Evening star., 1946-05-26
Veterans Swell
of
Music Schools
Eastman Curtails
Entries to Meet
New Situation
By Alice Eversmon

DR.. Howard Hanson of the East
man School of Music is the first
to voice the difficulties attendant
on the increased registrat ton that
has followed the termination of the
war. The famed school has been
so overwhelmed by the number of
students seeking admission that
some limitation was necessary.
To solve this problem, DR.. Han
son announces that every service
man who left the school in good
standing will be assured re-admis-
sion and they will be the schools
first concern. In order to be able
to do this, the number of fresh
men admitted in September will be
curtailed and no transfer students
from other institutions will be &C
cepted except in special cases. There
will be a restriction also in the
number of veterans enrolled. Those
who were students of Eastman at
the time of their induction will be
given preference. Furthermore. only
those pupils whose work is salts
factory throughout their course of
study will be retained.
Undoubtedly, other schools ex-
perience the same difficulties, in
creased possibly by the application
of the CT Bill of Rights. Many
serVicemen have been fired with a
desire to study since their war ex-
perience and those of talent are
anxious to avail themselves of the
opportunity the bill offers. Nat
urally their hope is to be associated
with the best school and, in the
music line, Eastman, Curtis and
Juilliard will be the choice of mu-
sicians in the East.
At the same time, hundreds from
all over the country are working
assiduously to prepare themselves
to enter one of these schools for
advanced study. But, as DR.. Han
son says. THE study of music, more
than most fields, demands a large
amount of individual instruction. 1t
is not possible to double the capacity
OF a school by doubling the size OF
the classes-a procedure which
though educationally inadvisable
may, nevertheless, be physically
possible in certain academic fields
For this reason, a music school has
a definite enrolment maximum be-
yond which it cannot function"
1t is evident that consciousness oi
the Importance of ONE music train
ing is growing ste lilly. Some of this
Is due to the recognition of lost op-
portunities the peace years offered
some Of it to need developed b,
the war for a spiritual and cultura
outlet or to the increasing knowl.
edge and liking of music given the
young children in the school, which
has grown with the years.
The present trend in all educa.
ton is to gain degree or to grad
uate from some renowned college OF
conservatory. A degree presupposes
well grounded education. but il
does not always guarantee a prepar-
alton for public life of any kind
The study of music can be clutterec
with many things that give musi-
clan a little knowledge of a great
deal without a deep knowledge OF
one thing. 1t is better to have spe-
clallsts in certain branches. combin-
ing a thorough comprehension OF
their particular field with an equally
clear sense of the artistic. than tc
have so much generalization.
The situation as revealed by DR.
Hanson seem to offer a challenge
to the future. While it seems evi.
dent that more schools of music art
needed to meet the demand, it il
apparent also that something il
wrong with private teaching. l
should be Of the kind to compel,
with schools and their degrees tt
such an extent that the persona
equation in private teaching woult
outbalance the attraction of a biz
conservatory. There is much to b.
said on the quality of private teach
| efs, their competence or incompe
tence, and it is possible that tn,
future will bring a showdown.
A program honoring Booker I
Washington. founder OF Tuskege
Institute, will be given by tn
Tuskegee Choir on Monday night
June 3, in Constitution Hall. TIL
choir is making a two-Week tou
after a special engagement at tn
unveiling of Booker T. Washington
bust at the New York Universit
Hall of Fame. last Thursday.