The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-06

improVising the exercises needed. The plan of fifteen minutes daily drill ir the methods of the supervisor by tht regular teacher, was adopted at the be- ginning, and is still practiced in the
 schools with unvarying success. The | teachers are fitted for this work by l weekly instruction in musical methods
 during their senior year in the Higt School From the beginning until now it has been the constant and undeviat-
 ing purpose. to place the study of music
 on scientific basis; everything per
 taining to the study to be subject to the
 same rules and regulations as other
 branches; in a. word to make the study
 of music a real thing and not matter
 with which to tickle the ears of the
 public This of itself has been no light
 task, more especially in view of the di-
 verse opinions which were formerly en-
 tertained by the public, even among the ! friends of music themselves.
 The popular estimate of school music
 had been its use as a recreation to re-
 lieve the tedium of other studies it's
 progress being measured by the num-
 Der of songs which might be taught in . a SlNSIl lllllC' LII lllt SpiiS b"J '''0N
 was regarded by the public at large as
 an ornamental branch to be Topped oit
 as economy or political eXpediency might dictate, hence it often happened
 at town meetings" that voted were 1 proposed for the suppression of music ln 1 the schools.
 The great object of musical instruc' | ton in the schools is not so much to de- | velop artists, as to furnish the masses
 with a key with key wherewith to un- 1 lock the treasures of music themselves. 1 If the children are well versed in the
 science of music, the art will take care
 of itself In music as in all other stu
 dies, the ability to read and thereby to l interpret and understand must ever be the first great object of education. A Boston school principal writing on the subject of school music not long ago, said that large number of public sing CTS could not read the music which they held before them, It is not believed that New Hsyen graduates are amena-
 ble to that charge. The children of our city commence reading music during the first month of school life, and grad
 uate from the grammar schools with
 ability to read any ordinary music at sight.
 The method of instruction consists of an elaborately graded system of little steps in music, each principle being
 thoroughly comprehended and practic- ed before advancing to the next The exercises and instruction were first con-
 taned in a single octave volume of 120
 nat nv MnGip Reader" (the first school music book in the United States, by the way, known by that title). In 1873 the methods of teaching were so much improved as to call for revision, and the single book was exchanged for a series of three books In 1889 a third revision with four books, two grades in each book, was adopted; this series is in use at the present time.
 In order to keep pace with the best methods and newest devices of musical instruction, the author finds himself compelled as it were, to make fourth revision which will consist of eight books, one for each grade. The latest revision has already occupied his vaca- tions and spare hours for the past two ykdIS. w lItI Jitltu, lIlt4 IleW SGIlcS of Music Readers will embody the best methods of his long period of service.
 School singing must, in the very na- ture of things be largely a concert ex- ercise, nevertheless to accomplish re- suits, personal instruction and personal examination are as vital as in any other branch of education. With this and in view of individual practice in all grades has been encouraged from the begin ming, and to-day two-thirds of all the pupils are enabled to stand before their respective classes, and take their part according to grade, in solo, duet, trio or quartette exercises. Musical dictaton is practiced in all grades from second | to eighth inclusive The pupils. accord ! ing to grade, write with ease exercises sung by the teacher in any key, on either clef in every variety of time, with all accidentals, and transpose the same to any other key required. Test exercises in sight singing and dictation are given daily in all grades from book, or printed slip, but in order to judge of the relative standing in the same grades a yearly test is given Ill which all rooms of corresponding grade sing the same exercises and are marked accordingly. The results of last years examination were as follows: Number of rooms examined, BOT; marked ''eXcel- ent'' in eight singing, 167; good" 92; 'fair," A; poor" 4; number of solo singers, 9,240; perfect in dictation, 3,117; number of monotones, 370 In regard to those who are said to lack m ear for music) the average in New Haven as shown by annual examina- tions, has never equalled six per cent, Df the whole number. This class of chill iren although judiciously restrained in singing, are encouraged to learn the theory, and to practice writing music. As a matter of fact, some members of -his class have become adopts in play ng an instrument with fixed keys like he piano.
 The work of instruction in music is uniform in all corresponding grades throughout the city, hence as good re- suits may be seen in the smallest sub Irban schools as in the finest central 
 The ability of school children to read music has been shown in scores of pub ic entertainments. A notable demon-