Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-26
Z x RI AXE 1t a welcome study, not an
ks/ intruder; make it u useful stu

Il IA TAKE 1t a welcome study, not an
g.; ]. SIS: Il
5sT-I real study. not Il play thing;
make II a pleasant study not a bore.
will make it a successful study. not a
failure $5 IL a55i5f 355i5 Els
These remarks constituted the pre-
lude to a lecture d,slivered by Prof.
Evan Stephens, before the convention
OF Weber county teachers. Friday. Sept.
II, on The subject Music in Public
Schools Prof. Stephens said4in part:
You may feel that you have too
many studies now. and you may be.
right; but remember that You have
none with more characteristic effect
upon the student than music. Most of
your studies deal with hard shelled
facts--realtties, not localities. AS
change of occupation is rest, you need
rest studies. interming!ed with labor
studies. So welcome this child of fan
3cy, this trainer and builder Of the emo =
stional sideSof character, the one study
the child as well as to his mentality.
Welcome it. il only S a relief to dry,
though Important, mathematics and
geography. .85
Do moi. sit idly by, nor leave the
room, during the singing lesson, When
the supervisor is present, be a good
student, ifSnothing more; see that Or
7 der and attention prevail. Many a good
music leader and teacher is not sue
hcessful disciplinarian Though he Is
present, the school Is yours. and it be-
9hooves the teacher to see to IL that order.
attention and interest are maintained
Treat the music teacher as; "a guest In
your student family, not as an intruder.
Welcome what he brings as a blessing,
and lie Will reward, you by lighting not
weighting your daily tasks Try to
find out the possibilities of the study
of music as to usefulness to yourself
to the student and to the school. Do
not permit it to be a mere factor III
using up The time assigned fol-, class
work. To get intogn nut" Is the CHIEF
cause Of rctarding progress in any
thing. Take up the music lesson daily
If it is daily, and it ought to be--wth
the idea of learning something
new Or Of advancing something met be-
fore. Doanot permit the lesson TO be
lii the smallest degree aimless or use
less. Shape the studies that while tho
student is mastering the elementary
work, he is becoming of use to the
gScHool, uplifting ~ W stlbe lueti. vs. ira
MUSIC'S MISSION. X
Music. properly used, may be made
a most important factorin the develop
sment of a. series OF attributes. without
which 10 school is what it should BIZ
order, interest, gcntleness OF, behavior,
refinement, love. The heart touched
with the emotions that beautiful music
Inspires. IS tender and easily moulded
into obedience. Cheerful music will
arouse the whole school to attention,
'WhenGt the brain has become drowsy and
inactive from too little fresh air or the
effects of too much steam heat In the
schoolEoom. Thus the music lesson may
be a medicine, a stimulus, a heart and
soul tonic, a refiner. But, mark now
what j say. do all this. but fail not to
keep it first Of all an educational fac
tor, a true sister study to all other
branches of study.
The chief fault, shall / say curseo
5retarding progress in music today is thu
neglect in keeping the study in Its
place as a systematic study, but rather
using 1t as a. show OF. exhibition feature
The mere performance by students of
something musical in connection With
the school is thought to be a great
part of school musical work. This is
wrong and misleading in the main
( opera and other musical features at
the end of the school year, means the
entire misapplication of musical studies
in the school room. w hen training for
the opera begins, all real progressive
study ends. The previous attempts at
progress in a systematic way, learning
to read and to express correctly what