The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-15
EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACADEMY
OF MUSIC AND THE WORK OF ITS YOUNG DIRECTOR

hour from such a distance for music
! lesson From all have seen. Jefferson
county is full of talented musical stud
ents, who are willing to come at any
hour for lesson, the greatest draw
back being the price of the lesson"
when you returned from Europe how
large was your first class?'
For nearly two months | had no class
Professor Boyce had opened a College
of Music Professor Guekenberger had
opened the Conservatory and there
seemed to be two teachers in town for
every pupil.
MY first pupil was Miss Elise Jones.
now Mrs. Robertson of New York city
In few days Mr.. Simon Klotz gave me
his daughter. With these two pupils I
worked faithfully until the class grew
to about eight pupils I gave a recital
since that first recital my class continues
to increase, while l have proved to be a
veritable Tennyson's Brook for Men
may come and men may go, but go on
forever. "
do you teach boys?"
Yes, many parents are realizing the
beautiful, refining influence music has
over their boys, and while they do not
make music q profession, it often fur
nishes amusement for boys, when they
might seek it elsewhere. Now, 1 do not
mean that l allow them just to 'dabble-
with it. What they do must be well done.
1 was told by a brother of one of my
former pupils, who had gone away to
college, that the boys at college who
could play were all so very popular and
the family was so glad his brother had
studied music.
"Then 1 thought of our little battles
fought, and vict )riss won, that no one
knew of except he and |. His desperate
attempt to practice his assigned time.
while the other boys played marbles near
by-his battered up fingers injured in a
ball game or whiting with hts new
Jack knife. All of those little troubles
faded away when he went to college, and
besides his fame at lessons and football
played his way into the hearts of his
college comrades.
1.-THE following Christmas he sent me
an exquisite copy of Later Love Letters
of a Musician showing that his very
thoughts had been influenced by his
music, and had turned at Christmas time,
to the beautiful and elevating thoughts,
for which this little book is so noted"
'Do you teach constantly all day long
in order to get in eighty-two lessons each
week."
mo, indeed I am not made of cast
iron. l begin at 1880 o'clock, l teach until
about $3.50 o'clock or 1890 o'clock, then 1
go for a walk. Every music teacher
b0Oulu Hldht II Il DQSlutSS u itldA-iO
rest the mind from work-to forget at
least twice a day, that there ever was
such thing as a plano.
I'm an hour | am in my studio ready
again for work. At l o'clock 1 am ready
for lunch, which takes me for another
walk,
"From until o'clock I teach unin-
terruptedly.
Patience? Yes but the very fact of
p1lr inc Ia4tuf Of CD raer faIlr
ing, and breathing awhile in the fresh air
and sunshine gives me this patience.
out of my numerous pupils of all ages,
not one can recall a time when | so
far forgot myself as to lose all dignity
and self-respeet and sream at them or
strike their knuckles with a lead pencil.
When l get that cross and grabbed, and
can no longer control my nerves, if 1
have any, 1 shall then and there stop
teaching"
do you take beginners?"
yes and 1 am glad you ask that, for
1t Is a most serious task-this teaching
begnners-this laying of the foundation
of a life work, for that is music. How
many parents send their children to a
cheap teacher, with the idea that bet
ter one will do when the child is farther
advanced are oblivious to the fact that
this so-called cheap teacher is to lay
the foundation; and a cheap foundation,
when The house has to be torn down,
proves to be very expensive thing
What do 1 mean by cheap teachers?
Do not misunderstood me. please, l
simply mean teachers who are teaching
and are unprepared to teach. Feeling this,
they are willing to take perhaps what
they think is equivalent to their worth
as a teacher They are too proud to
continue Their study with other teachers,
who have had better advantages and the
entire result is something appalling.
with a strong, well built foundation,
1t takes a great deal to upset whatever
kind of a house is put upon 1t. So it is
with music. Give a beginner a mag
nihcent musical foundation and the rest
will generally be satisfactory.
do ! have any trouble with my pupils
practicing? Now was there ever anything
a suecess-and | am a success-that has
not been overwhelmed with all kinds
of troubles and difficulties? But as l
claim TO be a success / will tell you ex-
actly how / overcame this practicing
question. For several years l baffled with
it and finally decided upon this method:
When a pupil comes to me l find out
what she has to do at Hometown many
studies she, has, etc The home life and
the mother are very seriously connected
with this music question, and the sooner
the mother recognizes this, the better for
the future musician.
Then | arrange the pupils practicing
time and write out how she is to prac-
tice. Next l impress this pupil with the
fact that out of the twenty-four hours of
each day just so much time belongs to
me. IT is mine. When she enters the con-
tract of studying music she promises me
so much time-just what ] demand. She
must neither waste 1t nor give it away
either by neglecting to practice or by
receiving a friend during her practiclng
time The time is mine and when l do
not get II she has committed wrong
both to herself, her mother and to me.
Nov, once impress a pupil with this
idea no matter how small she may be
and the practicing question is settled. If
not? Then stop the pupil The music
must come from the soul If after talking
with pupil 1 fail to arouse enough honor
and interest. then the pupil must go
home to her parent with that little note