The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-02-23

~ on the same grade work that 1t has
been doing, has exactly the same eff
feet that 1t would to keep it on the
same grade in school work, it means
deterioration, and that ID what ID
bound to happen.
have taken two pupils at the same
time, one a child who had never taken
lessons, and Zone an adult who has
never studied, 1t will take the child
weeks to accomplish the same work
that the adult pupil does, all theories
OF the hand being trained while young
etc. and similar things to the CON
trary, Notwithstanding. / have done
this by actual experiment, and can
prove it at any time. The adult pupil
will complete three grades while the
child is doing one. This is only and
simply because music is more study
for the adult mind than it is for the
child. It can supplement all other
education. 1t can be taken UP with
perfect righteousness by the young
lady who has finished her work in
college, it can be studied by the bust
ness man, by teachers, by those who
have a longing For that which is out
side of themselves, and 1t can then
| serve its true purpose OF recreation,
] that is recreation, that is recreation,
| the upbuiiding OF worn faculties. and
renewing life and energy.
do not however, decry altogether,
the study OF music by children, but in
sist that it be done judiciously and in
conformity with their grade work in
the schools, and no more than that,
or the result will be exactly as stat
Led.
1t is astonishing what parents ex-
4 pect their children who study music
1 They do not seem to understand that
they are putting them to something
which to their minds is more abstruse
than Euclid to the adult. We teach
them, it is true. child of seven may
be taught wonderful things, and train
ed to fulfill the fondest expectations,
lbnt 1t is limited, and unless one has
money to keep them forever at it, it
lis better to let the child wait and give
1.-THE opportunity to the grown daughter
who has been hungering and thirsting
for that for which her nature and de-
velopment is quite ready, while the
baby sister is not.
4 Teachers take children as pupils ito
begin with" as they say. they take
4 them just for the reasons stated
above, that parents do not seem able
4 to wait to see what their children can
do, and the results are corresponding.
lily disastrous. Music history does no,
bear out that the unduly undeveloped
lehild has developed the greatest tai
) lent, even the case of Mozart, the one
who never really had any childhood
proves the case in point, while great
q he did not attain the highest possible
land his later works lack the fire ant
briAiancy Of some Of his contempt
raries. New methods, the application
OF scientific principles to the teaching
). Of music, the elimination of all tina
lis unnecessary in the study Of tech
mic, the direct application OF the under
Lying basic principle of all that i
contains, makes It possible to accom-
J, plish in music in one year what !
formerly required two, or perhaps
three to do. There Is, therefore, M
direct necessity to begin too earl,
3 with the music education OF children
3 The mind should develop, the ham
should grow, and the better way is 70
l the adult, the elder sisters and broth
8 ers, the parents, and others of tn
Q family to educate themselves, and t
i create within the home the atmos
d uhere Of music, in which the youn
s mind can grow, and, when it ha
) reached its development. be nourist
? ed.
Even kindergarten methods IN musi
I have been found undesirable and i
t nv own school, / abandoned them be
y cause they are a simple waste
Z money and time, unless one want
J. the child merely amused in music
I which was really all that was accom-
Q lished.
III The mind is necessarily taken ava
+ from the direct subject in musics
j, kindergarten, as thus, one teache
8 sets her pupils to regarding the note
+ as little soldiers, which thought ma
i, to be retranslated, thus causing
II double mental process, where one wa
! sufficient. When the kindergarten
e given, it must be understood exactl
il what its purpose Is, when applied !
o music, and common sense used as
!. r,hethar or not child mind can d
It anything really with progress Deyon
e its Mother Goose, which is in itse
n charming and sufficient. How soc
n the children are grown-ups; and no
much time there is for them to y
q learn; but how little for the your
lady or the young man who is on u
y !. verge Of busy life, and to whom u
! present is nothing if not absolute
i. golden-Adv.
! MRS. EDWARD B. SUMMERS
So