Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-23
BY DAY THORPE
Star Music Critic

Star Music Critic
The glamorous aspect Of
American music is probably
most in evidence along the
seacoasts. but perhaps the
soul Of musical America is in
the Middle West. 1t is said
by those who know flrst-hand
that the average level Of pro-
flciency attained by the stu
dent in the Midwestern pub
lie school or college is
phenomenal. whether one
considers theory. solo per-
Torrance or ensemble work.
Why this is. so. If indeed it
is. it is difficult to say-pos-
sibly the college board ex-
animation regime is less
strong in the Central States.
thus making the Importance
OF what We consider here
"extra-c urricular" more
marked.
Whatever may be the truth
about music in the Midwest.
there is no doubt Donald
Malcolm Swarthout, who has
been teaching at Catholic
University for the last three
years, has had a great deal
to do with it. He has been
dean of the College Of Fine
Arts in Lawrence. Kans.. since
1928. emeritus since 1850. He
has had more pupils than he
can remember. though he is
In little danger of forgetting
the one best known to Wash
ingtonianS. Evelyn Swarthout
Hayes. pianist and wife Of
our leading impresario. Pa
trick Hayes.
Accomplished Pianist
Dean Swarthout Is also a
pianist, although he has not
played a concerto in public
since he was soloist with the
Leipzig Royal Conservatory
Orchestra. This was in 1902,
and the work was the D mi
nor Of Anton Rubinstein. AL
though soon after his interest
in performing was supplanted
by his love of teaching, he
still at 70 gives the impress
sion that all that would be
needed for another bout with
that formidable work would
be a few days practice to
loosen up the fingers.
II was born in Pawpaw,
Illinois," the Dean told me
recently. "of a family that
you might call American
Bach" if only because practi-
cally all of us. before and
after me. have been musi-
clans. I started out on the
cello and made weekly trips
to Chicago with my brother
to play chamber music. COM
ing home on the milk train.
From the Balatka Musical
College in Chicago l went to
the Royal Conservatory in
Leipzig in 1902. having talked
my father, who although a
Swarthout was a banker, into
four years abroad. / studied
piano with Isadore Phillip in
Paris. and came back home
with a burning desire to teach
music. I began as associate
director of music in oxford
College in Ohio. moved on to
the Illinois Woman's College
In Jacksonville. Illinois. in
1911. thence to Millikan Uni
versity in Decatur, and from
there you almost might say
finally. to the University of
Kansas in 1928"
All Of Kansas Not Flat
1t happens that ! was born
In Lawrence. so ! asked the
Dean how things we're back
home. He could answer in
the broadcast kind Of gen.
eralities. for / have not been
in the town of my birth since
! was a year old.
Most people have the
wrong impression about Kan
sas." he replied. TITS really
not as fiat as all that. Did
you know, for example. that
the main street Of Lawrence
is on a steep hill?" ! said
that I had forgotten the
topography. but would never
have believed it Of Kansas.
Dean Swarthout is feeling
nostalgia about Lawrence
these days. for when the new
Fine Arts Building was COM
pleted this year, he was in
Yited back to participate in
the opening ceremonies. A
secret had been we'll kept
the Dean did not know until
he was on the platform that
the new recital hall--a trib-
ute to the work Of his life
time, was to be christened
"Swarthout Hail."