The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-26
w
81 Hear America Singing"


About the year 1843 that great
American poet philosopher, Walt
Whitman, had "vision beautiful"
for his country and his people. This
prophetic foresight he voiced in the
following lines:
/ hear America singing, the varied
carols | hear,
Those of the mechanic singing his, as
it should be. blithe and strong.
The carpenter singing his. as he
measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his, as he makes
ready for work. or leaves off
work,
The boatman singing what belongs to
him in his boat, the deckhand
singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing, as he sits on
his bench, the halter singing as
he stands.
The wood-cutter's song, the plough
boys, on his way in the morning,
or at noon intermission. or at
shutdown,
The delicious singing of the mother,
or of the young wife, or of the
girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or
her and to none else.
The day, what belongs to the day, at
night, a party of young fellows
robust, friendly.
Singing with melodious mouths their
strong melodious songs.
Today, as we hear the calls from
those in every station of life and Of
every occupation, calling for Liberty
Choruses" and community sings,
| where every man sings with his own
interpretation-the mechanic. the
carpenter, the mason, the boatman,
the shoemaker, the halter, the wood
cutter, the ploughboy, the mother, the
wife, the girl the boy-we realize that
Whitman's dream has come true-and
1--WE hear America singing"
Everywhere people in vast numbers
or in little groups are finding in
music expression for the ideals the
emotions, the aspirations Of the hour.
America has awakened to the value
and the Importance of the teaching of
music in the public schools, and the
vital connection between rhythm and
physical culture. and the daily tasks.
Today we see in the primary grades
the small children going through the
motion songs, illustrating their tiny
tasks such as:
This is the way we wash our clothes,
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes,
This is the way We wash our clothes
/ The day before the Sabbath.
In studying the literature of many
nations we find the important place of
the minstrel and the influence of his
songs on national life. Even before
the war of Troy, Homer tells of his
influence at court and says that he
9habitually sang by an inspiration
from on high" So honorable was the
position of this man Of song that he
appears as one of the immortal figures
| on the shield of Achilles. All the
great orations and epic poems OF
Greece were delivered to the accom-.
panyment of music.
!. During the reign of Edward /. the
Bards of Wales and their songs were
considered great political power ane
were feared by the king, while the
troubadours made merry the peasant
life of France. Space fails to tell Of
of other instances of the impress Of
music on the people and by the people
In the years that have gone Amer
lea has not been land of song. Tn.
materialistic spirit, the greed for golt
and the stern, rigid spirit necessar!
for political adjustment in a new
world had stifled the voice of the sing
er-"be his song ever so sweet
and here and there some rare soul ha.
caught the vision as the one who sal,
"let me make the songs of a nation
another may make its laws"
But, the dawning of new day
upon US, the dream of our poet-see
is fast becoming a blessed reality an
America is singing" at every task
with note of optimism whatever tn
task may be. We have praise-song
for our victories and prayer-songs TO
our pleadings, and please God, tn
voice of the singer will never agai
be stllled in our land.
WHY GATHER NUTS