The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-21
SCHOOL MBsIC
I BELIEVED FAULTY
Singing Teachers, IN Convention,
Feel That Pupils Get little Real
Practical Knowledge of Subject.

Despite the fact that music Is
+. taught universally in the paphe
schools OF America. and that expen'
siye supervisors OF music are nam
tainod in most cities. the consensus
Of opinion expressed. in the Music
Superyisors' National conference, IN
the Hotel Pontchartrain convention
hall. was that, in the main, little rear
practical knowledge OF music is gained
by the child. A spirited discussion was
evoked by a paper on Harmony for
rrammar grades and high schools
read by w. A. White, of Northwestern
university, Evanston. Ill. Prof. White
contended that the child should De-
taught the fundamental principles OF
music from the earliest grades up
wards, and said there was too great
tendency to merely teach public
school pupils song singing.
sIf pupils entering our colleges had
as little definite knowledge OF other
subiects as they have Of music, FOL
lowing a public school course. the
would be ridiculed," declared Prof..
white. II don't believe in methods,
IN the sense OF employing weird
means OF trying to impart musical
knowledge to the childish mind. Why
teach them things they will never
ultimately meet with in the serious
study Of mnsic?. The stan Is the
thing to teach them, and the genuine,
fundamental principles of music, not
& lot OF balderdash that doesn't mean
anything at ALL Some great philos-
.opher said. TO appreciate. one must
reason, think and compare To ap-
preciate music, one must have knowi-
edge, and say that in order to give
children an intelligent idea OF the
subject Of music. as one tries to OF
history, mathematics, grammar and
other subjects In public school cur
riculum, there must be taught funda- !
mental principles. Music In school
curriculum is not a fad, but a sub
ject, and should be treated as such,
taught as such, and the pupils will
accept IL as seriously as they do any
other subject"
Prof. White found many supporters
or his views, one OF the most able
talks on the matter coming from Mrs.
Parker, supervisor, of Cleveland, o.
cit is charming to hear the senti- !
ment expressed that child should
be taught to sing naturally, just like !
the birds but, IL must be remembered |
that the birds make 1t the business
OF their young lives 10 sing, while |
children are meant for other pur- |
poses than to carol blithely through
life," said Mrs. Parker. When we
hear a great artist spoken or as
.singing like a bird We know that
hack of the bird-like voice Is techni- |
cal knowledge and training, the re-
suit OF years OF hard study and wors. |
II has always been a mystery to me !
why the theory should be accepted,
that, I'm teaching music TO public |
school pupils or children anywhere,
the methods employed OF imparting
fundamental principles of other sub |
jects should be thought not the thing
to apply to this subject. What's the
use OF teaching anything except with !
the thought OF imparting correct and !
useful knowledge? Children should !
be taught the technical principles or
music, from the earliest years"
Mrs. Parker's speech was frequently |
interrupted by applause from those
present, men and women supervisors |
of music from all over the country |
to the number of hundred or more. |
Prof. White and his adherents. how
ever, had considerable opposition. and
Edwin B. Birge, of Indianapolis, pres
ident of the conference, permittc
eides to have the floor.
The delegates were in convention, |
"Wednesday, although routine business |
largely occupied the morning hours, |
and the remainder of the dav was
devoted to visiting the schools OF the |
city and to listening to programs by
children gathered in the Central high |
auditorium.
The interesting feature of Thursday |
nfternoon's meeting, was a talk on
THE boy voice" by FIT. Finn, director |
OF the Paulist choirs of Chicago. |
which he illustrated with two Of his |
own choir boys. FIR. Finn and his |
11ne choir we're In Detroit last fall, !
when their concerts in Holy Rosary
church attracted much interest and
favorable comment