The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-07-08
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
! MUSICAL CORNER! !
Conducted e, A. Violin Maker .
!, by THOMPSON, and Teacher {,
Waste in Musical Education.
(By j. Lawrence Erb.)

] i''''
| ~ for reasons of economy, the greatest
industries being generally the most eco
nomical. This follows as Il necessary
resultant of the sharp competition which
charactcrizcs the business world.
Music teachers and students need to
take this matter to heart. \ vast
amount of money, time and energy are
wasted every year in the pursuit of
musical education. For instance, begin
ncrs frequently pay $500 or more for
each lesson with IL teacher of national
or international reputation, when, for
ii fraction of the money, they could ac-
qure the same methods from his pupils
or assistants. oftentimcs under the i'm
mediate supervision of the great man
himself 1t is fact that lengthy
course of study with such a teacher is
frequently Il mistake. unless the pupil
possess unlimited funds. For, except
the time can be given up to the study
of repertoire, large portion of the les
son must nearly always be spent in
technical routine, which could be attend
ed to in detail in much shorter period,
only that the pupil has paid for so many
minutes of the teachers time.
OF course, poor teacher is expensive
at any price; but properly qualified
teacher. wholly reason of youth, mex
pcricncc. or lack of eputaton-must
teach for half or a third of what the
more famous man commands. is fire.
Iucntly better investment during the
formative period. especially as he is more
likely to he in touch with the beginner.
1t is not customary to employ university
professors to teach children the aplha-
bet
Much time is wasted in repetition or
upon needless details. Why must a
lesson he 30 or 40 or 60 minutes long?
In the maiority of cases the actual
teaching of the lesson is done in a much
pupil are bored by the padding necessary
to fill up the time. We admire the ply
stefan who attends to a patients wants
without wasting precious moments, and
are glad to see him 90 as soon as he is
through. We laud the minister who
boils his sermons down to twenty min
utes or half an hour. But the music
teacher must worry along until the les
son time is up, even if to do so he must
repeat the point he wishes to make until
the pupil is weary, or cover it up with
less important details which simply draw
the mind away from it. Every lesson
has its climax; and if, when that eli
max is reached the pupil could be sent
away to digest what he has received,
both teacher and pupil would do better
work.
Especially is this the case with child
rem or beginners. In few minutes
enough material can be given to the
pupil to keep him busy until the next
lesson. Beginning is trying work at
best. and to have to spend three -fourths
of the lesson time in attempts which are
mistake. The pupil would accomplish
more and surely would feel more at
ease, if such things did not have to be;
and much of the unpleasantness between
teacher and pupil could thus be avoided.
Such reform. for instance, would put
a discount upon carelessness on the part
of the pupil For, if he realized that
a soon a he recited his lesson satisfac-
torily, he could 90. and not until then,
the chances are that he would do his
best
The teachers income need not suffer;
for, if he does his work just as well in
a fraction of the time usually allotted
to it. surely no one should object. On
the other hand. it makes his possible
income as much larger than at present
as his ability would warrant.
Now a word as to waste of energy.
II Is a source OF pride to many pupils
unfortunately too commonly encouraged
by their teacher-that they practice
certain number of hours a day. | have
heard some boast of seven or eight hours
day OF piano practice, when they
should have blushed for their foolish
ness The great artists do not practice
any such period, except for short inter
walls under unusual circumstances, nor
it, In fact. the tendency is very strong
IN favor of four or five hours "a the