The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-18

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Pittsburg, Chicago and Columbus She
will also be heard with the Mime
apolis symphony orchestra in Mime
apoIls and St Paul, and with the New
ork symphony orchestra in Aeolian
hall on Nov 5 and Z. She will con-
tlnue her concert engagements after
the close of her contract with the
Metropolitan Opera company on Feb.
15.-Chicago Tribune.
An article OF wide interest is pub
| hshed in the late issue of the Define
ator, entitled i Beware of the Quaek
Music Teacher" This article is be-
| ing good deal discussed locally, since
t concerns a subject of moment to
hundreds of people in this town.
Ihere has been no end of talk about
Iooeka being a musical center, about
making this city a mecca for must
clans, while the calm cnlooker some
times feels certain that it is a mecca
of quacks. There are more music
teachers in Topeka to the square rod
than IN any other town IN Kansas, if
nor IN the country, and everyone pro-
| tesses an interest in the subject.
Painting and drawing. for the most
part, can go hang, but Music, Heav-
emily maid, has the woods full of
champions.
The article referred to says.
There are in America today several
quacks for every legitimate music
teacher 1t is easy for them to
flourish, because, unlike the doctors
and lawyers, they are not obliged to
pass official examinations. Anyone is
allowed to teach music, no matter
now little ne knows. Things are in
such a It-or-miss state that only COM
paratively few of the orack teachers
themselves realize that they are
quacks. In the absence of an Off
cial standard they simply do not real
re that they are unqualified. But
this innocence of theirs does not
make them less dangerous Every
year they continue to bleed the hope
lessly untalented and to blast the
hopes and waste the time and money
of promising pupils.
Another trouble is that il is hard
for anyone who does not possess a
considerable knowledge of music to
know legitimate teacher from a
quack, but the competent teachers
are becoming reused and preparing
to take action
The article continues with a few
tests by which pupil may discern
something Of teachers ability.
There is in Topeka d girl who has
studied under two OF three teachers
for some six or seven years. Her
first teacher trained her voice as a
soprano. Along came another one,
and told her her voice was contralto.
She followed that lead for a few
months and then changed her de-
cision. Before long she recommended
er took her in hand. He pronounced
ner voice soprano. After two more
changes, she was graduated as
soprano, and now, with a voice still
not placed, still uncertain, she has
gone out in the by-ways of the sub
urbs and the outlying towns, and has
gathered in pupils for fifty cents a
lesson.
One music teacher in this town is
reported to be laughing at the gullibil
ity of the people who pay her a high
price for lessons. Another one has
so little idea of the proper methods of
teaching, that he advises his pupils to
take some powders to relax the mus |
cles of the throat before they go onto |
the stage to perform. A Topeka girl !
who more than once went hungry that /
she might pay for singing lessons. IN
the hope of making a living by her |
music, had a naturally promising
voice irrepa ra bly, damaged by the in
she got. She had many
tears of regret, but they didn't restore
her voice
All that is necessary to teach music
IN Topeka seems to be to come from out
Of town with banners flying, charge two
prices for one lesson, and the trick
is turned. A musician of high stand
ing in Kansas City who has looked
into musical matters in Topeka, said
to a woman of this town: You To-
peka people must like to be fooled
There is consolation in the thought
that it is not Topeka people only that
permit themselves to be fooled; for
the process seems to be going on all /
over the country, 1T spite OF the ldCt
that all the towns of any size have &C
cess to good concerts where the best
of the world perform, and
where, for a few dollars a season,
anyone may have an opportunity to
observe the effects of proper train
ing. Besides that, nearly every house
hold of moderate means has the me-
cha meal music makers and may have
the work of the best musicians to
study, by the simple process of turn
ing crank.
Mr.. and Mrs Oscar Kesinger, of
Oskaloosa, announce the marriage of
heir daughter, Stella, to Mr.. Stewart
Boyd, of Topeka. Tuesday morning,
August II, at the Kesinger home.
wedding march was
played for the entrance of the bridal
party, and Miss Thelma Boyd, of To-
0eka sang ''All For YOU" before the
ceremony. The bride wore her travel
ng suit, one of the new models in
blue. Immediately after the cere-
nony Mr.. and Mrs Boyd left for
Wedding trip on the great lakes. After
heir return they will live at Gil West
Second street. Mr.. Boyd is employed
n the general stores department of
he Santa Fe
Miss Ruth Bauer will be at the head
Of the English departme mt of the
Great Bend high school the coming
year. She graduated from Washburn
college, where she received a fellow
ship to Bryn Mawr- She took post
graduate work at Bryn Mawr last
ner she has been taking a vacation in
Michigan and at the lakes
x j. i
Notes and Personal Mention.
Mr. and Mrs. William Macferran !
and their son. Kenneth, left Tuesday /.
7 i4I, fC1- OIL