MUSICAL COURIER
16
MUSIC AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
By GEORGE H. GARTLAN Director of Music in the Public Schools of New York City
APPRECIATION OF MUSIC IN THE CLASS ROOM
The Difference Between the Broad School Policy and Practical Class Room Illustration
February 9, 1922
cation is accomplished by contact with more skilful individuals and by travel. It is merely the intention of the school to direct properly the minds of children to a real appreciation of what they are expected to accomplish in later life, and not to overload the child’s mentality with the knowledge which he will gain as the years roll on.
What One Woman Did for Seattle
Seattle, Wash.. January 20. 1922.—One never knows where lightning is going to strike in the way of audiences, but if one were going to select a place of safety where lightning would not strike him musically, he would probably select the chamber music concert. Consequently, when the first audience was assembled for the series of chamber concerts being given by the Musical Arts Society and it was found that there was a subscription list of nearly 500, the surprise occasioned may well be imagined. The series of concerts ar-
Busi:nell Photo
CECELIA AUGSPURGER, president of the Seattle Musical Art Society.
ranged includes: The Spargur Quartet; the Claude Madden Instrumental Ensemble; the Francis J. Armstrong Sonata and Trio Ensemble—a list which comprises some of the best known artists residing in Seattle, so that one may attribute something to the drawing power of these artists. Then, too, the Musical Arts Society has been a factor of importance in the city for some }'ears, and its backing of the undertaking becomes a consideration. Also one may attribute a certain number being present for the pure love of this most beautiful form in musical art. But all of these could not account for the size of the audience, not only in Seattle, but almost any other place in America, and it became a matter of interest to this correspondent to discover how such an unheard of musical event could happen.
It transpires, upon investigation, that the whole idea was a^ dream of the new president of the Musical Arts Society, Cecelia Augspurger, who is well known as one of the leading pianists and teachers of the city. Against the advice of almost all the wise ones in the city musically, Miss Augspurger planned this series of concerts, offering fees to those taking part, and making the subscription the very nominal price of five dollars; and through her own personal effort she succeeded in starting her course with the audience mentioned above. Miss Augspurger started her campaign through a well organized line of work, through committees, but she soon found that depending upon others for what she wished to accomplish was going to come to small result, and with a determination that the concerts should be a success, she gave up her own work and started out on a personal campaign either to see, telephone or write personally the people she expected to help support the movement. The concerts which have been given thus far, in the enthusiasm of the audience, both in its appreciation of the programs and the accomplishment of Miss Augspurger, must have fully compensated for the hard work given to the matter by the president.	G. R.
“Trills and Frills” at the Palace
During the week of January 30, Harriet and Marie McConnell, daughters of Mrs. E. B. McConnell, the vocal teacher, were exceedingly well received in “Trills and Frills” at the Palace Theater in New York. According to the Morning Telegraph of January 31, “Harriet and Marie McConnell are splendid singers. Their vocal efforts, moreover, are not mere harmonized pyrotechnics. They dispense melody that interests as well as arouses admiration for the perfection of their musical technic. Hassard Short has surrounded them with a dazzling scenic and costume production.” These young singers are planning to sail for Italy on June 17.
with the general school curriculum. Another disadvantage is the fact that so much record music has been provided that schools are making the serious mistake of selecting material without careful consideration of the average ability of pupils and teachers. A mere superficial accomplishment creates interest, but that interest is not sufficient to warrant a continuation and development of the subject such as is guaranteed after years of investigation and experiment in other school subjects.
The Early Years.
Few school systems are willing to incorporate appreciation of music in the curriculum of the early school years. There should be no criticism of such an omission, because too much time can be wasted by indirect application. What we are trying to accomplish is that the children in the early years shall be properly impressed with the importance of two great elements: first, the art of listening; second, the proper conception of rhythm. It is still a doubtful question as to whether or not rote song material can be properly presented through the channels of mechanical reproduction. It is our belief, through experience, that young children respond very readily to the difficult rhythmic combinations that are possible of presentation. It is important that the material used in these grades should present free expression, direct response to rhythm, singing games,' and folk dances; that songs for use should encompass three types—the rhythm song, the dramatic song, and the song for listening. Unfortunately there has been an over-developed sentimentality toward music for these grades.
