The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-07
The Morale of Music

The Morale OF Music
The word morale" which has of
late been so frequently and universal
ly used, we find in Webster's Interna-
.tional Dictionary defined as a kind of
science of duty applied to the spirits
and mental state of body of men, an
army and the like" and it has now
become also a term expressive Of up
lift and good cheer. This is the mis-
sion of all true music.
The war department is making
singing one of the most important
adjuncts to the business of making
fighters. Every camp has its song
leader. A war correspondent recent
ly wrote "The boys put vim and
punch and ambition in every note and
the commander who realizes the tonic
and joy-creating possibilities of sing
ing, keeps the music going and SO
builds up and maintains morale
among his men,"
Kenneth Clark, great camp song
leader, says: 81 go at the thing to
keep the boys happy and ! use sing
ing to make them physically, mental
ly (morally, if you will fit to win this
war"
General Bell is reported as saying
in public address: 1--WE can't lose as
long as we can sing. A singing army
| is a winning army. Singing soldiers
need no watching and but little dis
tcipline."
1.-THE Power of Music" as seen in a
recent painting by Gilbert Gaul,
grips the heart-strings as by magic
strokes he shows a camp scene at the
close of a day. In the distance is a
battlefield strewn with the still
figures of the dead. In the fore
ground the weary soldiers are group
ed about the campfire and as COM
rade draws sweet, soulful sounds with
his bow from the violin, one can see
| the softened, human look come quiet
ily stealing across the stern, set faces
and we thank God for a power that
while it leads with clarion call to
duty, can also keep alive in hearts
made bitter by the sense of sin and
treachery and crime, the sacred, hui
man emotions of the soul.
| But, not alone. in the field and camp
do we need morale. The vast army
in the home land must be heartened.
They, too, feel the agony, the heart
rending experience of war. The pail
of sadness rests on countless hearts
and homes, and so comes the call for
"liberty choruses" and community
sings" to keep the altar fires burn
ing.
| The Council of National Defense
authorizes the following:
"The organization of liberty cho-
ruses' all over the country for the
purpose of building up and maintain
ing civilian morale through commu-
nifty singing is forecasted by bulle-
tin which has just been sent to every
state council of defense by the state
councils section of the Council of Ma
tional Defense.
"The program calls for the APP
pointment of a state musical director
in every state, to be chosen by the
state council of defense and state
division of the woman's committee.
Through the county and community
councils of defense the state musical
director will bring about the creation
of local liberty choruses throughout
the state. Existing choirs, choruses,
glee clubs and musical associations
will be utilized wherever possible.
"The liberty choruses will sing at
all patriotic mass meetings and pub
lie gatherings Of every sort, and no
effort will be spared to use them as
a means of making the people of eve-
ry community learn the songs of our
nation and its allies, and learn to get
together and sing them.
/ "A singing army can not be defeat
ed. A singing nation can not be de-
feated. The object of the Council of
4 National Defense is to make the
United States, throughout this war
and afterwards, what is has never
been before-a singing nation. The
i feeling of the council is that the wild
est extension of organized singing
will not only be of great service in
assisting the organized speaking
campaigns of the state councils of de-
fense-a result which it has already
had in states which have experiment
ed with it-but will unite the people
of every community for the express
sion of their will to win, and for a
more complete unity in the prosecu-
ton of war work"
II Miss Susan Dyer of Winter Park,
Fla, in her capacity of county chair
man of music under the direction OF
the council of National Defense and
representing as vice president the
federated woman's clubs of the state,
has issued the following letter:
H in this war we are utilizing, more
than ever before, the need and power
of music. The war has stirred the
very depths of through music
we find relief in expressing emotions
otherwise inarticulate Harmony OF
word and tone somehow draw up
closer together for the common or
deal. Music, whether for those serv-
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