Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-04-05
Educators Awake to Value of
Music Study in Schools.
By Signora De Fabritiis

~ ~
yisors' National Conference held
their first meeting on Saturday OF
last week followed by others on Mon
day, Tuesday and Wednesday OF this
week.
AT this meeting, quoting from the
Musical Plight, the first to be held in
the South by this organization of
public school music teachers and edu-
Gators devoted to training teachers
for this kind of work, a united effort
is being made to make the city's part
in it-something to be remembered,
and likewise establish a precedent
making possible the holding Of future
conventions in the South.
The potential possibilities of the
South, as an agricultural and indus
trial section, are too well recognized
by far seeing men to need dwelling
upon, and it is the South, with its
thousands Of acres still to be culti-
waited and its marvellous climate that
will attract in greater and greater
numbers-people who have Gland
hunger" and a passion for watching
things spring out of Mother Earth.
But of what use are agricultural
and industrial opportunities to a man
when educational facilities for his
children are lacking? When ! say ed
vocational I mean more than the three
"R's," Lmean the opportunity of hav-
ing contact with cultural influences
and of this cultural branch-the
study of music is a vital and integral
part.
To quote further from the special
correspondent to the Musical Digest:
"a Large Issue at Stake"
1t is no secret that one of the is
sues held to be at stake is the need
for causing a changed attitude to-
ward music teaching in public schools
which is held by southern educators.
Despite the demonstrated usefulness
of music teaching as a factor in the
child's mental and moral develop
ment, school superintendent in near
" all the southern states have yet'to
be convinced of this fact. And this
attitude is said to be too largely shar-
ed by many members of Southern
boards of educasion."'
The South, that for generations be-
for the Civil War, was the seat OF
learning and culture, suffered a ter
rife set back as the direct result of
that war. Culture, the flower of civ
7ilization, is too fragile to resist the
economic unheeyals that follow in the
grim wake of war and once destroyed
it takes years of patient cultivation
and intense desire on the part of the
people to bring it back again. )
Europe is facing the loss of ar
tistic prestige held in the past be-
cause of the result of the World War,
and grave doubts are expressed as
to the possibilities Of any artistic sur
vival among the races that paid such
q bitter price to stem the tide of bat
tie, for many years to come.
When the youth of a country is de-
stroyed, the artistic, as well as eco
nomic and industrial future of that
country is in jeopardy, and who
knows how many painters, writer's,
architects, musicians and dramatists
were lost to the world in this past
struggle as well as tillers of the soil
and ushers of industrial occupations?
In this country, and in the south
especially, all things are ripe for a
new Renaissance, a new. growth of an
educational and cultural life, that
will make America a leader among
nations and the Southland the desired
section of the United States for peo-
pie who have ideals and aims beyond
the material.
One cannot expect intelligent use
of speech if the foundation of that
speech has not been laid in childhood.
The foundation of musical speech
should go hand in hand with
rudiments for English. 1t is as impor-
tant for a child to be taught to read
the symbols expressing musical no
tation, as to be taught to spell, read
and speak words.
We hope that the Conference held
in Nashville will have a lasting and
farreaching influence on the policy
-.lo Lovo ~ obarno tho