The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-01

York has over 3O.000 students of music in it's boundaries who spend over $l,000,000 a year In tuition fees. This does not in- dude 100000 pupils In the public schools who receive regular musical training at the expense of the city. The result Of all this training is having it's effect on the American business man, who, until re- gently, although willing to pay to hear music for his own pleasure, did not ap- preciate the real civiliZing influences of true musical education. As result, while the American business man gave lavishly toward the endowment of uni- versailles and support of charitable en- terprses, the higher needs of musical cu1- ture did not appeal to his heart and purse. Hence. no great schools of music grew up to vie with the great conserva- tories in Europe, which are a charge against the governments or endowed personally by the sovereigns.
 One Explanation.
 One explanation for this attitude Of New York men is, according to experts, the fact that for so long musical edu- cation was considered undesirable for boys. and was regarded as an accom- plishment suited only to the feminine temperament and graces. Hence, only a very small proportion of New Yorks boys were trained at all in the apprecia- tion of the deeper significance of music and the vast majority grew into man. hood, fond, perhaps, of musical sounds, but knowing nothing and caring little about really good music Among the present generation of children, however, there has been q large advance in mus ical training for boys-a fact that will. 1t Is believed, have a marked effect on the musical work of the next decade.
 To what broad results this early mus ical education of boys may lead is in- dicated by the fact that the people of New York's tenements now get. for 10 cents a lesson. instruction by some of the highest salaried musical instructors In America, because q New York banker, when a boy. was raised in a musical home. Because of his early love for music, James Loeb has given $500,000. the largest sum ever devoted to music in this city by an individual. to found the ln- stitute of Musical Art MT. Loeb's ann biton was to create In America the mus ical atmosphere and generally favorable artistic conditions, hitherto found only In Europe. MT. Loeb's endowment was immediately supplemented by gifts from other music lovers, which this year en- able the institute to spend musical training, in addition to it's receipts from it's low tuition fees, the sum of $40000. The need for such an institution Is shown ny the 1HCI I0dI dlfeHuy, III us IilTu year, it Is working to its full capacity of 600 students specially selected for mus ical ability and earnestness
 Of all the expenditures of this endow- ment, probably the most picturesque Is that which is devoted to music in the tenements. To provide a musical clinic where under expert direction those who are studying to become teachers can practice instruction. the institute sends its principal instructors and it's advanced pupils to serve as teachers in the music school settlements of the crowded East Side. There the instructors and their pupils give to hundreds of poor children the same methods and care for which the wealthy are glad to pay large fees. In order that the idea of charity may be eliminated, for the musical poor are very proud, a nominal fee, or 10 cents les son, is charged. To many music lovers this activity Is fully illustrative of the growth of musical appreciation in New York as the fact that Caruso gets se500 a night for singing.