The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-31
ATTENTION BEING
 GIVEN ID MUSIC Development of Musical Taste
 in the United States SYSTE MATlC TRAINING Summer School at Knoxville Will Have Strong Department In Musical Study-Instructors of Recog-
 nl=ed Ability Secured.
SYSTE MATlC TRAINING

Knoxville, May 30.-(Special. )-Not a great many years ago a well educated lawyer in one of our capital towns, after saying that he preferred popular songs to any other form of music, added: And what is more, I don't believe that any body really likes classical music; few persons say they do. but only because they wish to appear different from other people," And he really believed it!
 At that time music was increasingly ap- preciated In some of our large cities, but to the great majority of people it was still the day of "The Shepherd Boy" "Silvery Wave" and "The Maidens Prayer" Music was the twin sister of "belles lettres" as taught In girls schools and was the expected accompaniment of white muslin and golden curls. According to the catalogues, it was taught to the elect few entirely as "a pleasing accom- plshment." Of music as a noble art only a small number of Americans had any idea But during the past ten years greater leisure, extensive travel, and a study and assimilation of the best in the educational systems of older civilization have made our people realize that music Is not a mere pastime, plaything, but a source of the most ennobling pleasure and an educator of the mental and emo tional self of such value that 1t demands a place not only in the curriculum of our universities but in the elementary schools and high schools.
 At the meeting of the Harvard Teach ers' association q few weeks ago, Presi- dent Elliot In speaking of subjects nec- essary for complete education said:
 Music Is a culture subject if there Is one in the world; and music was an ele- ment in the first course for bachelors degree of which we have any knowledge. I mention with pleasure that we have this year admitted among the subjects that may be counted for admission both to Harvard college and to the Lawrence Scientific school, harmony as the ele- mentary subject in music an. counter point as the advanced,
 Inherent Love of Rhythm.
 The recognition by the kindergarten of the inherent love of rhythm and melody in children and of tho formative value of the proper direction of this natural taste has done much to further the introduce tion of a high grade of music in our pub lie schools Until recently, any teacher was supposed to be capable of teaching children to sing. Now we are beginning to realize that trained directors are nec- essary to form and modulate the voice and to instruct not only in sight singing, that most delightful of arts, but also in understanding and appreciating the works of the masters of music. Columbia has called McDowell. the interpretive musi- cal genius of distinctive American folk song and sentiment, as director of de- partment of music; Harvard has lectures in musical interpretation and apprecia- tion; and even Cornell which especially emphasizes utilitariar values offers oppor- tunities for musical training.
 The Boston Symphony orchestra, the Kneisel concerts have given our people the keen intellectual and aesthetic enjoy ment of perfectly rendered music; and most of the larger American cities have carefully directed home orchestras which are doing much to form the musical taste of the people. More than this. music is rapidly becoming a requirement in our elementary and high schools; not music in the old acceptation of the term. con sisting of showy execution of several brilliant pieces" but music as an im- portant factor in education and culture.
 Heretofore the difficulty in the way of our southern teachers has been the lim-