The Intermediate Grades.
It is here that we present the subject of appreciation in a real concrete form. The important element is in descriptive music, and the recognition of measure and accent. Along with this is continued the appreciation of folk songs and folk dances, together with music of definite rhythmic and melodic content.
The Senior Group.
The senior group in the elementary grades represented by the seventh, eighth and ninth years, forms many interesting correlations with literature, arithmetic, history and nature study. It is in this group that compositions of the type of MacDowell’s “To a Wild Rose” and “To a Water Lily” are most effectively presented. Yet we have heard both of these played before groups of kindergarten children.
It is important here that the various types of voices be heard for the purpose of future recognition, both in solo form and in voice combination. Again we have the beginning study of instrumental composition, particularly the orchestra and band. It is possible in the ninth year, which is also the first year of high school, to begin a more intensive study of appreciation in terms of music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The High School and the Future.
It is not the intention of the school to turn out skilled interpreters of music. As we have often stated, real edu-
There are two ways of presenting music appreciation. First, on a broad general policy of the lecture system wherein this division of the work is imposed upon ordinary school room procedure, and the other where a well defined and carefully selected series of lectures in appreciation are assigned for study in each successive grade. The former is more universally followed than the latter, although within the past few years many school systems have incorporated the teaching of music appreciation as part of the regular work, and prescribed lessons covering certain definite periods of musical development and historical interest are taught consecutively.
The general policy has . served its purpose. When the subject was introduced into the elementary schools the idea was new; sufficient time could not be provided to do justice to the subject, and so music teachers did pioneer work against all kinds of local opposition. Each year additional literature was prepared and published, and as a result of this professional investigation and, development there is enough teaching material available even for the teachers in the rural schools to accomplish a musical result without supervision. The general policy paved the way and stirred public opinion to the point where school systems recognized the value of incorporating this very brilliant subject as a part of regular school work. It is possible that from now on the second method, that of carefully selected lessons for each school grade, will be followed more closely, and rapidly find itself articulating with general school subjects.
Obtaining Results.
The fact that most public schools of America are today equipped with phonographs and records is sufficient proof -that the subject has taken hold and has come to stay. Millions of school children in the United States are annual participants in music memory contests of all kinds. These contests are maintained, not merely for the spirit of competition, but also because they are the natural outlet for the courses in music appreciation given yearly in our schools.
The subject is presented primarily with the purpose of teaching children more about music, and training them to follow it more intelligently. If upon graduation the pupils are proper minded toward the subject the public schools have accomplished what they started out to do. The entire scheme is surrounded at present by limitations which have no doubt stood in the way of universal success. Not the least of these limitations is the fact that the training schools for teachers have not yet developed the teaching of music to the point where students are graduated with full appreciation of the cultural value of the subject in relation to daily class room management. When teachers are trained in music appreciation the same as they are in arithmetic and geography, then the schools will be able to accomplish a great deal more in the way of cultural education.
The Limitations of Class Room Procedure.
While a great deal has been accomplished in the proper equipment of schools, individual classes are not provided with sufficient material to articulate music appreciation fully
^)tje Qlrfrclatth Juatitutp of fl)uaic
3146 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio ERNEST BLOCH, Musical Director
ACCELLERANDO!
Students are on their mettle in a scliool wliere enthusiasm adds a bright color to serious endeavor.
Three of the New Term's Features:
Fifteen Lectures on Mus teal History hy Roger Sessions; Preparatory Classes in Music for Very Young Children; Late-afternoon Class m Vocal Sight-Reading.
Mrs. Franklyn B. Sanders, Executive Director
AUER
The American Baritone
44 West 44th Street
Tel. 0647 Vanderbilt
PREPARATORY TEACHER to
Studio: 547 Riverside Drive, New York Tel. Morningside 3753
LARSEN
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WALTER MILLS