Evening star., 1951-01-09
AIys {. Bentley Dies;
Director Of Music in
Schools Here Till 1913

s-; MISS AlyS T.. Bentley, IOf many
years director of music in the
Washington public schools, died
yesterday in Malone, N. Y. She
was 80 years old. s#
Miss Bentley was with the
schools here for 20 years, first as
a teacher in the early 1905 and
then as music director. She was
credited with bringing about a
great advance in the schools music
instruction.
She resigned in 1918 to open a
studio at Carnegie Hall in New
York, where she gave instruction
in dancing until 1898. After that
she taught at the Edgewood School
in Greenwich, Conn, until her re-
tirement in 1949. She numbered
among her pupils many persons
prominent in the arts.
Inspired Greater Interest.
A native of Chateaugay. N. Y,
Miss Bentley began her career
here teaching music to elementary
school children. Inspiring musi-
cal interest in young children
always remained her first love.
When she was appointed to take
charge of music instruction, she
found many lacks, among them
too few teachers and books, not
enough pianos and virtually no
school orchestras or choruses.
No graduation credits were yet
granted for music courses, and the
high schools had to share music
teachers. Miss Bentley also found
it necessary to call attention in
one of her first reports to what
she called a decided evolution"
in music teaching methods in re-
cent years-which had not. she
implied, necessarily taken place in
the District schools.
Lectured in Various Cities.
She campaigned on these things
as long ss she remained music di-
rector, constantly striving to get
for music a place commensurate
with other courses in the curricu-
lum. She became so well known
that she was called on to lecture
in distant communities such as
Chicago. Evanston and New York.
She also wrote and published a
number CT children's songs.
Working on the principle that
"song is the basis of all work. she
encouraged children of all ages,
even those in kindergarten, to
learn to sing. She organized
large scale public song festivals at
the old Convention Hall and the
National Theater. with hundreds
of elementary children participat-
ing. President Theodore Roose-
welt Unexpectedly showed up back
stage at one festival causing the
children to give a shout.
She brought the first phono-
graphs into the schools, for the
playing Of fine music. She also
urged-unsuccesSfully-the pur-
chase of player pianos. She cam
paigned for big scale singing by
high school students in co-opera-
ton with the Washington Choral
Society. and in behalf of apprecia-
ton of symphonic music. She
started the first classes in har-
mony.
Stressed Newest Techniques.
Miss Bentley also conducted
numerous special classes for teach
ers. She took a special interest
in the normal schools (now the
teachers colleges, stressing the
newest techniques of musical in
struction. For several years she
also conducted weekly classes in
rhythmics at Western High School.
Many later District teachers owe
their "basic training" to her.
She herself was an uncommonly
able choral conductor. She dis
dained a baton, and associates re-
call the manner in which she was
able to draw forth eager sound
from young throats as bespeaking
simple genius.