The Detroit times., 1911-01-21
LICENSE MUSIC
TEACHERS? NEVER!
Frank Fruttchey, Detroit 0rganist,
Vigorously Assails Bill Prepared by
Michigan Music Teachers Assn.

A bill prepared by the Michigan
Music Teachers association. In which
II Is proposed to license" musicians.
and which will be brought before the
present legislature, has caused a great
deal Of comment among local musi-
clans. The most outspoken Detroit
musician against the bill IL Frank
Fruttchey, the well-known organist.
THE bill presents the idea that
there is an aggregation OF music
teachers In the state who know and
are to be trusted with picking ont
the right people to teach music" he
said and my contention IL that, In
the very nature of the development OF
music, there In not and cannot be
such body. do not say this with
tion, many of whose members know
personally.
with the necessarily low state
standard OF examination the charlatan
will be given unusual opportunity.
working under state protection. In
other words the registered musician
has q state guarantee that Is sub
ject to abuse. This has been argued
before and the advantage OF organ
iation have outweighed II in regard
to general education. Music, however,
Is All art, the same as painting and
poetry. A distinguished Frenchman
said Of Whistler's school that he did
not turn out artists, but little Whist
lers.' The criticism Is just and Is by
no means solitary In the worlds ex-
perience with art. 1t Is harder to give
similar concrete example In music.
because this art Is still more elusive
to definition than painting. One sin
cerely hopes that the art schools VIII
not combine and present their little
bill to the legislature, but logically
they ought to be muzzled before music
Is.
From the contents of the bill, the
Michigan Music Teachers association
gives little evidence of knowing that
educational matters, while still In q
formative period, win ultimately voice
a better and greater standard Of hu-
man efficiency. They seemingly aN
not aware that American educational
thought IL forming itself into a pow
erful factor for the betterment OF
the individSal and making for q more
composite nation. Matthew
Arncld says America holds the fo-
ture of the world"
"A fine prophecy for America, but
as the greater part of the music by
which the standard OF the bill is meas
ured is revealed to the composer un-
der what might be termed an fndef-
mite inspiration 1t Is pertinent to
viii the prophecy Of Mat
thew Arnold be fulfilled IL we legis-
late this indefinite procedure OF the
past into the political and cultural
life of the future.
ITO saddle this incompetent 'indef-
mite inspiration upon the present Is
suicide for the future. To ask for
upon such vital elements
of human character before the vari-
Gus schools of thought, philosophy
and religion have come together upon
a better common ground relative to
the usages of functional consciousness,
is to smother rather than uncover
that for which all humanity Is In.
searching.
by what just right do the officers
and members of the Michigan Music
Teachers association seek legislation
upon a matter SO elusive as music?
The fact that the bill Is ready for
to the legislative bodies
OF the state removes it from mere
humor to q more serious proposition.
AS II is not the time or the state for
such legislation 1t is to be hoped, In
case the bill passes the legislature,
that the governor may be persSaded
not to affix the official signature and
seal making it q law"