Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-05
MAKES PLEA FOR
SCHOOL CONCERTS
LOS ANGELES VOCALIST TO
AID PUPILS
MUSICIAN WOULD HELP TO GIVE
SCHOLARS AMUSEMENT
-s
C. F. Edison Writes Letter to Board of
- a 4 L. L.. o..
c. F. Edison Writes Letter to Board of
Education, Suggesting That Con-
certs Be Given to Attendants
of Public institutions

Thoroughly believing in the best
music, and even that no music at all
is better than bad music. especially
for the young people. Charles Farwell
Edison. a we'll known Los Angeles Vo-
calist and patron of music, has ap-
pealed to the board of education to
adopt a scheme by which the pupils in
Los Angeles public schools may be
given the best music available in
series of four or six annual concerts.
The plan was presented by Mr.. Ed
son some time ago, and recently he re-
ceived an answer from the board.
The members stated they were loath
to indorse any arrangement that
might appear to be an official backing
of a monopoly on concert-giving for
the children. For the present at least
the body turned down the suggestion.
Mr.. Edison urges the concerts be
given by local musicians under the dt-
rection of d manager appointed by
the school board, rather than by traV-
cling artists, as the latter, he says,
would be better equipped to offer con-
certs fitting the needs of Los Angeles
children.
"There is a plentiful supply of com
petent musicians in Los Angeles" said
Mr.. Edison yesterday, land 1 cannot
see the necessity of bringing in outsid"
ers."
Mr.. Edson's second letter to the
board of education outlining his
scheme and taking up his suggestion
to the board of education is as fol-
lows:
Technical Training
ing generation to an intelligent appre-
citation of high class music and art is
now a part of our educational sys-
tenn.
"The educational value Of good
music and art has been recognized in
other communities where public school
authorities have provided good inter-
pretative recitals for children as part
of the educational system. New York
city spends thousands of dollars on
free lectures and recitals. Many other
cities-in fact practically all the larg-
er eastern places-are doing this
through the playground work. Los
Angeles, of all cities, should be a
leader in these progressive move
ments.
"At present the children are de-
pendent for musical education on
cheap vaudeville and low comedy
theaters in great part, with degrad-
ing result which reacts in time ineY-
itably on the standard of the city.
"The public school authorities in
Los Angeles should provide high class
musical and artistic entertainments
for school children in all the schools
at reasonable rates and as part of the
education system. Inasmuch as the
present rules of the board do not al
low selling tickets in the schools for
any purpose it must be done outside
! the schools.
Public Funds to Be Used
1.-THE only other way in which this
education can be provided is to make
it free to the school children and pay
for it out of public funds. At pres
ent the first method, for the board of
education to authorize some person or
body to furnish such educational en-
tertainment, appears the only feasible
one. If such method is adopted, it
should be with fixed plan of compen-
sation for the management and one
that will make the compensation out
side the pale of commercial enterprise.
Amy series of entertainments, to be
| of educational value, must be under
the supervision of the head of the re-
| spective departments in the regular
school work, and as the board of edu-
CdllOH, I0IltI Ol OCIOU6T L, 1JUJy
specifically says: The only thing that
the board of education can do to as
sist in making the series of concerts
known to the children is to have an an
| nouncement of them posted on the bul
| letin board of the school and to permit
| the bare announcement by the teachers
of the separate concerts, as they oc-
cur, in the school rooms. Nothing
more than this, save the formal in
dorsement by the board of education
of a given series of concerts, can pos
sibly be allowed And again: Again,
4 in the matter of this Endorsement By
| the board of education only musical
work of a decidedly superior and edu-
cational character can be indorsed
and, as several different series of con-
certs may conform to this requirement,
| and as the sole interest of the board
| of education in this matter Is to fur
ther the musical education of the city
and not by any means to lend its aid
| to promoting a musical monopoly, it
will hold itself ready to indorse as
many such series of concerts as seem
| by their quality to merit such indorse-
| ment from it,
Carries Approval Stamp
"Inasmuch as the Endorsement of any
| series of concerts by the board of edu-
cation carries with it the stamp OF
approval by said board, it seems only
| just that the board should as in all
| educational matters, establish the rules
under which sucht concerts should be
given. In no other branch Of educar
tion is the work put on a competitive
basis except as it comes before the
board. When the board of education
decides as to what is of the more value
| to the schools, it then allows nothing
else to interfere with the carrying out
of that policy and as the Endorsement
by the board would make any mama
ger of a given period of concerts a
quasi-public official, it seems that said
manager would come under the head of
a city employe, and as there is pro-
| vision in the city charter that no city
official shall profit directly or indirect
ly from any city contract, it seems only
| lust that the board engage manager
at a certain fixed remuneration to work
in conjunction with the supervisor Of
music in the schools.
"Education of itself has been decided
| in America to be a public utility and
every state has recognized that by
system of education for its people in
! all branches. Referring to your state
ment that The board of education does
not by any means propose to lend it's
aid to promoting a musical monopoly
would state the only difference of
opinion in regard to this matter is as
to the advisability of having these en-
tertainments given by what are called
local people,
Must Pass Examination