Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-01
Music in Rural Schools.


tSupt. w. o. Chase, Pressure Isle)
| In all probability, the greatest prob
| lem in public education today. is the
rural school problem. The question of
| efficiency in these schools which are
! attempting to educate at least one
| half the boys and girls in the United
!, States or a total of not less than TO-
| 100000 school children is a momentous
one. The boys and girls from the
country homes are not, on the whole.
getting their fair share of the good
! things in spub4e education; and it is
| Our business sas educators to do our
Utmost to bring about such eendi-
+ tinns in thest ssehoois that no boy or
:, girl will lose any coed thing because
/ If receiving his or her elementary
I training in rural school,
! On the whole excellent progress is
| being made in the grade schools of
! cities and villages, but comparatively
! few of our rural schools are getting
! more than a small share of the at
| tention they deserve.
+ I believe it to be entirely possible
10 do work in the rural schools equal
! n quality quantity. and value to the
! est done in grade schools; and ! base
| his belief upon actual demonstration,
i for 1 have seen it worked out =
! The benefits of special subjects and
| special teachers should be available
i for rural schools in all towns offering
| ouch to any of r. their schools. In
! Pressure Isle we have for some time
| pursued the policy of giving the rural
schools we'll trained. we'll paid teach
| ers and have done as much for them
in every particular as for the village
| schools. Music has been taught in
| them systematically under the direc-
ton of trained supervisor for eight
wears. and the results for the money
expended are fully as good as in other
subjects.
The work in music is the same as
that given to the grades but adapted
to two classes instead of the larger
number.
In the lower class we teach the work
of about the first four grades, in the
upper class the work of the remaining
grades The work is necessarily
abridged but includes all of the theory
and construction taught in the village
schools The character and amount
of the work varies with the indlviduai
schools. Some schools do much more
and better work than others. Ihe
singing ability of the pupils and the
teaching ability of the teachers mus
be considered in each school.
The supervisor makes from two 10
three visits per term to each school TO
give demonstration lessons and TO test
The regular teachers work. she ais
meets all the teachers at the monthly
teachers meetings, where plans are
discussed and definite outlines given
for the following months work. Ere
auent communication by telephone Is
another important means of keepine
the teachers and supervisor in CLOS
touch.
The regular teachers give five ten
minute Rotations per week To eaeh
class. and a brief singing period IS
Given TO the whole school each morn
ing as a part of the morning exercises |
To sum up briefly, l believe that III
struction. in vocal music maintained
aft public expense should be given III
the rural schools of all towns glNlhe
such instruction in any part OF tneif
school systems: that such work can
he satisfactorily arranged without be-
ing an undue burden upon the special
teacher who directs IT; that there Is
even greater reason for such instruc7
t;on in rural schools on account of the
lack of opportunities for private IN
struction in rural communities: anu
that good results for the money eN
pepded for such instruction can DE op
tanned
Industrial Education.