The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-05-09
Of May Festival Next Wednes.
day Afternoon
Business Men viii Release
Employees Who Wish To
Attend
10y II. W. sowden)

| Among the most earnest supporters
Of The May Festival are the half hun.
dred teachers of the city. Many Of
them have heretofore been much con.
cerned for fear they would not be per.
mitted to attend the Artists Recital
on the afternoon Of the fourteenth.
Arrangements however, have now
been made whereby this difficulty will
be obviated. The management of the
festival association has consented to
change the hour Of the performance
from 2:30 to 800 p. m. and the board
Of education has most kindly permit
ted the closing OF the schools in am.
pie time to- attend at that hour. This
will also permit the students of the
high school to hear program which
will be intensely educational. II is
to consist of excerps from the worlds
most famous and notsble music, sung
as only great artists can. 1t will in
deed be a valuable and delightful ex.
perience to hear the great songs in
terpreted by men and women who
know what they mean and who have
the ability to express It,
| The educational value of the music
Is something more than learning to
manage song or two; better yet. II
is 10 open the minds to some concep-
ton of the power and range OF the
world of tone, that people may add
to the capacity of their minds know
ledge of this wonderland. Young peo-
pie are made to study the master
pieces OF literature, not with the ex-
pectation that they will produce such
masterpieces. but that they shall grow
in comprehension of them and SO en-.
large their mental powers. The hear
ing of fine music should be for the
same purpose, and the consciousness
of this fact is beginning to dawn in
this country.
While the high school age is es.
pecially applicable as fitting time to
start the development Of musical
tastes and discernment, It should be
strictly borne in mind that in this
branch of education 1t is never too
late to learn. In fact music is the In.
terpreter of great experiences and on.
ly later in life does true. genuine,
real appreciation come as a sequel to
the bygone years of both sorrow and
happiness.
Music is now taught in the public
schools from the lowest to the highest
grades and those who In their early
training encountered nothing higher
than the three RS should utilize the
opportunity of the May Festival to
compensate to some extent for the de.
fects OF a primitive education.
Real education is the development
OF The body, mind and soul so as to
get the most out of life. Not in a
material sense, mind you. for the
more important things of life are not
mat erial. Attendance on the May Fes-
tival will broaden and deepen the
mental qualities, and the Wednesday
matinee In an educational sense will
be the most valuable OF all the mum.
bers on the program.
Under present arrangements few
indeed will have to remain away on
account Of their work. The majority
Of the business men Of the town were
seen and cheerfully agreed to close
either for the time of the concert or
to permit such OF their employees as
wish, to attend. This latter plan was
considered best and most practical
since there will probably be but little
business during the recital and the
few who do not go win be able to
care for it. Those. however, who fail
to attend the Wednesday matinee will
miss the treat of their lives and II
you find 1t unavailable, be sure and
see that some friend has the loan Of
your ticket.