Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-01-20

confronting the music educator is that
or providing the opportunity for chill
dren who are destined for a musical
career 10 complete their education in
the grade schools without overburden-
ing them physically, and without
sacrificing so much Of their time TO
school work at the age when music
development must be most vigorously
pursued in order to expect "a success
full musical career.
The high school in many places has
already made adequate provision for
the music student. Nebraska Univer-
sity now recognizes entrance credits
in music TO the extent of one-fourth
of all high school credits If a high
school student wants to spend half Of
his school time on music he can take
one more year and still graduate from
the high school
Every musician knows that in order
TO produce a great artist or a fine
musician we must begin with the child
from five TO seven years old and keep
him continuously studying it, For
the first two or three years children
should not be required to practice
music more than one hour a day, but
IN the third or fourth year when the
child is eight or nine years old more
time must be required, increasing the
amount as the pupil becomes older
and stronger, until in the seventh and
eighth grades, when the child is
twelve TO fourteen years old, about
three hours of practice should be re-
quired daily. This is especially true
with piano or violin.
The average child is doing as much
IL l.. Oh. 4 4
the regular work as the grade curric-
ulum is now outlined. The only way
in which the music and school can
both receive proper attention is to
tighten the school work for the music
student Courses of study are being
rearranged so freely. and educational
values are being shifted so rapidly
that now is an opportune time to
differentiate the grade school course
for the benefit of the ever growing
multitude of music students.
The educational value of music is
now recognized so generally by the
educators, that it seems only mat
ter of justice that music study be sub
stituted for at least one-third of the
work that is now regularly required in
the grades. Some schools are now
trying the experiment of requiring on
ly the forenoon work, leaving the af-
ternoon for the development of special
talent in elective subjects
1t may not be time TO go that far
yet, but ii surely points that way for
much needed relief Some universe
ties now are recognizing entrance cred
its in any kind Of work that is well
done, If il has educational value.
This matter of adjusting the plan
involves too deeply the general edu-
cation of the pupil, and the effective
ness OF the entire system of education !
for IL to be worked out by a specialist !
in any line. no matter how eminent II |
is the duty of the music teachers who |
are vitality interested to place before I
the superintendent and other school |
authorities, the great need for such |
reform. If we can convince them |
of the justice of our contention, they !
may be able to so adjust the program !
that a certain part of each school day |
may be available for private music |
study.
If it could be so arranged that music |
students beginning at the fifth grade |
could substitute private music study !
for some other subject or subjects, so
as to enable them TO have all or most .
of the time Of the afternoon free, the \
possibilities for developing fine must
clans would be increased manifold, and .
the educational value to that pupil OF .
music we'll studied would be far great
er than the same time spent upon
some subject in which the child was
never vitality interested.
If this revolution can be accomplish
ed, IL will be necessary to place the \
music teaching upon systematic basis
as to courese of study methods of I
teaching, and the manner of certificat-
ing the music teacher
This is such a reasonable reform,
that it is sure to come at an early day.