Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-09
MUSIC Offers
new field FOR
SOLDIER BOYS
Brooklyn Music School Settle
ment Has Plan to Aid
Men to Better
Positions.

New York City,-One of the es-
uential duties which War Camp
Community service is called upon to
perform for the next few months, at
least, is the refitting of soldiers for
civilian life. This duty President
Wilson recently described, The
payment of draft OF honor which
the United States accepted when 1t
selected these men and took them in
their health and strength to fight the
battles OF the nation.
The methods of refitting our sol
diers are as many and as varied as
the communities to which they are
returning. One essential which is
already under way is the use Of
music both in helping the soldiers to
a new way of earning a living and
In assisting the doctors of the coun-
try to bring about a speedy recovery
from shell shock. DR.. George M.
Parker, formerly head of the clinics
for mental and nervous diseases in
st. Vincents and Roosevelt hospitals
in New York City, was consulted by
War Camp Community service on
the value of music In the treatment
of shell shock. He said;
Effect of War on Mind.
"One f the chief effects of war
on the mind is the enormous in
crease Of our primitive emotions.
Many of these have been deeply
buried, such as intense fear and
anger. conflict and fierce danger
bring these to the surface and the
individual many times is disorganiz
ed by them, especially when they
have been too much repressed pre-
viously.
The muscles and voice are pecul-
iarly basic because of their value in
expressing to others our feelings
and impulses. Hence whoever may
use muscles and voice is certain to
release in a cultural>way the prlmi-
tive. Music does this with rhythm
and tune. To use this consciously
then would be a therapeutic neces-
sity directed towards a defin e
goal.
The question of providing a new
means Of livelihood along musical
lines has been taken up by the
Booklyn Music School Settlement
located at SIS Grand avenue, Brook
Ign. In an outline Of the plan sub
United by Kendall K. Mussey, di-
rector of the school, to DR.. c. A
Prosser, director Of the Fedora
Board of Vocational Education, Mr.
Mussey says:
Musicians In Service.
'We strongly feel that music .ha:
place in re-educational work
There is a considerable numbe. o.
very fair amateur musicians beside:
the professionals now in Service
and those whose musical education
has been interrupted by war would
after having received additional
training, be able to make on excel
lent living as members of orchestra'
in theaters, motion picture houses
hotels, restaurants, and possibly
symphony orchestras as well a!
piano tuning. A man fitted for sucl
work would earn more than il
MANY VI tie OlllSl Occupations "ilN
trades which he might take up. l
desirable, this work could also fur
nish clinical facilities for observa
ton and experiment in the efhcienc!
of music for treatment OF nerv
shock cases.
DIR. Prosser has given the plat
his hearty approval, and at the re
quest of his department, the Settle
ment has decided to provide a hous
to be used as a convalescent hom
for the men while training at tn
school. 1t has been arranged witt
the Brooklyn branch of the New
York War Camp Community Servic
and Brooklyn National League TO
Woman's Service, that they viii
conduct and furnish this hous
Jointly. including the canteen. TIL
use of the house, for as long as i
necessary. is q gift from the schoo
In order that the house and schoc
be together IN a more central loca
ton. it has been decided to pur
thase new quarters near the acad
sny of music.