Evening star., 1949-09-25
MuSiCHealth
HeldCOnCern
OF Business
By Alice Eversmon

By Alice Eversmon
1t may astonish the harassed
businessman to be told that the
future musical development in this
country is gradually becoming his
responsibility. Usually leaving all
interest in musical happenings to
the feminine side of his family and
often attending concerts only
under protest, he has not been,
until recent years, particularly
well versed in what is going on in
the musical world. To hear now
that it is up to him to see that
music lives and thrives will seem
an unheard of enlargement of his
civic duties.
/ Yet it is becoming more and
more apparent in various ways
that not only does the business
man need music but that he can
profit from it as we'll. The latter
of course, will depend on what he
and his confreres will invest in it.
For music has other drawing
powers beside the esthetic and the
spiritual and as a strong force in
a community it can we'll assist in
the financial prosperity of a COM
munity. It can be a magnet to
attract visitors to a city or help
decide others to take residence
there and, simply because of the
prospect of music enjoyment or
knowledge. the buying and selling
of material things and the general
increased outlay of money will
benefit the men whose lives are
bound up in the financial success
of their home town.
Impetus Already Given.
This is particularly true of the
Nations Capital from which
money flows out to all parts of
the earth with little going to the
cultural development of it's citi-
zens. The announcement last
week that several business firms
have underwritten some of the
children's concerts of the National
Symphony and the decision last
Spring of the Hamilton National
Bank to sponsor a High School
Musical Talent Contest with a
$500 scholarship to college of
their choice offered the two top
winners, are encouraging signs
that the business men of this city
realize how they can assist in pro-
viding a greater cultural impetus
here.
There can be no complaint that
artists and musicians of other kinds
have not done all they could tc
establish high standard in music
in this country. But the outlets
for their art must be fostered and
increased so that more people can
be reached. It cannot be said at
this period in our progress that
music is the plaything of the rich
Long ago it moved out of that
sphere to invade every walk Of life
1t is in the schools, the churches
: the social circles and active in
the working world. 1t is interest
ing the children of businessmen
to a marked degree and some OF
them may find a musical genius
in the family.
Not For the Privileged Few.
4 So it is to the business worlC
that music is turning for the sup
port and encouragement without
which it cannot live. Its donations
to musical endeavors and its pa.
tronage of musical events are the
support, but the willingness tc
see the value of all this music &C
tivity and the vision to understand
its Importance is the only means
of giving 1t the kind of encourage
ment that counts for something
From now on, music cannot be
kept for a privileged few for its
ramifications are too wide and its
call to all classes too potent. 1t
is for the businessmen to turn this
to good account.
Any man who has prospered in a
community has a pride in all civic
endeavors. 1t is he who can start
the ball rolling to increase a city's
desirability. Not the least of its
assets is its cultural standards.
Some of the money that has piled
up through the business acumen
of the city fathers should be
diverted to fostering the things OF
the spirit. Financial success, as
many businessmen have dis
covered, cannot supply all nature S
needs. There is in every one the
longing for the finer things of
life that enrich and bring peace
to the spirit. When leaders of q
community work together to pro-
mote those powerful yet intangible
elements that give the touch OF
beauty to living, they are direct
ing the peoples spiritual life as
surely as does the church. The
fact that an active cultural life In
a city increases its material pros
perity also is all to the good. But
the contented and successful bust.
nessman will accept that in pass
ing. The important thing will be
that through his efforts a full
musical schedule will flourish in
his town, free from financial
worry, housed properly and pa
tronized with enthusiasm. 1t
would be wonderful indeed if this
Capital city could lead the coun-
try in this respect. Many business
men here are doing their best to
assist the local musical life but
it needs to be universal in the
city. Combined effort and planning
would bring results both satisfy
ing and pecuniary. It would also
remove the stigma Of inertia that
has long blemished this city's
name.