The Somerset reporter., 1902-12-04
of Musical Instruc-
ton I'm the Public Schools

A. Rogers Of Pittsheld.
II seems fitting thar school music il
America should have had il beginning
10 cultured musical Boston. Lowell
Mason was the first to discover that /,
music was TO keep pace with education
along other lines, the work must begin
where all work mentally elevating be.
gins-with the children 10 the public
schools.
He was opposed as pioneers always
are, by some of the leading educators OF
his day. After so arousing interest i1
his idea that petition from the public
Influenced the school committee OF that
city TO adopt music as part of the re.
gular work, the city council refused the
necessary appropriation. He taught Il
year without salary and met with such
success that In 1898 the necessary funds
were provided.
Lowell Mason was for a long time
closely connected with the Handel and
Hayden socety--the oldest American
musical organization now in existence
organized in 1915 and still singing; a
society which has Influenced and elevat-
ed the standard OF music In the Eastern
Uuited States more than any other.
Ii is probable that the idea of holding
teachers conventions like this, also or
iginated with this same great educator.
Largely as a result Of his labors and in-
fluence, fifteen million children now sing
daily In the public schools. This means
a great outlay OF money. Surely some
one must have become convinced OF its
advantages in these later years.
Musical sounds were used 10 express
mans inner feeling as early as any sort
of language. A study of the national
songs is very valuable 10 determining
race characteristics. Music is as much
a means of expressing all sorts of human
emo ion today, as the painters brush,
the sculptor's chisel or the words OF
our language.
Many people believe that all children
are born with faculty of song just as
all are born with latent faculty of
speech. | believe the results shown in
our public schools, where music has
been taught for some years, justifies
this opinion. What a pity that this
means of expression should be left I'M
developed.
Given pleasant surroundings children
sing as naturally and ioyously as the
birds do. Leading educators say that
more children have good ability in
music, than in any other study taught
In the public schools. Many a child
learns to sing at school who would
otherwise never learn. A child with
inferior ability may learn TO sing under
a private teacher, il he is fortunate
enough to have the money to pay for
such instruction, but the chances are
that he will learn to be musical in half
the time if placed with from twenty to
forty other children more talented than
himself. Often the greatest talent is
found in the pupil who could never af-
ford any musical education beyond what
he gets at school. An erect positicn
and plenty of fresh air are as indispen-
sible TO a music lesson as a chart and
piteh-pipe. Physicians, after careful
examinations of the subject, have stated
that throat and lung troubles are much
less prevalent in schools where music is
carefully taught. None of the common
school studies require as much mental con-
centration, rythm, quality of tone, pitch
and perhaps syllable names or words to
be looked out for, all at the same time.
Surely nothing like this in geography
or arithmetic.
The pupil who can listen to familiar
melody, go home and write out what
he has heard, or who can learn TO think
music as he thinks language, and ex-
press 1t on paper, is developing keenness
Of intellect and cultivating the imagin-
alton as much as in any form of original
composition. The sight of the notes
should bring the movement and the tune
to the mind at once. $50 1t looks, SC
it sounds" a noted musician once said
when asked how he read music so rapid.
ly. He might also have said, $50 it
sounds, so it looks."'
One of the teachers has pupils, who
are not busy with other work, take
music books and study their exercises
silently before the lesson. Not few
know how the lesson sounds before
hearing it. After the ability to do this
s gained and also the ability TO think
musical thoughts and properly express
them in different rythms aud keys, sight
reading is an easy matter.
lie Is sometimes argued that such and
such pupils do not "take 10 music"
though they have ability, and therefore
should not be forced to learn IL. Ii is
a teachers first business, of course, to
interest such pupils if possible. Some
times such a one does not "take" "a
other things any better and, see no
reason why he should not be treated Just
as he is when he neglects those. And
The monotone, what shall be done with
him? Well, he is a much rarer object
than most people think. In many cases
he is mentally deficient. In many other
cases, he is just as big a monotone in the
spelling class or at doing errands for
his mother, as he is in the singing les
son. Put him where some of your best
singers can pour sweet sounds into
both ears Encourage him to try to
sing softly on the most familiar songs.
Work with him alone. 1t takes patience
but he is often cured and always i'm.
prov IS.
A we'll known musician said in a lead.
ing musical magazine, last month, that
he taught school In his younger days to
pay his way, that he found purer at
mosphere in districts which supported
singing school, and that his school
was more easily governed. Our
churches know the power of music as
a moralizing and spiritualizing influence.
Nearly all churches Of Importance in
our large cities have chorus class for
the young people under skilled direc.
tor.
For some years our largest colleges
like Harvard and Columbia have had
thorough music courses under some OF
the best instructors to be had in the
world. Many colleges are fast adopting
it.
In these days the young man who
enters college with a good knowledge
of music Is Al sure to be as popular as the
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