Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-22
EFFORT
FOR BEST MUSIC
!: IN TRI-CITIES


IA A0oVOxADV W AAVAS0SAOAO sSAAS
ont by the Tri-City Musical asso-
ciafion, . large and representative
gathering attended last night In
Moline high school. The attend
ance~ Of tri-city officials, school
boards and musical supervisors
proves the interest Of tri-city peo-
pie in the development OF music.
Every member Of the Rock Island
school board was present and many
Of the other boards.
The meeting was in charge OF
Mrs. W. H. Guthrie Of Moline.
Mrs. Guthrie is chairman of the
social committee of the Tri-City
Musical association and stated that
the meeting was q get-together
gathering and that It's attendance
and enthusiasm was . good sign Of
future success.
The address Of welcome was Civ
N by Mayor Skinner Of Moline,
who said he looked with interest
on the development Of music; that
no one could hear the national
songs without being stirred.
MSs. J. J. Dorgan Of Davenport,
president Of the association and
district chairman Of the national
federation Of musical clubs for
: Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, made
a report for the delegation to the
national convention and told how
Rock Island, Davenport and Moline
working together had Obtained the
national convention for the tri-
cities in 1921, which will bring per-
haps 5000 delegates here from all
over the country. Mrs. Dorgan re-
counted the musical development
Of the tri-cities in recent years and
predicted tri-city musical success in
. large way.
Ralph Stoltz Of st. Louis, one Of
the directors of music in the United
States army, led the audience in q
series Of songs, including THE
Star Spangled Banner" the Illinois
state song, illinois," the song Of
Iowa" to the tune Of my Mary
land" and local songs Of Rock Is
land, Davenport and Moline, the
words Of each telling what each
city was going to do to boost the
national federation and to prepare
for the national convention.
Tells Of Akron.
Earl Killeen of Akron, Ohio, wal
then introduced. Mr.. Killeen ID
the musical director Of the city o.
Akron, which Ii about the same
size as the tri-cities. Mr.. Killer
reused the audience to a high pitct
of enthusiasm by his relation o.
what the city Of Akron was doinl
along the lines Of Americanizatior
and musical development. Music,
he said, lis essentially the art o.
this generation" and It Is up t.
each community to realize this fac,
and to take advantage OF 1t to BULL
up the lives Of the people. Thl
school house has q Responsible!
aud 1t is q crying shame that Amer
ican school houses are not used t
their fullest extent. In Akrol
schools are open all the time ant
often in the evenings in one build
ing $50 to zoo italians may be foun,
singing choruses in one audito
rum" Mr.. Killeen cited one build
Ing where II different races wer
represented in various Americana
sation activities. There are IN Al
ron $1,000 foreigners, $4,000 q
= whom can neither read, write no
speak the English language.
Russian choir Of 80 voices was OF
Eanized, . negro chorus Of II
voices, . Hungarian orchestra, tw
Serbian orchestras and an Albania
orchestra. Eight hundred student
studied violin in the public schools
Akron has Just raised SIS, 900
year for the next three years
connection with the peace ches
for all civic activities, while th
greatest artists, including th
symphony orchestra, play to pacl
ed houses at popular prices. M
Killeen called on the tri-cities
take up this work and predicted q
the result more harmonious an
happy community.
Mrs. Frank Gates Allen, pres
dent Of the Tri-City Symphony o.
chestra, in an eloquent talk tol
how the tri-cities were being recol
nized from coast to coast as q mus
cal center. how our orchestra WI
the only one for hundreds Of mile
She spoke Of its wonderful leade
Mr.. Becker formerly first violl
in the Theodore Thomas orchestl
OF Chicago. She spoke Of the dut
Of each community to develop
self along cultural lines.
Facing Music Revival.
Our country il today facing
great revival Of music" she sal
THE war showed us that the me