Evening star., 1952-07-20
News of Music:
News of Music:
FinoncioI Aid Is SOUGHT
For Public School Music
Budget Request for $50, 900 for Instruments
Shows Purents Agree on Its Importance
By Alice Eversmon

By Alice
Public school officials are max.
ing a valiant effort to obtain 6
proficient system of music training
for all the grades. In the budget
request presented for the next
fiscal year, not only are more
music teachers asked for but 9
sum Of $4,000 is included for the
purchase Of instruments. When
consideration Of the full budget
comes before Congress, showdown
will be had on the vital point OF
music instruction in the public
schools. just how music rates in
an educational and cultural pro-
gram from the viewpoint of those
who control the purse strings. will
come out into the open.
The definite request now before
the District commissioners is the
result of an energetic campaign by
the Citizens Committee for Music
in the District Public Schools. This
is q working group of Is or 80
people, mostly parents. who rep
resent a series of schools in the
Northwest section. Cooperating
with the school boards and in
dorsing the plans already outlined.
they put the weight of their per-
Sonal interest behind the projects.
They know from actual experience
how important music is to chill
dren and know also what results
can be had from elementary
grades upward.
Parents Collected Instruments
Beside the fact that there are
not enough teachers to carry on
the instruction, the difficulty of
obtaining instruments has been a
great drawback. Here is how the
problem was solved at Lafayette
Elementary School. Last summer
q group Of parents in the neigh
borhood Of the school made a
house-to-house call asking for the
loan or the gift of instruments.
They received 80. Among these
were II violinS, 4 trumpetS, 2
saxophones, / clarinet and a set
Of drums. The parents. who form
the Home and School AsSocia-
ton Of Lafayette School, then
purchased music stands, music
and two half-sized double BASES.
They paid for the repair of
some Of the instruments and took
out insurance for those that had
been loaned. The expense for this
1lrSt year was $500. Charles Aker
was assigned to the school as new
instrumental instructor for two
days q week. Many of the pupils
studied with him, others with pri-
vate teachers. A number had their
own instruments. He formed an
orchestra Of 70 children between
the ages Of and II. The first
concert. given before the PTA, was
50 excellent in matters of attack,
intonation and rhythm. that the
sponsoring audience gave the
young players standing ovation.
A second concert, held at a prin-
cipars meeting, proved further the
efficiency of the system. The
years experimental program at
Lafayette school was a great sue
cess.
1t is hardlNseem1y that parent
teacher associations all over the
city should be required to provide
the schools with equipment for
their music instruction. At pres
ent. in many schools. only those
owning instruments can partici-
pate. There is no pool of instru-
mentS" from which loans may be
made. Parents are often hesitant
about buying an instrument for a
child until convinced that he
would really like to learn it.
Others cannot afford to lay out
the money.
Commissioners Informed
In a letter submitted to the
District Commissioners last Octo-
bere Edith Blau then Research
Chairman for the Citizens Com
mittee and now its president.
said:
Although the Board Of Educa-
ton music division program calls
for instrumental instruction, and