The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-29
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 once I was having some fun, with a columnist friend of mine and said to him, .tPretty soft for you. Nothing to do but dash ofY a few words every day. Well, maybe a few hundred but after. all, 1t can't take more than an hour or so of your time"
 He grinned back at me, and said, DO you know-I was just going to tell you what a soft job you have9 Nothine to do put wave a stick for 2 few hours ever yweek."
 We were both wrong. If he could see, me sitting here worrying over just which words to use next he'd be convinced that I take 1t all back. Columning Is no snap, and my hat is certainly of to anyone who, like your regular scribe; can think up a new idea for discussion every day. About the only helpful hint" giv- CT me when. I said I'd take a chance at this, was Just write of something you can get excited about when you're talking to your friends"
 Now that I think 1t over, that's a very useful suggestion. There's one subject of conversation find 1t very easy to get excited about. I'm sure all of you, too, know musicians or students: of music who are always complaining about what they call the sad state of American tastes in music. ."su tft3 q e4 {.
 l. These self4appointed critics are particularly worried about the pres- eilt-day tendency toward an ever- increasing number of popular songs which the public hears . Yet we know that the same people who condemn present-day tunes are the first to praise the folk-songs we all love ;E | wonder if they realize how many of these 'favorite melodies were the popular songs of the day when they were first composed Since the advent of radio there Is larger audience for music of all kinds than the world has ever known.
 We're all glad that American mus sic of the past is becoming better known throughout the world. Steph- en c. Fosters songs, beloved chil- dren's rounds, cowboy ballads, sail. or's hornpipes of the old Maine coast, Virginia reels and the gay ditties of the '90,s-all of these are approved by critics who insist on high-hatting the popular songs of 1897.
 Todays songs are meant for fun and dancing just as the earlier ones were. If "Oh, Susanna is worth listening to-ai1d the 49'ers danced a mean jig to 1t, too-why isn't it all right to like the Organ Grind- CTS Swing" or Sweet Is the Word for You?"
 Among all these present-day songs to which the whole world. young and old alike. enjoys humming and dancing. will be some few having lasting quality. In some future time they. too, will be memory songs, just as Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party" or Hot Time in the Old Town To- night" are now.
 Everybody today has ample op- portunity to learn more about class ical music than ever before, due solely to the scope of broadcasting. Fifty years ago Americans, except for those in the great metropolitan centers. had little chance. to hear anything but the popular songs of that day. They loved music, how. ever, and they kept alive the tunes that pleased them, passing them from one generation to another.
 Now that these folks in small towns throughout the country can hear the great masterpieces of mu- sic, the doubting- -thomases may rest assured that coming generations of Americans will have the benefit of classical appreciation, too.
 Ask the girl next door or the fam fly across the street their fayorite serious compositions and their fa- vorite popular tune. You1l find they have both. Only a short time ago that wasn't 60.
 No one is any the less able to en. Joy opera %or symphonic selections simply because he finds a different kind of pleasure in romantic and rhythmic hits of the moment.
 The next time someone gets too fussy because you like "Headin, for the Last Round-up" or "Stompin' at the Savoy" just remind him to be careful, as tn y may turn out to be folk-songs one of these days.
 The more people there are famil- far with popular music, the easier it is for them to feel at ease with pro. grams of more serious nature.
 Well there now--"I've gone an done it." I got excited and 10 and behold, the columns done. .,t"
 Maybe 1t Isn't such q tough. Job columntng after ali. Shucksl All Vnai haNA An hn ia naA a...lA.a -