The Detroit times., 1915-11-01
Music in Education
BY n. ADDiNGToN 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 II ne De
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 a 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 utilitarian aspect Of music. Some people
wonder why the musical faculty ever was given
to man. They feel much a. Cnaries DarWh oio
when he declared:
.As neither the enjoyment nor the capacity
of producing musical sounds Is Faculty OF tne
least use to q man in reference to his daily hab
its Of life, they must be ranked among the mos'
mysterious with which he Ia endowed"
Since Darwin's day science has been LOOKING
more closely into the signincance OF music ,S ahe
that music 10 Of very much use to man IN refer
ence to his daily habits Of hfe-"
For one thing. Il has been found that train
Ing in the intellectual appreciauon OF MUSIC
means a general Improvement OF the power OF
accurate observation. As stated by PROFESSOR w
|G. Chambers in IN 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 an6 interpreting the worlc
in which he lives.
| tical 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 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.
Asa result the whole personality Is developed
in ways that exercise magnetic influence oyel
those with whom one comes into intimate econ
tact without fully knowing why people regard
men and women thus developed as "likable'
persons. Consequently they are favorably dis
posed to them. Which in itself Is an important
factor in the winning Of success.
| But observe that the music selected for pur
poses Of training must be carefully chosen. Sc
influential is music in shaping the character ant
the sentiments that child habitually subjected
10 music OF an inferior sort may develop traits
the reverse of likable, and therefore harmful tt
the childs progress in adult life.
| Finally, the mere fact that the appreciation o
good music is source OF great pleasure con
tributes directly to success. For, as people can
not be too often reminded. anything that creates
pleasurable mental states affects favorably 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 II he sees to it that their
training in the appreciation OF good music begins
at an early day. He can do much in this regarc
| by the simple process Of buying phonograpt
| and some wellchosen records. This will cost
him some money. but II will be money splendidly
spent.
Nor will the resultant benefits be confined tc
his children. He, too being subjected 10 the de
velopmental influences Of good music, will fine
his powers for work enlarged and his life mad,
happier. There Is no period Of life when tho
appreciation of music cannot be cultivated tC
advantage.