The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-01
Music in Education
az n. ADDlNGToN BRUCE,
Author of The Riddle OF Personality"
Psychology and Parenthood," etc.

Training in music should form part OF the
early education Of every child. Even IL he be
not taught how to play some musical instrument,
he should at least be trained to an intelligent
understanding and appreciation OF good music
This for two reasons. He will thereby be put
In possession Of source OF great pleasure In
later years. And In addition. his musical train
ing will really help him to achieve success in
whatever vocation he selects from his life work.
People do not sufficiently appreciate this prac-
teal unitarian aspect OF music. Some people
even neutrality-suspicious. 1t 80 little that they
wonder why the musical faculty ever was given
to man They feel much as Charles Darwin did
when he declared:
GAS neither the enjoyment nor the capacity
least use to a man in reference to his daily hab-
its of life. they must be ranked among the most
mysterious with which he IL endowed
Since Darwin's day science has been looking
has found. contrary to the belief Darwin held.
that music Ii Of very much use to man In refer
ence to his daily habits Of life"
For one thing Il has been found that train
means a general Improvement OF the power OF
accurate observation AZ stated by PROFESSOR W.
G. Chambers in an address to the National Edu-
cation Association
able to the human ear an individual is respon-
sive to the greater are the probabilities OF his
correctly perceiving ana Interpreting the world
In which he lives"
teal kind Faulty perception and loose reason
ing are foes Of success in any vocation, and any
thing which helps to overcome them helps man
to avoid making a failure OF his career.
Musical training. moreover. provided the at
tention Is focused on the right kind OF music,
brings with II a general refinement OF the tastes
and the disposition.
As a result the whole personality Is developed
In ways that exercise a magnetic influence over
those with whom one comes into intimate con-
tact Without fully knowing why. people regard
men and women thus developed as ''likable"
persons Consequently they are favorably dis
pose Z to them Which in itself is an important
factor in the winning OF success.
But observe that the music selected Tor pur-
poses Of training must be carefully chosen. So
influential is music in shaping the character and
the sentiments that child habitually subjected
to music of an inferior sort may develop traits
the reverse of likable, and therefore harmful to
the child's progress in adult life.
Finally the mere fact that the appreciation OF
good music is source Of great pleasure con-
tributes directly to success. For. as people can
not be too often reminded anything that creates
pleasurabe mental states affects favoraby the
physical health. through stimulating the bodily
organs TO function more effectively. And the
healthier man Is the better he can do his work
whether his work be manual or mental.
Every parent then will be serving the best
interests of his children IL he sees TO IL that their
training in the appreciation OF good music begins
at an early day. He can do much In this regard
by the simple process OF buying a monograph
and some well-chosen records. This will cost
him some money, but 1t will be money splendidly
spent.
Nor will the resultant benefits be confined to
his children He. too. being subjected to the de-
velopmental influences Of good music. will find
his powers for work enlarged and his life made
happier. There is no period OF life when the
appreciation Of music cannot be cultivated to
advantage.