MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17395, 4 March 1922, Page 13

MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

ROYAL MUSICAL SOCIETY'S PROJECT.

i Mr R. B. Owen, who is shortly relinquishing his position as director of tlhe Royal Christchurch Musical Society, to devote himself- to fostering • mueic in schools, gave details of the project to a "Press" reporter yesterday. "New Zealand is sadly behind in thfl matter of teaching musio in schools," said Mr Owen. "This has been brought ■under my notice in my connexion with, the Royal Qhristclrurch Musical Society, afcd Professor Shelley in one or his lectures told us that, while admiring the excellent .work we were doing, he felt that we were working at the wrong lend, and suggested that wo should throw-our energies towards the musical education of the children. Almost immediately I started to look round to see what the sdhxjols were doing in this direction, and, I'was almost struck dumb at the absolute neglect and indifference which was being shown towards this most important feature of a child's life. Certainly in two or three of our schools in _ and about Christchurch something is being done, but it is very fax from Being what it should be. I found, too, that the time allotted by the schedule was only half an hour a week. The great trouble is that the teachers do not receive a musical education to enable them to impart to the pupils 'the knowledge and love of good music> and, taking a general view of the subject, I should say that music was down to zero in New Zealand; so that we have quite a long way to go to catch up with the headway that has been made jn this direction by other oountries, especially Great Britain. If a child's musical education commenoed as .soon as he entered school, and he was given an hour's training weekly on a graduated syllabus, be would on leaving school have a wtfhderful knowledge of the musical masterpieces of the world, besides the ability to sing at sight any piece put before him. ''We are holding a concert to-morrow night for the - purpose "of raising funds to initiate a campaign of musio ,in schools. I have been exceedingly fortunate in getting Professor Snelley, Director or Education at Canterbury College, to consent to act as president,, and Mr Sydney Butler, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.0.. as instructor, and Mr H. T. Whittingnam has kindly offered to act as secretary and treasurer in an honorary capacity. One or two' other gentlemen will be asked to join the executive,, and we hope to publish their names in a few_ days'time. We. propose to farm a, choir in eaet of tho schoola, and to bring the dhoirs together *for a combined rehearsal in the city once a week. One of the most urgent needs is the selection of suitable songs for our schools. _We hope.to assist the teachers already in the schools by-holding classes on Saturday mornings, where they can qualify .to take up the work. We also hope .that the Education Board will recognise the work of these teachers by giving them "extra marks for such work. As a sample of the class of songs we "wish the children to be taught, I have selected the following, which we would like' to be sung every day.

The Children's Song. Words by Eudyard Kipling. Mualo Uy G-. Povcy Harris. Xand of our birth we pledge to thoe our love and toil in the years to be; VVhcn -no are grown and 'ako our place as men and ■women trith our race.

Father in heav'n who lovest nil, 0 help Thy children when they call. That they may bjiild from ago to ' age, an undefiled hcrffago. Teach us to rule ourselves alvray, controlled and cleanly ni?ht and day, That wo may bring,. if need arise, no maim'd' or. worthless sacrifice. , .

Teach "U# tie strength that cannot seek, by da&or-'- tKought to hurt the weak,'That jitider Thee/we may posses,,'' man's • 'strength -to comfort- man's distress. : Teach us delight in simple things, and' mirth ; • that has no bitter epring», Forgiveness /ice of , evil done, and, love to all men 'n&ath. the eun. ! . • "V * Landl of our, Birth, our .faith,; our pride, for whise-dear sake' our fathers died, 0 motherland we plodsre 4 o thee, head, heart, and hand through the years to he.

Composed, for the School Festival at Weybridge, Empire Day, 1908..

' Proceeding, Mr Owen said. that jie had recently discussed the project ,with Mr J. Caughley, Director of.. Education, and that gentleman had expressed, his sympathy with it, but stated that' the lack of funds prevented action on theso .lines. Mr : Owen told him that the Society would endeavour/ to arrange for self-help in Ohrktchurch, and at tho end. ,of the year they hoped to be able to put on a festival of music in which 2000 or 3000 children would participate, and so point out the way to other cities.: This wbuld- be in keeping 'With tho reputation of Christchurch as the . most musical city in the Dominion.

to TH? SDITOB "THB PRSS3." Your correspondent "Commonsense Parent" seems to infer that proper musical instruction in our, schools would amount ,to a- "comedy." What a comical remark, which goes to prove that such a line of ai-gument does not de-, note the possession of, too much conimonsetise, or Jove or erren appreciation of music. Take ;a child, of any, age, as soon as it, can'prattle or talk).it attempts to sing, proving,' conclusively that, the Creator intended, that our lungs were given us f or, rhe" purpose of singing ?s well as breathing. Vocal musio. develops the lungs, and the muscles of the chest and abdomen, but how very few people who profess to sing and' who have fairly .good voices have been taught tfo sing or even breathe _ properly.,. This is the reason why voice production should: be properly taught in our schools; it is as necessary as physical culture/ and should be taught, by experts, whs hajve make voice training a life .studv.lt is absurd to enquire whether musio improves the 'individual; there is very little "Commonsense" in asking su6h a question, as 1 it is (common, knowledge that music has a refining effect, and the individual who does not love music in its best' form, should have' been ' bred an animal instead of a human being. AU' normal men and women will agree that ono' of the greatest pleasures in life is to'be'derived from listening to really good vocal music, whether sung as a. solo, or in choral combination. As nature has provided us all with'a voice of some description, why sh6uld not that natural gift of the Creator be properly trained and used to best, advantage, and as we cannot teach, and all afford to study under an expert voice trainer, why cannot that expert be engaged by the education authorities to teach the art of - voice production, and singing in our public schools, at' very little expense to the individual, so that all may have the opportunity- of cultivating and developing the gifts that Providence intends us to use for our pleasure and enjoyment.—Tours, etc., EX-SCHOOLMASTER,.

TO TUB SDITOB 0* "'THE P*a»S." Sir,-—What a flutter I've caused;in the musical-doive-box. On reading the Rev. John Paterson's letter L see the error of my waysJ' \No longer am I to worry about earning a living—that is a side, issue. If I am summoned for not. paying my debts, I am to sing to the Magistrate—and probably, he will .make me sing even "another tune." Wfcena boy I was "walloped" if I did not, do the tasks set" me, and until now I never realised that it had done me harm. No doubt I should have treated my father to a little music'aitfd "refreshed his heart'," or does the Rev. i

John Paterson' mean it the other way about that my father should have turned on the musical box so that I might be "strengthened and better fitted to bear" the rod. It is consoling to know that music sets souls aglow with, a love for the beautiful in all its forms Otherwise where would the dust-man come from when we have music in ail the schools. \ . _ And are we to believe tnafc Mr Raynor White in his Yorkshire grape-cum-cork-dust episode used music on the principle. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast," or merely that memory of the episode helped m the composition of his las# verse, a la:— "Of fruit and liars this poet sings. _ No, no, Mr Editor, our musical friends have thumped some heavy chords —even to almost attempting to justify music-in-schools as a cure for consumption—but I wmild bo loat see our dry-as-dust British pract - exchanged for say, the wiUM, mnsical Italian wavof dome things. Ever beento Naples? Some music there—some other things too. However, I see that some of *he champions of "music in seWs have organised, a concert onSu n r ? .vtofur; ther the movement. It will be m r esting -to see how many narents will support the project by their attendanoe at the King Fdward Barracks on gundav evening—Ymirs. etc., COMMONSEN SE PARENT.