The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-29
MUSIC IN SCHOOLS
GOOD WILL RESULT FROM DISCUS
SIONS AT EDUCATIONAL ASS0-
CATIONS CONVENTIONS
MISS HoLTs ABLE PAPER
Voices of Young Children Must lie
Handled CarefuIIy-Current
Musical Happenings
and Notes.

IF the programmes presented by the mu-
sic section of the Minnesota State Edu-
cational association were not remarkable
for briliancy nor for an abundance Oh
new ideas or suggestions offered, at least
they were important for this reason:
They brought clearly before the state s
educators, and especially before those
interested in the music branch OF eou-
cation the opportunity offered by THESE
annual gatherings for the exchange Oh
Ideas and for the dissemination through
the state of the methods of the best
workers in the larger city schools. I'm
fortunately many of the papers read
gave evidence of hasty preparation.
Some were made up of words, not OF
ideas. But the spirit evinced by the mu-
sic teachers generally was the right sort
of spirit, and it promises well Tor the
future success of music teaching In the
State of Minnesota At least one thing
can be said in favor of the papers and
discussions that have taken up the time
of the session this year: They have been
more promising than any heretofore Of
fered St Paul deserves much credit for
this. Miss Elsie Shave, who has charge
of the music in the st. Paul public
schools is president of the music sec
ton and it is chiefly due to her wisely
directed efforts that it's sessions have
been so profitable
Miss Holt, who has charge of the music
at the state normal school in Mankato,
read a paper Friday afternoon before
the section on"The Preparation of Teach
ers for Music Work in the Schools"
Miss Holt has spent the past year abroad,
having obtained from the school leave
of absence to study music for twelve
months in Paris. Her paper was inter-
esting because of the high plane on
which she puts this branch of instruction
Some brief extracts from her paper are
here given:
Music is subtitle in its demands, as it
is peculiar in its effects. 1t is not easily
described-this temperament which is es-
sential to the success of every teacher
of music. 1t includes a lightness that
is not levity; an emotionalism that is not
sentimentality; a sympathy that does not
lack leaders force; an exactness that
is never mechanical, and spirit that
lifts itself in the midst of the days rou-
tine into the realm of the artistic with
such a steadfast strength that with ever
Guickening joy the children respond.
Sarah Louise Arnold, in her book on
Reading says: We must be what we
would have the children become If we
grant this must we not admit that a
teacher of singing in the schools must
nave more imam lGCIlIICcl anu IAlCO1Cl
knowledge of music. There is very evil
dent necessity for teachers who have
studied singing as we'll as methods for
presenting the lessons in music to the
children. The child's voice is too deli
cate to be treated with an aggressive 1g-
norance. There is a very great danger
Of doing an everlasting harm to the chill
dren vocally unless there has been care
full study of the voice-the child voice
I how will in q
single week a harshness of tone appear
In a class of pupils resulting from
similar quality in the teachers voice,
which she realized was her difficulty and
on account of which she had been using
her voice only at times of seeming neces-
city during lessons. What baneful eff
feet such a voice would have II used
unchecked for a year in school
VERY recently I have inquired about
the music material used in the school
rooms of some young normal school
graduates, and I have been delighted to
learn of the songs these girls have
taught the children in the schools of
some of the small towns of the state. 1t
viii be impossible to ave anything but
lasting and satisfactory improvements
in musical taste and enjoyment il good
songs can be taught to the children, even
if these are presented to them in an i'm
though sometimes difficult to arouse. is
thing of life and power when awaK-
ened, and the child spirit, so closely akin
to the highest musical spirit, will carry
the blessing of beautiful song into the
homes. The teacher, too, in following
the works of a master, will acquire mu-
steal impulses which always follow a IA
miliarity with the best.
There must be a consciousness of the
power and proper value of a developed
musical spirit 1t is the fundamental
factor upon which can be safely housed
study of music that will eventually
lead to analysis. To expect artistic de,
-veopment as result of technical and
theoretical treatment is as reasonable
as to expect that a knowledge of the
chemical analysis of pigments will lead
one into the field of art. Methods, even
when mapped out by scholarly artists.
Will not suffice to supply a foundation
broad enough upon which to base ones
teaching unless supplemented by a knowl
edge that will give a discriminating
Judgment. Towards this culture the wav
Is being made plain. The progress NAV
be slow at first, but a permanent and
iar-reaching advance is the certain re-
SUIT. An adequate preparation of orr
teachers for music work in the schools
must follow"