The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-05-05
MUSIC m IHE SCHOOLS
A strong Embarrassment Tor Masnsaia
ing Music III Public schools
al the Ceuusry
Editof R%epnNnean .

-. WYNN ~ M - $500 ~
believe that sonie OF sccd friend,
have rather a vague idea OF why mu-
sic IS taught in the puhlic schools.
From toe vantage point Of u teach.
err IN the music profession. wish tc
give publicly some reason for lis be
ing not only a good thing. but an IS
senlfal stlay, one worthy OF some
financial slcti6ce on the past Of oar
citizens.
In tie hrst place, music is not, rs
nlaily people tAluk Of il. something
mysterious To lie compromised.
only by 4 favored few, II is plain
ana tangible TO those studying it uu-
der proper conditions and with hight
Instructors. and the laws governing
it are no different IRON the Laws gov
ernine the teaching of other subjects.
Thousands OF men aud Women to-
day ale breadwiuners because of their
musical attainm ents. which fact
shows that already a vast multitude
considers it worthy of much time and
great expense, but the awakening of
abe progressive schools all over our
hand in making it a regular branch,
shows that it is now regarded as i'm
portant as any other subject in the
school curriculum. From a purely
musical standpoint might say, have
music in our public schools, because
it will push the cause OF music IN
America, create a musical atmos-
pllere in every home. and SOW the
zeeis of a more strictly national types:
hut 10 be worthy the place OF a nee
essary study it must rather be con-
siderei flom an educational view.
Of curse we cannot make every one
a great musician, aud the school is
no more expected to make soloists
than to make horse sboers or millin-
BIS. but every one can master the
fundamentals of musical knowledge
and practice, and as education is sup
posed to prepare for life work, so
should it give the preparation that
will discover to a child his special
talents. Many very poor children
1ave beautiful voices and are decid-
edly musical and the public school is
Tor them the only place to develop
and cultivate their God-given powers.
The human voice is the most uni
velsal, the most practical, the most
popular and the most beautiful in
in existence, and the be-
ginning of its training should come
at the formative period to be most
effective. ssChildren are not unmu-
steal so much from physical incapac-
ity as because they lack a musical en-
yironment."
What is education? The halmon:-
aus development of all our faculties.
Then surely that system is defective
that neglects the training of the ear
and voice.
Music is of service to a greater
rumber than any other ART. More
are Influenced ty it, more appreciate
it and use it for the pleasure and
good of Others.
There is a growing interest in the
hne arts, and at great expense school
looms are being %beautiied By repro
auctions, both of paintings and
sculpture. Too much cannot be said
Of the benefit that children would
derive from seeing such things every
day, but even this is not to be COM
pared with the influence of daily
singing good Songs-for music is the
purest af all arts The tendency of
music is to make one beautiful 1t
rests the body, balances the mind
and pacities the soul a man cannot
sing if he is angry. ''tf there are
discords in the life of musical peo-
pie, it is not because of the music,
but in spite of it," Music also makes
as great educational demands and is
ptible to as much educational
aevcl)pment as any other subject.
To be worthy a place in the school
curriculum, a subject must deal with
the lenial, molal or physical side of
Ihe individual, for it is Il happy com
binalion of these three, developed by
trained minds, that gives the child
his real OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES him to
live a life of the greatest happiness
and usefulness.
Considering music first from the
or intellectual side, there is
perhaps no study that produces such
C state of mental alertness. 1t Sc
sures habits of attention, because it
is natural and the children love to
sing. 1t is interesting to them. The
greatest concentration, exact think
and precision are necessary, OBJ
serve a class in sight singing and no.
tice what strict application is there,
intense mathematical reasoning to
see the note, fix its position in pitch
and length. The eye and the ear
mast be quick to see and hear, and
ale voice trained to give out, Whar