The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-01
WHAT A 0 N CAN Do
Is Thoroughly Illustrated in the Eff.
forts of n Mitchell Girl to Be-
come n Musician.

SSASCu d COpy Ol Tue MuSlCldu, which
is published in Chicago, and on
turning over it's pages we found an
article which had a very familiar
ring, in that it touched upon the eff
forts of a young lady to acquire q
musical education. We reprint the
article to illustrate how a woman
can surmount difficulties even
though it was done with a mighty
hard struggle. The article is writ
ten by w. S. b. Mathews, of Chica-
go, a noted teacher of the piano, and
one of whom the young lady in ques-
ton received a great many LESSONS.
Mr.. Mathews wrote the article to i'll
ulstrate the point that the teaching
of music in small towns is o fatal
to the ambition of the individual,
and he gave three individual cases
to show that his assertion was cor
rect.
This story of Mr.. Mathews con-
Germs the life story of Miss Myrtle
Lee, who a year ago last fall realized
the ambition of her life i'm going to
Berlin to study voice in one of the
Miss Lee was associated with the
musical department of Dakota IVES
leyan, and something like ten or
twelve years ago she started that
department on the upgrade. The
writer knows to a great extent the
truth of the detail as is outlined be-
low by Mr.. Mathews:
"Some ten years ago there came to
Chicago m summer two girls from
Dakota, twin sisters, about eighteen
or nineteen years of age. They were
fairly attractive girls, serious and de-
termined to a degree. They arranged
for lessons of one hour, and while
one sister played the other took notes
in a book she had for the purpose.
Record was made of every point
brought up. At the half hour the
girls changed places and the work
went on as before. Their term was
short, for they had little money, their
father having died some time before
leaving the mother without means
and a mortgage upon the homestead
a city house and lot.
"At home the girls practiced heroi-
cally and gave lessons, the latter
early and late, as they could get pu-
pills. A year later they came again
for a longer term. In order to make
their little money go as far as they
could, they actually succeeded in
finding places where in exchange for
house work they could get board
and a chance to practice the piano
two or three hours a day. One sister
was far upon the North Side, the
other far out on the South, twelve or
fifteen miles apart, meeting only on
Sundays and at the lesson. Presently
one sister received word that the
other was i'll and had been sen to a
hospital. 1t was a case of typhoid
already advanced, and three days
later the sick girl died. Then the sur
vivor had the dismal details of get
ting money for the hospital and I'M
dertaker charges, and carrying the
body home for burial. AS the girls
had been like a single individual, the
survivor was heart-broken.
"But the thread of life had to be
taken up again, yet with so much sor-
row that only work could be done.
1t was two years before she had the
heart to come again for lessons. BY
this time she had been appointed the
head music teacher in a college in
the town, and by working impossible
hours she managed in a few years
to pay of the mortgage. save up 6
little money. and be able TO spend
several weeks every summer in Chi
ago or Boston for instruction. Thus
she widened her horizon year by
rear. She was a girl of singularl,
sound nature, full of good sense anc
industry. As q pianist she had a re.
marFable amount Of execution, an5
she PLAYED almost ANYTHING of a bril-
liaut Kind which appealed to her.
She bad also studied singing ant
had taught it, both in chorus and il
private lessons. Her department
grew year by year, and she added t.
her accomplishments harmony ant
counterpoint, rs we'll as musical hist
DRY, in order to make her teaching
what she thought it ought to be. She
worked early and late.
"Two years ago she wrote hel
teacher here that she had been very
successful in a financial way, and ii
a year would be ready to take leave
Of absence of one for study in Eu.
rope. I confess l wondered how she
would come out in Europe, with per.
l.-~.# C>~-o 80 I-k 1ff%1o ~~S