The Washington times., 1921-10-13

at six years OF age has acquired
large vocabulary OF words that ne
uses with fluency. IL In because OF
this mastery OF oral expression that
children learn TO read I'm a very short
time, often reading several books
during the first year OF school.
"A large majority OF children VINO
enter school at five or six years OF
age, have used the tone language bu,
little, II at all.
beginning with a few short and
very simple songs such as are well
suited to the child voice and usinS
words that are within his vocabulary.
the first step In taken. This Is Inn,
mediately followed by individual tone
matching to discover who are sing
ing correctly and who are not. Thin
is accomplished by taking a sustained
tone OF medium high pitch. followed
by what Is known as the descending
scale.
From the very first and every mo-
ment during the singing exercise
careful watch In kept OF the quality
of tone, accuracy of pitch. rhythmic
accent, etc. The songs used arr
printed in the right keys and the
teachers are required to use the chro.
matte pitch.pipe. frequently testins
the pitch that the habit of correct In.
tonation be carefully formed.
Melodies are short and such as
child can sing alone, which he is fire.
quently required to do. thus placins
music on the same basis as that of
any other subject. r
Washinxton's Handicap. -
''In cities where the amount OF
time devoted to music Ia from twenty
to thirty minutes day. all Of tho
work outlined above Is easily accom-.
plished, but. unfortunately, In Wash
ington. we are allowed but twelve
minutes a day. and often this Is cut.
so that II requires two years to reach
the standard set for the first-yeaI
Is proportionately true OF all other
grades.
From the standpoint of the director
of music, this condition makes II Inn
possible to reach ideal or even such
a standard as becomes the city of
Washington.
THE second-year work Is very
much like that of the first year. with
the addition Of more oral and written
dictation. The principal feature 10
the rote singing, both class-wise and
by each individual pupil.
Many Of the songs for the third.
year kTaucB are VI 6uCn u CudIhClcf
that they can be read at sight. while
the more difficult ones containing new
tones (chromatics), and more difficult
, intervals as well ~ new rhythmic
problems, are taught by rote, the OBJ
ject being, that each new step Is frs:
presented as a rote or ear-training
song. and this IL soon followed by the
presentation of the new difficulty.
Thus the old pedagogical principle
of Things before signs Practice be.
fore theory are faithfully carried
out.
Constructive Period.
Authorities do not all. agree re-
garding just when the proper time
arrives. when the child passes from
the so-called initiative period to the
constructive period.
"The flute player of the Boston
Symphony Orchestra asked me that
question some years ago. My reply
was that I did not consider that q
person ever passed the initiative Pc
riod, but had already discovered
that many boys and girls even as
low as the second grade often asked
questions that showed the mind was
working.
"It is, therefore, during the fourth,
fifth and sixth years of music work
In the schools that the children must
be taught the elements such as keys,
signatures, etc.
During the sixth year the minor
scales are taught, three part singing
begun, and the vocalizing Of the va
rious triads and naming of the
chords.
Pupils under this learn to hear
rnYraCflU nnd 20 s,tl
This means much In the work that
follows in the so-cslled study Of
music appreciation
THE adolescent period, often be-
ginning In the seventh year of school
life and extending into the first two
years Of high school, is a time VIII en-
music becomes a joy-if the pupil
has mastered the work of the first
six grades.
THE technical work of these
grades is that of q review and not
too long at a time. Four part sing.
ing is begun. when boys voices
have changed and a real bass section
has been formed, care being taken
that the bass part ia not too low
and boys are not allowed to force
the tone. Whenever the boys voice
is found to be a tenor or high bari
tone, he is given the tenor part and
the same care exercised in the matter
of tone production"
Mr.. Cogswell. thus briefly outlined,
gives the sequence of the vocal music
In the grades OF the Washington
public schools. He has presented, as
graphically, the study OF instru.
mental music In the grades, and
music In the high schools, which
The Washington Times will take
pleasure in printing in the near IN.