EVENING SESSION.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6370, 18 February 1886, Page 3

EVENING SESSION.

X The Institute met again at 7 p.m., in the *Nosn_l School, and the President, Projfeafbr Cook, delivered an address on '* The Psorassob began by pointing cut ;|h|t modern music, which began with the ! Smirch, and for, centuries grew with -its gabwth, had become, by the time of the Itjflrts in England, a thoroughly popular ] un Greatnumbers of people had knowledge esfcugh to be able to take part in glees and njadngals, and while the performers could tins rank with those of the Continent, the compose— who appeared in England at that date were nowhere surpassed, as witness Purcell, the giant of seventeenth century music. Since then England had sank into an mr—nni«— nation, not for wast of talent, but through hiding ite tawit in a nap_n; and though there was no#a great musical revival, they could baldly hope to remedy so long a neglect inl—e or two generations. Still it would bejfdone eventually, and the. time would come when a man would be as mfch ashamed of not knowing music, as of jßot being able to read bis paper or sign hid name. That England was already doing a great deal was evident from Dr. Seiner's report on music-teach— g in the primary schools. He found it generally satisfactory, the reading at sight being especially goad. England, in fact, was, as regarded school teaching, behind European countries no longer, fcr Hullah, who made a) careful examination of the European flvstems, found only the Dutch superior, §Bule.the German children were taught by gar, and their reading -was contemptible. J£§opound_g the question, "What are we 3||New Zealand doing f " the Professor said 'oWr regulations showed us not for Maind, but our practice, was leas 'syiafaotory. Often, for lack of time, singing was net taught at all j often it was taught badly; altogether it amounted to very little; and bo long as j entrusted to the ordinary teachers it would the no better. Accurate knowledge of music, combined with Bufficient skill to tlfccli it, waa rare; yet it was expected of •mpchera in primary schools, and though ■iles© had to pass an examination they In—d not de much, seeing that, in jfactice, they were but a little in advance |p their pupils, and that method without Ipaetical knowledge was useless. Now, this right ox reasonable? It waa vious that spec—lists were required who >nld devote themselves to the work. They could teach the children above the fewer standards and superintend the teaching of those below. In the North <I_texbury district there were four or five fbousand children about ten years old who fould be fit for their teaching. In fhristchurch there were 920 capable ft being efficiently taught by one &eh specialist who would visit the schools & half the week; and some 500 more pildren in the suburbs could be taught in the other half. The equipment at each school would be merely |T blackboard and some song books, fend the teacher would be fully armed when he had put his tuning-fork in h_ pocket For the subordinate teachers, who would have to train the lower Standards to sing by ear, and to sing at intervals correctly, a Saturday class might be formed; and as their duties would require care and skill, the Education Department would do well to institute for them an examination of P extent and importance. All this be done in Christchurch by one , whose tervkst coald ptobauyhe

*= ————HRBSS tZZSS!SSZggi!gZBF=== obtained for £360 per annum. The success jirould probably be bo great that a strong demand would be made for more ■inaßters. He believed- the work of the district could be done by four—two in Christchurch, one in the North and one in the South. This plan had been in operation in Victoria fbr thirty years, and had answered %o well that it was constantly extending. £n 1833 an inspection had shown that there were twenty-five masters and eighty-one School teachers licensed to give inst—icftion. The children taught numbered $0,000 to 35,000, and enjoyed learning, jbot more than 3 or 4 per cent, being found tumble to sing. • Taught in classes of fteventy or eighty pat they could read the staff notation at Bight, and fling in harmony "three parts. The inaßters' salaries ranged from £175 to £425 bar annum. A similar system yielded sAendid results in Boston, where, accordWtg to an English critic, the Bight-sing—g y*s astonishingly good, and correct habits rf-voice-using, breathing, and phrasing more successfully impressed upon the children. Concern—g the importance of such fsyßtem, the Professor declared that our lsical —generation- would go on but itrly if we did not turn to the masses, din them discover and educate musical telent. He concluded with a careful inquiry into the merits of the Tonic Solfit system, and found that it possessed ii thing to compensate for inability to read iff notation—the one and universal aguage for music. He reminded bis arers that the scheme proposed would ike no addition to their already weighty llabus. [Applause.]. m; On the motion of Mr T. S. Fostsb, a pearty vote of thanks for his address was Recorded to Professor (Took. M In pursuance of notice given at the ylfternoon session, Mr E. U. Jubt moved: — _§That in the opinion of this Institute were is a tendency to over-rate the value of the' Tonic Sol-fa system' in teaching imusio in schools."

Mr B. J. A_txandbb seconded .the motion.

After a long and interesting debate, an amendment moved by Mr W. Wabd, and seconded by Mr Bkvan-Bbown, to insert /Vpf .notation " 'after " system" in the resolution was loßt. "- The resolution was then put, and on division was lost by one vote. The meeting then adjourned.