The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-12
VOx POPULI.
Mr.. j. o. WALKER GOES
AFTER Mr.. =. r. BINGHAM
Editor Pensacola Journal:

Editor Pensacola Journal:
One hardly knows whether to be
sorry or angry that q man so clear
minded, energetic, versatile and pub
lie spirited as Mr.. F. f. Bingham
should go on record as opposing the
Introduction of music in our public
schools just at a time when the pro-
ject seems likely to> be tried out
If he had simply registered his adj
verse opinion, as any citizen has a
perfect right to do, I for one might
have kept quiet about it. OF if he
had just offered the suggestion that
this new feature should be confined
to those scholars who were willing
to study music and that it be not
forced on those who were unwilling
or incapable, even then 1 would net
protest. But the general effect Of
his letter, if it serve its evident pur-
pose. is to discourage the whole idea
of teaching music in our public
schools.
Now just look at his reasons. Let's
read them again and see if they don't
jar you. He says he was compelled
to study do-re-me. ETC., in St. Louis
behind a fussy, nervous little music
professor and the net result was q lot
of squeaks, squalls and skuawks that
he can still hear when he has night
mare. Well, Bingham, l reckon you
are more to be pitied than blamed,
for by the above token you have no
music in your soul and are not NOV
ed by the concord of sweet sounds.
Any one who did not know you bet
ter would follow this up and finish
the quotation by saying you were
therefore fit for treason, strategems
and spells. But / cannot so accuse
you, even as to political spoils, for
goodness knows you have never, to
my knowledge, rubbed your vest
against the political pie counter and
l still hope to see you emulate John
Stillman and let the Lily White and
the Brother in Black and the Bull
Moose go hang. What a good demo-
crat you'd make.
But f. F., I'm not through with
you yet. You say that the great ma
jority of them between IL and Is can
no more be taught vocal music than
pig can be taught to whistle. o
slucl<s, and you infer that those who
could not be interested in music are
the normal, unaffected onesi" Well,
I'll be jiggered! VIII you pardon me
if l become personal. enough to say
that I and thousands of my abnormal
and afflicted" friends have in the
past listened with enjoyment to in
strumental and vocal music made by
near and dear members of your own
family.
And my dear Bingham, you just
| ought to have been in New Orleans
when me and big Bill Taft" were
there at the Deep Water Ways Con-
vention and heard on a beautiful
sunny Sunday afternoon in the cam
pus of the Tulane University over
5000 youngsters sing America" the
Star Spar ed Banner" and Mary
| land, My Maryland" Why Bill and
me" were moved to tears to see and
| hear that multitude of dear young
scholars send up such sounds of pow
er, praise and patriotism.
If you had been there and heard
these grand sounds as l did-for l
was both sober and serious-and you
had said anything about squeaks and
squaks and squalls, I should have
been tempted to hit you with a
brick and call the ambulance to have
you carried to the asylum for the
hopelessly insane.
Now when you have finished your
days work go and forget your old
lumber and timber ored lands, your
old west IL of northeast IA of south
east IA and some dreaded tobacco
and try to imagine that boy and that
girl Of yours giving their papa some
real good old songs and:
The night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs
and as silently steal away.
J. o. WALKER