Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-30
CONCLUDES 16 YEARS OF SERVICE
Mrs. Anna B. Tucker, Valuable Teacher
TELL OF WORK IN TRAINING
VOICES OF HONOLULU
SCHOOL CHILDREN

hC1Clulu, anu llSIeueQ 10 GuOEuS vi
childish voices, each blending into
perfect harmony, raised in singing
some old familiar song which brings
back memories of the days when you
were struggling with a primer and
striving to master the intricacies Of
the rudiments of arithmetic? Per-
haps you have. but 1t is probable that
you never stopped and asked your
self the question as to just what
methods have been undertaken, or
who is responsible for this perfect
musical training possessed by the
youngsters in the grades.
1t Is safe to say that probably in
no other place is greater interest
taken in singing than by the children
of the public schools of Honolulu. The
Hawaiians an dthere are lot OF
Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian children
in school here today-are natural-born
musicians, and the orientals and chill
dren of other nationalities are gradual
~ beginning to acquire the talent.
Today there is not a teacher III
the public schools of Honolulu, or
of the Territory, who is not capable
of taking charge OF class in sing
ing or music. With the recent res
ignat.on Of Mrs Anna B. Tucker,
who for the past sixteen years has
been the supervisor of music in the
public schools of this city, the depart
ment Of public instruction loses one
of its most valued instructors, for
it is through ner personal efforts that
a remarkable high stand Of instruc-
ton in music and singing has been
gained by the territorial educational
institutions of Honolulu.
Mrs. Tucker. who is graduate of
enc of the larnest art and music
schools in London, came to Honolulu
in 1898, and during the first year of
her residence in this city was in
charge of the music department of
Oahu College. Her excellent work in
that institution attracted the atten-
ton of the territorial school officials.
and the next year she was offered
the position of supervisor of music |
in the public schools of Honolulu, |
which she accepted. At this time
the Territorial Normal and Training
School was in its infancy, the present |
building having not been constructed, /
and besides her duties with the gram .
mar grade pupils, Mrs. Tucker under I
took the training of the departments /
teachers in order that they might be-
come proficient to give instructions I
in music to the pupils In their res
pective schools. In 1907, Mrs. Tucker
resigned the position, thinking that |
she would not teach any longer. but |
partly on account of i'll health. She /
left the islands for a year, and upon i
her return was again offered the POI
sition, and she accepted. In her new 1
position, her work centered largely !.
on the Normal School, where she once
more commenced training the teach
ers of the territory.
81 accepted the position largely !,
through Principal Woods attitude to-
ward music" says Mrs. Tucker "He
felt the same way toward 1t as / did
then and do now-that it is as neces-
safy to have a teacher in music as it
Is for any other study have always I
placed it on the same plane with any
other subject"
The instruction IN music in the Ter
'itorial Normal and Training School
las been exceedingly thorough. The
work which has been assigned has
lad to be done, and no excuses we're
aiken for failures. No student could
graduate from the Normal School
without being able to teach the funda-
nentals of music.
The object of. music in the public
'chools,F says Mrs Tucker, aside
rom any notation, is ffrst of all the
reservation and use of the singing
-oice. This is not understood in some
f the public schools on the mainland,
nd have seen the voices of hun
reds Of children ruined because Of
he lack of this important training.
hen, the first and most important
hing is that the quality of voice shall (;
e correct; second the mastery of /,
he language, which gives the ],
hid the power to get the :
bought from the representation, and
he ability to read and write the
anguage of music. The third re-
uirement is a love of good music,
nd the ability to sing in good taste
nd in pleasing quality of tone"
2 Ac lTdluluS VI the IedcuSTS VINO
ere in attendance at the Normal
chool was perhaps the most difficult J,
art of my work" continued Mrs.
ucker, ''but found them all eager
Jlearn in order that they might have
o trouble with classes of their I
wn. l taught them with both sys- ?
ems, tonic sol ia and staff. For in.
lance, we would take single piece 5
music to begin with, and after !
purse of time, any member of the
lass would be able to take that piece !.
music, pitch it to the right key and !.
ng it through, beating his own time. y
OF only in one single part but in =
Il the parts from alto to basso. In {
let, during examinations / would
I've a pupil piece of music that per-
APPS he or. she had never seen be-
IRE, and require like course with Z
ut the piano. When student has 8
ecome thus proficient, / uphold that J
2 has learned the language of music. q
st has been interesting to teach !,
le Hawaiian children for they have q
perfect ear for music and never
ng off the key as the children of !