The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-13

we nave, through careless neglect lost
the splendid opportunity that was ours
to preserve the folk songs of the South
and to make them the basis of a great
national music The immortal List
had no better material than our negro
songs on which to build great music, vet
ne composed the famous Hungarian
rhapsodles; Grieg had folk songs less
beautiful than ours, and he welded
them into wonderful forms; a stranger,
Dvorak, was able to write an excellent
symphony on the little he gathered of
the negro songs while here. With
music seated again among the muses. of
Southern education, we may hope for
a new era of American music.
The Hopeful Outlook.
With this new horizon then-of bet
ter colleges, better universities, better
technical schools, and with this new
appreciation of the part which COM
merclal education, art, music and the
training of children play in our world
OF learning what may we expect for
the further? With such horizon.
what is the outlook?
1t can but be hopeful. It can but be
glorious 1t can but be reflected in
every activity of life, with new happi-
ness, new culture, new prospective Of
course, we need not expect the full
fruits OF the new system to be reaped
within a decade, or even within gen
Grafton. Rather, we must wait until
the spirit of this new mental equipment
has been breathed into generations of
children. Then we may expect to see
new race of men, capable of nobler
things, winning new heights.
But, in the meantime, we may
expect that some of the work we are
doing will be rewarded There will be
more general culture, more apprecia
ton OF the beautiful more love of the
Ideal. There will be, above all else. q
better, more conscientious citizenship
indeed, some of those who have
been giving their very souls to the
training OF young men and young
women in our colleges tell us that this
is their dream-a new day when true
perspective Of life will arouse men to
their responsibility as citizens. That
such Will be the case, every honest man
prays. That such must be the case.
every one who studies the outlook will
believe. For crime and vice are to no
small degree the fruits of ignorance.
come of irresponsible citizenship. Once
and incompetence in office is the out
the people are trained to detect the
false from the true and are aroused to
their individual duty as citizens, better
government will follow, and mans
humanity to man will be more than a
name. On the foundation of knowledge
will be built anew the temple of
justice.
"Lest We Forget"
With this broad horizon, then, and
with this outlook, the South calls her
sons and her daughters to school. She
offers them the best that America has,
and she promises them the guidance of
men and women whose lives have been
spent in training youth. She offers,
too, the traditions of an ancient culture,
creator OF great civilization. She
offers the advantages of schools whose
names are high in the educational
history of the South, schools whose
graduates, in every cline, are working
for their fellowmen. She offers train
ing, and through training culture, not
for itself alone, but for that which it
makes possible The South offers edu-
cation to her young people because the
South is mindful of what education has
made it and hopeful of what training
will make the new generation.
above all else, is altruism!
Oh e. L