Evening star., 1950-07-02
Just Between
Ourselves
BY Philip H. Love

For boys and girls who have
trouble getting along with school,
mates and neighbors. and who
are constantly "in hot water" with
their parents or teachers, or both
the American Music Conferences.
has a suggestion:
Take up music.
j Men in all ages and in all lands
have known that music has powers
to influence the human mind" the
AMC points out. Primitive witch
doctors chant their incantations.
Armies throughout history have
been inspired with martial music.
Mothers have always lulled babies
to sleep with lullabies. Everyone
recognizes the truth Of Congreve,s
famous line, Music has charms
to soothe the savage breast
Tests have shown, the AMC re.
ports, that Debussy's "Clair do
Lune," for example, will create
a mood of peace and contentment
in most people"
But it is better to play music
than merely to listen to it. the
AMC declares. because the player /.
becomes completely engrossed IN
making it say what he wants to
express" Thus the playing serves
as an outlet for emotions. An
angry tune banged out on the
piano, for instance, may give as
much satisfaction as punching
some ones nose-and certainly
will be safer.
y **
AS an example of the benefits
of learning to play a musical in
strument, the AMC cites the case
of a girl whose unpleasant home
life had caused her to become
sullen, ill-tempered and bored.
with her school activities.
I'm the 7th grade" the AMC'
says, she was induced to play!
a clarinet. At first, she was al-A
most completely disinterested and
played only to avoid other tasks.
However, she soon began to de-
velop real interest. Her dispo-
sition began to improve because
she had found something that
made her happy. AS her dispose
ton improved, she became more
popular with her classmates. Her
other studies, which had been
suffering because Of her disin.
terest. also began to improve. In
two years, even her 10 bad
jumped 10 points"
Membership in school bands
and orchestras is especially help =.
full, the AMC suggests. It teaches
the value of teamwork and de-
velops the realization that no
single member, or instrument. Is.
nearly so important as the group
as a whole. Z
Take the case of 14-year-old
girl described by the AMe. as
completely spoiled and insistent
upon her own way" Although
very intelligent. she was so restless
that she couldn't concentrate on
anything. And. she liked people
only when they treated her as
their superior. s4is~
when she began to play .
violin" the AMC says, "sf1e calm
ed down and eventually learned
to concentrate. She lost, most of,
her insiStence on having. every.
thing her own way when she
found that she could contribute .
lot to the school orchestra, but
that others also had something
to contribute and the right to do
So"
At present, only 8 per cent Of
the Nations children are taught
music as a regular part of their
school work. The AMC believes
that every child should have music
instruction, whether his parents
can afford to pay for it. or not. :
And in support of its position, it,
quotes this statement by an ON {
cial of the Arizona public school
system: .., 80
"A child who has found the
music period interesting and stim-
ulating is easier to work with the
rest of the day. They are able to
taste success In the music class.
and that is worth more to some