servation, until by chance / came in con-
tact with some of the chief promoters of
this vital movement in Chicago (Which.
by the way. Is veritable hotbed for pro-
gressive thoughD and at once became in
terested in the work in general and in the
musical feature in particular.
l To the musician the what Is of para
mount importance-to the player or sing
er. the how" In other words. the mu-
sician lays main stress upon the mate
rial used in building up a composition,
and the player or singer on the manner
II is executed.
But the use of music in the early stages
Of the child's development is neither the
what" nor the how Music to them
is, or ought to be. object lesson, and
Is assimilated entirely unconscious of
either the good detrimental elements
that ii may embody. Who is there among
us who does not recall some moments of
inspiration, some thrill of delight caus-
ed perhaps by a simple melody or a few
chords?-but these were quite enough TO
open the fioodgates of our pent-up souls
and we were the better and richer for it,
Who could ever forget the joys of early
childhood. when the first note of street
band or hand-organ was enough to set
every fibre tingling, or the soothing lul-
laby that hushed and dispelled every lit
tie heartache that may have been expe-
rienced during the day?
| These are moments We cannot help but
treasure. and We grow into reasoning
beings, the effect of such incidents can be
followed clearly and may be of good use
to ourselves and benefit those who come
under our charge many years after.
The majority have accepted the dictum
OF present-day educators-that music
ought to form part OF our general educa-
ton. and should not be treated as a lux
ury; but few OF US have the opportunity
of analyZing and passing judgment on the
intrinsic value of music; in consequence
we can not act as intelligently as we
ought or be of as much assistance to our
little ones we certainly should like to
be.
Music. as We all know offers the widest
scope for play of the emotions, and we
must continually be on guard against
baneful influences. If the child's atten-
tion has continually been directed to-
rarely prove false in later years to these
early infiuences-and should 1t be fasci-
mated by the seductive element for a
while, will after all return to that which
is reposeful and true. / once saw a class
Of children so banefully influenced by a
certain class of music. played in certain
way. that II was simply appalling-they
were considered cute by their director.
who unfortunately was too little of a mu-
lsician and psychologist to look any deep
er-but In reality the very element that
levery thoughtful preceptor tries to curb
and which on the Islands forms an espe-
cially objectioual feature. was here rep
resented (nurtured). The casual kinder
garten visitor, for instance, is rarely
aware that the orderly movements ac-
companying the music, and which move
ments gradually become graceful and
give muscular freedom to the child, have
any further significance than to serve as
"A sort of gymnastic. Now these move
ments are of vital Importance, for they
lembody the very foundation principle OF
beng-rhythm.
At first these movements are entirely
initiative but after a little experience
land often in a surprisingly short time
the child recognizes the tune or idea by
the first few notes, and instantly acts out
the rhythmic sensation independently
With the average American child this is
comparatively easy. but here in Honolulu
we have such heterogeneous material Il
deal with, some of which Is absolutely
void of any musical notion such as we
understand 1t, and TO make any impress
sion whatsoever more than average pa
thence and ingenuity must be brought tC
bear. Fortunately, this avenue of rhythm
remains open to US by which we car
reach the majorityLthey will feel what
they could perhaps never hear.
Rhythm Is the pulsating element per-
"a iS fS he
lciple of the universe: without 1t all would
be chaos. We obesrve IL in the orbits OF
the solar systems IL is brought home tc
Us in the ebb and flow of our mighty wa
ters: we. as well as beast and fowl, trees
and flowers, feel its benefcent effects In
the wise adjustment of day and night
which keeps the balance between activity
and rest. and we can take note of II In
our very bodies and know whether all Is
normal or whether a disturbance has ac-
celebrated the hearts action or impeded
respiration. 1t can be exemplifed In a
thousand different ways-enough that ev-
,ery atom of the universe 1--WE included) Is
' in motion, and motion without rhythm Is
vague nothing.
To be in harmony with the world means
to be in rhythmic accord with natures
forces.
Rhythm IL proportioned development oil
a movement brought out by a system OF
regular accents. In music, measur,
grouping (time) is often misnamet
rhythm. Time is unquestionably rhyth
mic. but II Is not enough to be able tC
play in strict time to reach the finer per
ceptive faculties for beauty which are
based on rhythm and not time. Beauty
IS harmony in whatever sense It Is used
the poet and artist painter revel in har
mony OF color: the sculptor and architec
will go into ecstacies over harmony OF
form. and the musician will lose himself
N hA ma nf I,o-
make harmony, forming a language with
, out words. that enthralls the soul ant
harmonizing the discrepancies of life.
The simplest little melody contains har
mony and the harmonic changes are de
cided by accent
IL Is readily seen that intelligent inter
pretation depends entirely upon the rhyth
mo-harmonic sense of the performer; in
telligent response on the part of the list
!. ener Is only possible when the player hai