Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-08-16
GOOD ADVICE TO PARENTS
Some Sensible Points in Favor of a
Musical Education

Nearly every boy wants to join a
band. The desire to play and to march
to the tap of the drum is as natural as
the tendency toward the swimming hole
and the fishing rod. There is no better
outlet for youthful exuberance of vital
lty than through the mouthpiece of a
band instrument The average boy will
take to brass horn almost as quickly
as to baseball.
Music is now taught in most of the
public schools, and, therefore, nearly
every child knows at least the rudi.
ments. To apply this knowledge to the
study of band instrument is an easy
matter. The principles of reading mu-
sic having been already mastered, all
that is necessary is to learn the finger
ing and the proper control of the lips.
These are not difficult to acquire. With
little instruction, a month conscien-
tious practice will make a good start.
A band instrument does not cost much
money. As compared with the price of
piano, or good violin, it is only a
, trife, and, in addition, it can usually be
bought on easy time payments.
Children attending school are COM
PEELED to sit for hours, often at great
discomfort, in cramped positions, stoop-
ing over their desks. AS result, they
acquire the habit of short breathing,
with all the other ills which follow in
its wake. A strong, healthy man COM
PEELED to sit at desk which puts him
in strained, awkward position soon
becomes stoop-shouldered In little
while his lung capacity decreases, and
with it his general vitality. The air
cells in the lower part of his lungs, be-
ing unused the greater part OF the time,
have become filled up or congested; his
blood becomes vitiated and impoverish-
ed. This is why we see so many pre-
maturely old clerks and Office men. If
stopping over desk or table will ruin
the health of a full developed man, what
will it do to delicate child, whose lungs
and other vital organs are rapidly grow
ing? 1t willsimply. unless eouDteracted
by some other means, make him a
weakling- an easy prey to consumption
or some other of the deadly maladies
which owe their heavy death rate prin-
eipallyito the weakened state in which
they find their victims. @
Strong, well-developed lungs mean
good, healthy blood. Pure, well-ox-
ygenated blood means a strong vitality
both of body and mind As builder
up of lung power, cornet, clarionet,
trombone or other wind instrument
easily excells by one hundred percent
every other known means And the
lungs are not the only parts of the body
that share in the good effects. The
action of the heart is accelerated and
forces the freshly-invigorated blood
through every part of the body, elimin-
ating impurities and building up new
tissue; by the action of the lungs the
stomach is moved about and its digestive
power increased; the ''lazy liver" is
stirred up and made to perform its
function--in short, every part of that
greatest of all machines the human
body receives its share of the general
benefit.
Therefore we say, vy all means let
your boys land your girls, also, if pos
sible,) join the band Help them in
every way possible and you and they
will have cause, in after years, to be
thankful for the good that will have
come from that cleanest, most inspir-
ing and most interesting of all amuse-
ments-the study of music
ID. ALEXANDER.