Evening star., 1947-09-01
DR.. BornesI Retiring, Reviews
Life as School Music Director
City Department Head
Recalls Incidents in
LONG Career Here
By Colt hendIey, Jr.

p Masses of school children singing
in choral groups always have been a
specialty-and plague-in the life OF
DR.. Edwin N. c. Barnes. 10, who is
retiring today after Is years as head
of the music department of the
white public schools.
He remembers we'll his biggest af-
fair, back in 1923, when he arranged
for 5000 school students to serenade
President Harding at Griffith Sta
dium.
I'VE had all OF them in the bleach
ers with group OF Marines in front
to keep order" he explained, "A
stand in the middle of the field held
the Presidents party
The idea was that at given mo-
ment in the program, the children
would gather around the platform
and sing the Presidents favorite
song, Loves Old Sweet Song" 1t
was President Harding's last large
public appearance before his death
a few weeks later.
Plans Went Awry.
"Well, the signal was given at the
wrong time through some mistake" ="
DR.. Barnes continued. Those chill
dren swept out of the stands like a
devouring flood. moving down the
Marines to a man.
They descended on the stand and
began throwing bouquets of flowers
which had been provided. The Pres
ident, slightly startled. appeared on
the edge of the platform and his
top hat went flying as bouquet hit
him.
Mrs Harding's hat went the same
way. I saw fit of annoyance cross
the Presidents face, then he smiled
and began gathering huge armfulls
of flowers and placing them at the
feet of his wife.
1--WE never did sing Loves Old
Sweet Song that day. But, for
tunately there were no casualties, ~
he added.
Stand Misplaced.
! At another time, the conductors S
stand was misplaced for the COM
munity sing on the East steps of
| the Capitol. When DR.. Barnes
stood up to lead his 1000 children
that day, he found 1000 spectators
facing him. The boys and girls
had been placed in the wrong Sec
| ton.
| DR.. Barnes was born in New
Brunswick, Canada. His great-great-
grandfather was Capt. James Barnes
British cavalry officer during the
Revolution. His confiscated farm is
the land on which the town of White
Plains, N. Y, now stands.
Educated in schools in Maine
Massachusetts, and London, he be-
came director of music for Massa-
chusetts schools in 1906, going to
Rhode Island in 1914 in the same
capacity. In 1922 he came to Wash
ington to head the musical depart
ment in the public school here.
The stranger in Washington found
things tough the first few years
Musical education in the public
schools practically was nonexistent
Il was the first appointee of School
Supt. Frank W. Ballou to come from
out of the city," he commented. 81
had two years of tough shedding be-
cause of those in the school system
who thought a local person should
have been appointed to the job"
Within that time, however, DR.
Barnes had convinced the Board OF
Education that music should be an
elective study with the same credit
as any other subject. Everything
musical except the cadet bands, was
placed on the basis of flve-day
course of study, the system which
still stands. This included choral
singing, music appreciation, orches-
ira, band, piano classes and string
quartet.
Biggest need Of the music depart
ment at present is larger corps OF
teachers and better qualified teach
ers. DR.. Barnes said. The recent
salary raises should help to some
extent, he added.
Program is Needed.
The public schools also badly need
program under which school
owned instruments are lent tc
talented pupils with the guarantee
of the parents for their care. DR.
Barnes said he had been fghting fol
such a program for years and such
proposal probably would be con-
sidered by school officials this year
Schools now own only few in
struments, purchased with funds
raised in various ways. DR.. Barnes
plan would have the money included
in the school budget.
The retiring director has not con-
fined his activities to teaching music
but Is an author, composer and
lecturer also.
He directed his own cantata, The
Sage of Mount Vernon" when 1t was
sung by 1,5O0 voices at Constitution
McGorry Begins