Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-07-08
DIR. MYERS LECTURE
AT K. E. A. MEETING

All K. +. "A. MEETING
Continued from first page
tied States government, recognizing the
the value of music In camp and army
life. made it q prominent feature in ev-
amount Of money was expended in the
employment of skilled leaders to d.
rect the boys in singing and for the
employment and maintenance of brass
sands music rhs is
discipline and an inspiration to pa
|triotism.
That our people as whole recognize
the value OF music as a refining. up
lifting. socializing influence in educa-
m MON IS spent angaiiy for
in music than is required to maintain
all institutions of learning from the
the high school to the university, inclu-
sigs 9shsr y9Tas; aJning the y EAR
high schools, normal schools, colleges.
and universities in thef United States.
sS oa sss e, % AVE-
millions Of dollar more for instruction
branches taught in ali IL the high
schools, normal schools. colleges and
But the sad feature of all this lies in
those, IN the rural districts. where mu-
sic Is needed more than anywhere else
to make rural life happier and more
desirable. receive no direct benefit from
Tbs ast,expendits sG Il We hsd more
ence of music in our rural communities
the cities would have less attraction
for our boys and girls. AZ ~ -7-IcefT 4
Another thing to be regretted is the
great economic waste under present
~,on &~xa ~ t~,NF Nf ~ Dc
vast sum expended for ineruction in
music is paid out to private teachers.
while the instruction for which the
private pupil pays $40 can be furnished
by the state for $1.00, and to much bet
ter advantage to the community. as q
whole, by having music taught to all
the children in all public schools. I'm
der the present conditions only the few
who can afford it receive the benefit Of
instruction in music.
Music As A Moral Force In Education
What has been said UP to this point
relates to the practical side of music
However, it is in realm of emotion
al-the moral and spiritual that music
exercises the greatest power. Let me
quote DR.. Claxton U. S. Commissioner
of Education. He says: intellectual
movements are little ripples upon the
surface of the sea, but the emotions
aroused by music are like great tidal
wave which stirs the sea to its greatest
tiful music that we come most .ofetn to
q conscious realization of the best and
noblest that is within us, when we feel
the thrill of Immortality and know that
we enjoy kinship with Divinity"
No subject in the curriculum exerts
good and noble in the child be-
cause it appeals only to the best that
is within him. 1t has been said that
every child is a bundle of infinite pos
IL. hA ha will q
within the child himself, and depends.
in very small measure, upon his en-
vironment and the influences that come
into his life. OF course hereditary i'm
pulses may have sometime ,Ii to 40 IN
sarily. If he wills to do So he may
overcome every hereditary trait of in
tellect or emotion. 1t has even been
demonstrated that inherited physical
defects may be overcome. l5u't
Within the inner life of the child lie
all of the power germs for good or evil,
either active or dormant-the wheat
ana the tares. The wheat that brings
forth fruitage Of good will, human
sympathy, unselfishness, desire for SER
vice, high aspirations and love. and the
tares that yield ill will indifference,
selfishness, anger, malice and hatred
1t is q question of whether the wheat
will grow up and smother the tares, or
the tares spring up and choke out the
wheat
Now, every influence that comes into
the life of the child appeals to and calls
into activity some embryonic power
that lies there dormant.
The power or impulse thus called into
activity and exercised goes toward
shaping his future individuality. Clear
ly, then, that influence which Appeals
to the best and noblest impulse or the
child is of highest educational value.
And that is just what music does. -
not confined to the moral and spiritual.
He who attempts to read music from
the printed page soon realizes that the
Interpretation of the notes, symbols,
and rhythmic figures OF notation is not us
but one that calls for keen, methodicai
mental perception and discrimination
on the part of the performer, which can
only be acquired through persistent
mental training. To comprehend the
tonai structure of chords, key relation
ship, intricate harmonic progressions
and musical forms, all of which is an
exact science calls for as much intel
lectual power as any proplem IN ma
thematics or geometry.
At the same time there is no form OF
manual training that requires greater
skill in handwork than piano playing.
TO play any band or orchestral in.
strument calls, not only for power OF
mental perception and discrimination
on the part of the performer, but also
for a greater degree of manual skill
than any other occupation, not ex-
cepting even that of the surgeon or
Matchmaker.
Thus it may readily be seen that the
only subject in the curriculum that APP
peals alike to all of the powers and ca
liabilities of the child in music, which
seems to be the very last thing to re-
ceive recognition from some .iof our
school authorities Has not the time
arrived when we should shake off some
of our traditional ideas and wake up
fully to the needs and demands of this
day and age? Has not the time ar
rived when state officials and School
Boards should be made to see that the
symtematic teaching of music in our.
schools will bring more. joy and happi-
ness into school life, socialize the COM
munity and develop a higher and nobler
citizenship?
Let everyone who would assume the
proud little title of educator use his
influence in calling public attention to
the educational value of music, to the
vast sum now expended for musical in
struction, to the great economic waste
along that line under present condi-
lions, and to the value Of music
in community life. and the peo-
pie will see to it that music takes its
place in the educational sys-
tenn.
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