The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-20


 ...s..................." "...s..s..ss...ssss.ssss' scarcely city of ten thousand popu- lation that cannot assemble a dis eliminating audience. Gradually the standard of musical taste has been raised in every part of the country, and this is accounted for largely by the value attached to music in the public schools. Here in Birmingham progress in school music has been marked. The school choruses are we'll trained and the High school orchestra is something of a revela- tion. In other years the American boy who "took lessons" on the piano or the violin was a rare exception. The boy piano pupil was too often looked upon as "sissie" and the amateur boy violinist was not much above the "no-accounts." That view has undergone great change. In this country the time is not far distant when music will have the same cultural position that it has in Eu- rope, and when no man will be con- sidered thoroughly educated unless he reads music.
 As Russell Carter, supervisor of music in the public schools of Amster- dam, N. r., said in an address before the musical section of the New York State Teachers association, it is not expected that the public schools will turn out Schuman- Heinks or Carusos. The object of having instruction in music, he said, was not fo develop a race of highly trained musicians, but ito give our pupils sufficient musical training to place music upon the same plane as the other subjects taught" !"
 Birmingham is becoming known throughout the land as a city whose public school system has developed a wholesome musical atmosphere; all of which means larger and more ap- preciative audiences when symphonies are performed OF when great singers "recite."
 According to her most recent photo. graphs, Sarah Bernhardt doesn't look a day older. But when it comes to acting kittenish shS isn't in the same class with Grandma" Anna Held.
 
 When Uncle Sams submarines don't got into trouble through some defect of their own, old Father Neptune does his best to send them to the bottom perma- nently.
 Let us hope that nobody will establish a chain of two-and-one- half cent stores and gather in all the two-and one half cent pieces as soon as they are coined.
  It is said that the high price of paper will cause shortage of insurance cal- endars this year. That means we are going to miss the calendar girl. * No doubt number of Carranzas S gen. erals are anxious to find out whether or not Villa has any plans under way for a Christmas celebration < < k Recent pictures of Washington taken from a congressman's aeropane are mere fly another indication that the world do move.
 Maybe it was just as well that General Joffre was displaced. No great conqueror was yer called papa by his troops. < * If the truth were known. the Ru- manians probably turned over their front 1 to the Rus.an with sigh of relief
 
 1 Being a democratic President, it stood Ito reason that Mir. Wilson would sooner or later patronize the movies * * + I By the way does anybody know how many American muleteers have been killed since the war started? | 1 It is hardly worthy of comment. but General Pershing's men continue to be somewhere in Mexico" l # < ! For small man Secretary Baker has positive way of putting his foot down ] l Balfours vacation seems to be strict ly the diplomatic sort.