The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-10-18

tor.
BleSt Re the TIE That Binds
Nearer Ny Cod 10 Thee. snS
many others 81 like character.
Hut Lawel Mason sss mach
more than . hymn writer. he
was an sdNentnrer. and had ~
net been for hin our public
school music might not have
heen what u IL today. And In
No other branch Of education
has America made = more dis
Inactive contribution than In
the field ~ public school nu-
sic.
or music in efuoation It has
been said.
The trsnscendent art Of sound
with its myrisds Of possibilities, Is
the least tangible of all arts but |.
one Of infinite potentialities. II /,
painting Of invisible pigments
which vanish instantly and yet 80
deeply affect the human soul that
their Influence may endure . life
time.
The child that has a good mu-
steal training undergoes an expen-
ence in esthetie development and
mental coordination that cannot be
secured in any other manner. He
becomes more responsive. more
alert, more receptive and develops
powers of concentration in a way
which has amazed many education
al observers
Even before the time of Plato
the Importance Of music in educa-
ton was widely recognized. II was
not until the 18th century. how
ever. that II was adapted In q
practical manner To regular dav-
school education when Friedrich
Froebel and others started to en-
ploy music as an essential part Of
the regular training Of children in
connection with their studies
II was Or. Lowell Mason. born
at Medfield. Mass. Jan. "a, 1922.
who started the great movement
in America. He had the soul Of a
pioneer. At is he became the lead
err of the choir in bis church and
conducted singing classes after the
manner of the time. Early in his
twenties. he moved to Savannah.
Ga, where he became a clerk in
a bank but did not give up his mu-
steal work. About this time, the
famous Handel and Haydn Society
Of Boston published a collection of
songs prepared by Mason.
II is well to remember that AT
this early date In our musical his
tory, while Beethoven was still
alive. our musical taste was sur
ficiently advanced to admit a pop
ulsr collection of this sort in which
Mason had adapted many tunes
from Haydn. Mozart and Beetho-
ven. The collection was known as
the Handel and Haydn Collection
of Church Music The book was
such a success that Mason remov-
ed TO Boston to engage in church
music.
He became president of the
society which he soon turned
into m organization for the
introduction OF music In the
public schools. In 1888. the year
Johannes Brahms was born,
We find him virtually the
school music supervisor Of Bos-
ton. In all probability the first
one In America. Mason was
greatly influenced by the edu-
cational theories of the Swiss
philosopher and teacher, 10
han Heinrich PestaIozzi.
In 1888. New York university
bestowed upon him the degree of
doctor OF music. the first honorary
distinction OF this kind conferred
in America.
DIR. Mason spent the last years
Of his life in Orange. n. J.. with
his sons. one Of whom WAS DIT.
William Mason, the famous Lszt
pupil and author OF Touch and
Technic." DR.. Mason was one Of
the most beloved men in our edu-
cationsl history and his influence
upon our public school music
reaches right up to this day.
One Of the most important in
fluences in Masons pedagogical