The Washington herald., 1920-06-20
DIR. HAMLIN E. COGSWELL.

There has been so much agitation
during recent years looking toward
the enactment of law that will
require music teachers to be licensed
that the first question asked OF DR..
Hamlin z. CogswelI, the director of
music in the public schools of the
District of Columbia by The Herald
Representative, was as to his views
on this very important subject.
81 am heartily in favor OF a law
that will necessitate every one who
desires to teach music to be first
Examined as to their musical quail
fications by a suitable board" was
the reply of this expert in musical
pedagogy. ''If the applicants pass
the required tests then issue them
a license to engage in this pro-
fession. But the trouble will be
to find a sufficiently expert body
lcapable of passing judgment upon
the applicants. And then, there
arises the fact that opinions of
individuals differ very widely when
it comes to rendering a decision
upon the artistic efforts of musi-
clans"
| In reply to the question il such
a law was now in force. DR.. Cogs-
well replied that several States re-
iquired applicants to first apply for
a license before they were allowed
to teach music. Continuing, he
said:
| The law in those States is good
as far as it goes. but in my opinion
there should be a national law en-
acted by Congress which would
place all the States on the same
| footing"
DR.. Cogswell agreed with his
visitor that the enforcement of such
law would soon put a stop to the
so-called music teacher who is in
the business solely for the money
4 that he finds in it.
In this connection DIR. Cogswell
stated that no one phase of school
music is receiving more attention at
the present time than is the subject
of high school credit for private in
struction in music.
This has come to stay" he con-
tinued. "In Washington the course
carried on in the schools includes
the study of harmony, music appre-
citation, ear training. oral and writ
ten dictation, solfeggio and chorus.
In carrying on this work it is
important that private teachers
should know what is being done in
! the schools in order to better corre-
late their own methods of teaching
| (outside of technical work. along
the line of structural analysis"
While discussing the excellent
work which is being done by the
school orchestras The Herald re-
porter learned that credit for or
chestral work is also a part of
the credit system. A student may
select orchestra in place Of chorus,
and in this way do the thing he likes
the better. In the opinion of DR..
! Cogswell, II is mere that the pri-
vate teacher should use his or her
influence in helping the cause along.
! however. all must agree that the
| study of vocal music should precede
that of an" instrument" he asserted.
1t is the aim of all instrumentalist
TO make their instrument sing. in
ether words, tol initiate the human
voice. Hence the absolute necessity
OF making the vocal work the lead
ing feature, looking to the tone
work, which must be pure. soft vet
rich. perfectly in tune, always on
the pitch. with exercises that will
prepare the pupil so well that he
actually sees with his ear and hears
with his eye. Then, when he starts
learning to play any instrument
MS feelins for tonality helps in
marked manner. difficulties are more
easily overcome, and a sure founda-
tlon Is laid for future advancement"
DR.. Cogswel vas born in Penn
syIVania of musical family. He
oePan the study of the piano at an
early age. When 10 years old he
had learned to play the flute. This
was followed by his becoming an
expert drummer. Then Came the
c"rnet at the age of Is. Shortly
after he began the study of har-
mony and composition.
1T was about this time that Gi'-
mores Band. the greatest American
oand then in existence, In my es-
timation." said DR.. Cogswell, was
I" give a concert in a city situated /,
about thirty miles from the town
where I lived This town was To- |
Gated three miles from the nearest !
railroad station. With two other
ambitious musicians, we set out to
attend this concert. We walked to |
the station ard reached the city |
too late to eat our dinner for fear
we would he too far down the line |
for tickets to the peanut gallery"
After long wait the three youth |
fnl musicians finally had the sat-
isfaction of seeing Gilmore and the
hand come on the stage. At that |
iirae Gilmore endtavorad to cover
his bald head by few hairs which !
he used with much taste.
II remember is as IL il were
yesterday" smiled the doctor. how /,
he came out ard faced the audi
ence. dreased in his ,mstehless uni !
form. decorated With all the medals
1t seemed possible to pin on his /
coat front. As the .applause supsld-
ed he faced the land and picked