The sun., 1919-05-25

Is treat awaiting any one
who has not heard the contest
chorus singing Of the Horace
Mann Elementary School. Each year this
contest is held in the auditorium OF the
school, the children singing in grades
In contest for a banner which is held
by the winning class until lost to a
better trained class of singers.
Last year the concert consisted en-
tirely of folk songs this year only. old
familiar songs were sung.
Guests occupied the gallery and the
back rows down stairs, Friday morn
ing, and only the suppressed excitement
the bright eyes and shining faces Of the
boys and girls kept the tears back as
the school marched into the auditorium
to the strains of Believe Me. II All
Those Endearing Young Charms" and
Home Sweet Home And as each
class marched to and from the platform
for their individual performance one
after another of those old strains was
played softly. and plainly struck .
chord long unsounded in many a heart
in the audience.
About 500 children sang in the first
chorus by the whole school. then the
fourth grade (about ninety children)
marched to the platform and sang My
Old Kentucky Home and THE Camp
bells Are Coming"
The first grade came next with Light
ly Row and Mary Had Little Lamb"
then the second grade with Sweet and
Low" and "A Frog He Would aWooing
Go" This latter received honorable
mention from the judges. honorable at
tention frony the audience and especially
honora BILE smiles from every child in
the auditorium. 1t was Joy to watch the
faces OF the fifth grade, who were all
about me, as they heard the little secon-
ders sing about how Miss Mouse had
to ask her Uncle Rat for permission to
marry her lover, Mr.. Frog.
The third grade then sang "Old Black
joe and Comm Thru the Rye" and
the sixth grade, Flow Gently Sweet Az
ton" and Nancy Lee" the latter also
receiving honorable mention.
The fifth grade next sang ''Old Folks
at Home" and SThe Wearin' O. the
Green" and lady near me remarked
that one would think that every child
had been born on the "ould Sod" the
way they sang the Irish song. This is
the class that won the banner last year
(then fourth graders), and every sturdy
little body showed that his full strength
was being given to the task OF holding
INC lot MS Glass.
The judges, Mrs. James Earl Rus
sell, Miss Meta Burmeyer and Mr.. Wal
ter Henry Hall. were asked to decide
upon four points-tone. enunciation, IN
depreciation and attention, and in his
little speech before the award Mr.. Hall
said every class deserved a banner for
enunciation and attention.
Never did one see little children so
perfectly and happily under the control
OF baton as these. Miss Helen Lath-
am, the teacher OF music has achieved
perfectly marvellous results The phras-
Ing was well nigh perfect in all the.
singing. and the little chests rose calmly.
evenly and regularly between phrases.
taking in breath as naturally and easily
at the right Instant as experienced sing
ers.
Every eye was upon the teacher from
the time she spread out her arms TO
Indicate little more space between the
lines to the last dip of the baton. and
every little body responded sympatheti-
cally. Even the tiny first graders made
zeal music and gave such attention as
can come only from interest and a real
desire to achieve.
Miss Latham was asked what magic
she used to get such wonderful results
from little children. and she answered
that there was no magic. no special