Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-25
EDUCATORS PRAISE
RADIO CONCERTS
Walter DamroSCh to Start
Series Tomorrow on
N. B. C. Chain.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Educators Throughout the Nation are
mailing with delight the series Of radio
concerts for school children which
Walter Damrosch will conduet over a
network of the National BroadcaSting
Co., beginning tomorrow. Some regard
it as the first step toward hroadcaSting
varied educational programs on a ma
ytion-wide scale for reception in the
claSsroomS.
The opening of the series of 48 Fri
day morning concerts, devoted to the
works of great masters and graded ac-
cording to the mental development Of
children and young people from the
third grade through the high schools
and colleges, represents the realization
of Mr. Damrosch'S dream Of leading
millions of school children into the
magic land of music during their for
NATIVE years"
The concerts are to be In four grades
the first for children in the third and
fourth grades, the second for the fifth
and sixth grades, the third for the
seventh and eighth grades, and the
fourth for the ninth grade and Junior
nigh schools. Each concert will last
for half an hour, the different grades
of programs being scheduled for alter
nate Fridays
The first program, beginning at II
am. this Friday, is designed to appeal
to the very young. The second begins
at 1880 am, and Is intended to be
heard by grades seven, eight and nine
and the junior high schools. The fol-
lowing Friday at the same hour grades
five and six will have their first con-
cert, and the first of the college con-
certS also will be heard.
Music in Every School
It is DR.. Damrosch'S wish to know
that every school in the land Is tuning
in on his symphonic concerts. Several
of his concerts with the New York SYM
phony Orchestra from Carnegie Hall
have previously been broadcast as an
experiment. Their great success, added
TO the enthusiasm already evinced by
parents and teachers for the new Sc
ries, insures the success Of his new en-
terpriSe in the musical education OF
youth. 80
Leaders in the National Education
Association for some time have been
advocating the broadcasting Of Just
this kind of course and others by mas
ter teachers to supplement the work of
the local teacher. 1t has been done
locally in many communities, but the
hope is to extend 1t over national
hook-upS.
one of the difficulties has been to
maintain such project free from COM
mercialism. The DanlroSch concerts
are really sponsored by large manu-
facturer Of radio equipment, with the
altruistic purpose part of a highly legiti-
mate object of heightening the cultural
value of radio ,Lnd widening the market
for the sale of radio receiving sets.
That DR.. DamroSch is not concerned
with Grass commercial motives Is gen.
orally accepted in the educational world,
which is welcoming his symphonic les
sons to the young. The doctor further
explains his plans In the forthcoming
issue of the journal of the National
Education Association in his own
words:
''It is needless to say that it will be
our endeavor to grade the programs in
such way as to lead the children
gently along until they are able to un-
derstand and enjoy music of a more
complicated character During some
If the concerts shall have the various
Instruments of the orchestra play alone,
50 that the children can gain good
knowledge Of their qualities and posi-
bilitieS.
Talks With Concerts.
MANY of the children take an en-
shuSiastic liking for this or that inStru-
nent and begin the study of it them
elves, and the natural result of this is
eventually the formation of school or
ehestras.
Each concert will be supplemented
~ talks about the great composers and
The forms which they used in creating
their works. There will also be descrip-
lions and proper illustrations of the
various instruments used in SYM
ebony orchestra. 1t is my hope that
N this connection the teachers will CO.
operate by showing the children pho
;ograpns OF the Instruments, possibly
he instruments themselves.
Another important feature of these
concerts is the question and answer
plan which We will adopt to supplement
hem. I have prepared for each of the
48 programs a list of about IL Ques-
tons which embody the principal points
Of my explanatory comments, and which
viii be sent to all the schools con-
nected with US by radio, so that we.
teachers may use them after each con-
cert. We plan to send the proper an
Swers to the teachers only.
THE so-called musical population I'M
til now has numbered about / per cent
IN the cities and much less than that
AZ VAC NOA11bAy AASJ4ICIS. ILc1UIO Is now
bringing music to people who have
never thought that the magic world Of
music could become part of their lives,
but who are now irrisistibly attracted
to it. I confidently hope that the pro-
posed educational concerts will lay the
foundation for a nationwide percep-
ton and love. Of music among the youth
Of America"
The stations that have engaged to
take the Walter Damrosch hour regu-
larly are WIZ, New York; WBZ,
Springfield, Mass; WBzA, Boston:
WRC, Washington; WBAL, Baltimore;
WHAM, Rochester; KDKA, Pittsburgh;
WJR, Detroit; WLW, Cincinnati; KYW,
Chicago: WTATJ, Milwaukee; KWK, st.
Louis; WHAS, Louisville; WSM, Nash
vile; VINO, Memphis; WSB, Atlanta;
WCCO, Minneapolis; KVOO, Tulsa;
WFAA, Dallas; KPRC aHouston; wOAI,
San Antonio; Voc, Davenport; WHO,
Des Moines; wow Omaha; WDAF,
Kansas CITY and KOA Deyver