The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-17

Every large factory should also main tain it's own band, providing first-class instruments and a good leader, so that it's employees might have an opportunity to obtain knowledge of music and De able to express the emotional side CT their natures. It is an excellent way for America to grow from the bottom up, and in that we can learn much from Europe.
 All of which leads up to the subject Of Music in the Public Schools a sub ject which to Birmingham has meant perhaps as much as any other in school life
 MT. Damroschs views on the upbuild- ing of America musically. and the state ment made at the beginning of this story that artist and layman alike em- phasize the fact that if Americas ap- preciation of music and America s progress in music amounts to a row of pins, it must come from the very foun- dation-" Music in the Schools and Community Musics''
 In this connection Miss Leta Kitts. the efficient and talented director of music in the public schools of Brmrng- ham very graciously talked with me a few days ago, which is one that is closer to her heart and more paramount in her ambitions than anything else in the world
 ,ftr-n from Michigan, where for three years she had been connected with the public schools in Flint. she found Birmingham almost a barren soil in musical en- deavor.
 A New York girl by birth-Gouveneur, N Y, being her home town, named after the grandfather of Gouveneur Morris, whose charming stories have been so widely read by lovers of good literature-Mss Kitts received her edu- cation in Pottsdam.\ New York. later specializing in music under private ,n- structors in New York City.
 Her coming to Birmingham was not an accident, but premeditated ar- engagement, for she had applied for the position of director of music in the public schools here and was very anx- ious to make this city her home, feel splendid possibilities. supported by a fine school system. and altogether was a promising place for her work.
 "When I tell you that twenty-one years ago, when I came to Birmingham, that there was one music teacher in the public schools you will probably be sur prised.'' said Miss Kitts. and I can tell you something else that will sur prise you even more"
 I waited for the statement, because knew that this clever young woman, with her fine sense of values and her deep appreciation of worth while things, would tell me something worth the tell iing-and she did
 Today there are thirty teachers In the musical department of the Birming- ham public school system,'' Miss Kitts said, proudly. There are thirty-five schools in this district, and of this number the per cent who are musical is phenomenal For instance. take the l Central High School with an enrolment of twenty six hundred students. Of these about twelve hundred are affiliated actively with our music work. At the Ensley High school there are, out of nine hundred stuhents an enrolment of isix hundred and fifty students of music
 h other words. about half. The usua proportion is about third of the num- Der who study music in some form or another.
 1 Our teachers in our music depart ment are as highly. educated and al we'll equipped as can be found any where" Miss Kitts said. Our assistan director of music. Miss Alberta Lauer studied abroad at the best conservato ries in Europe. In every department voice. piano, violin. harmony, theory | sight-reading and the rest, we have un excelled talent among our instructors
 Tn our Appreciation classes whicl