The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-04-16
NORMAL MUSIC
TEACHERS IN A
BITTER FEUD
Miss Nora Naeter Penalties
Instructors Under Her,
They Charge.
VENDETTA STARTED
OVER MISS HINCHEY
Teachers Opposed Miss Naeter's
Stand at Symphony Concert
May Go to Louis Houck.

A feud is raging among the teachers
of music at the Normal School, and it
is all on account of Miss Nora Naeter,
the director of music.
Unless conditions improve, an ap-
peal is to be made to Louis Houck,
President Of the Board of Regents, it
was announced yesterday.
Of the five musical instructors, in
addition to Miss Naeter, only Miss
Drusch is able to work in harmony
with the director, it is said.
According to reports at the Normal
School, several of the teachers are on
the verge Of resigning because they
say they have been humiliated by Miss
Naeter and have no recourse. The
teachers say the director of music
ranks as q Czarina. There are higher
officials at the Normal than she, but
they are said to be afraid to incur her
enmity.
Misses Verna Day, Elizabeth Beach,
Elizabeth Lawson and Miss Flint are
said to be the victims of Miss Naeter's
wrath. Two of the teachers have
rebelled and are threatening to go be-
fore Hon. Louis Houck with their
story.
According to their story, Miss Nae
ter became embittered at them be-
cause they were friendly with musi
clans whom Miss Naeter disliked. 1t
is said that four of the teachers of
music at the Normal are admirers of
Miss Margaret Hinchey, who won a
victory over Miss Naeter during the
visit of the st. Louis Symphony So
ciety. Miss Hinchey was asked to
sing a solo and consented. She was to
receive S25 for her services, but Miss
Naeter is said to have become so
angry that Miss Hinchey was conf
PEELED to sacrifice the $25 fee.
1t was first announced that Miss
Hinchey would not be able to keep her
engagement, but close friends inter-
ceded and she was finally permitted
to sing, but received no recompense.
Several of the teachers of music took
sides with Miss Hinchey against Miss
Naeter, and incurred the directors
disfavor.
Miss Verna Day, who is violin in
structor at the Normal, is just on
speaking terms with her superior.
Miss Naeter, it is charged by the
teachers, has announced that hereaf-
ter she will send all violin pupils to
Miss Frieda Rieck, a private instruc-
| tor.
Miss Elizabeth Beach, who was to
render the soprano solos in the Mes
siah, which is to be given at the Nor
NAL May l, has been supplanted by a
| st. Louis singer. 1t is said that Miss
Beach had practiced her part of the
concert for several weeks, but was re-
Gently informed that she would not
be permitted to assume this stellar
role. Instead of taking an active part
in the rendition of Messiah, Miss
Beach will now only help to swell the
audience.
Miss Naeter's reason for recalling
Miss Beach was that she "could not
be depended upon" Miss Beach is
said to have taken part in the rendi-
ton of this famous cantata frequent
ly. She was graduated from two con-
servatories in Michigan, studied two
years in New York City and then
spent quite a period in Paris and Ber-
lin. She is said to possess a splendid
voice.
Friends of Miss Beach say she was
punished because of her friendship
for a foe of the director of music.
They also assert that Miss Beach
Twill insist that she be given the part
originally assigned to her, but it is un-
darstood that Miss Naeter has notified
President Dearmont that Miss Beach
ca1not sing the solos.
Two members of the department of
music yesterday announced that con-
ditioEs were deplorable and that none
of the officials care to assume the re-
sponsiDility Of acting as peace maker,
because they fear friends of Miss Nae
ter will use the big stick on them.
Unless conditions in the department
of music clarity within a short time,
delegation is going to wait upon Mr..
Houck.