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56 Pages
With which is incorporated THE KEYNOTE.
V O L . XXXI. No. 9 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, September 1,1900. SINGLVCOPIRS™. CBNTS
T H E Needof a National Conservatory and likewise painting, sketching, and all tution twenty professors, teaching the dif-
*• formed the subject of an unusually the fine arts akin thereto. One-half of ferent branches of music. The idea is to
lengthy communication which recently ap- these students are either eking out a pre- place the conservatories geographically so
peared in the New York Times from the carious existence as beggar students or are as to meet the population. Belgium, with
pen of Henry I. Kawalsky. In this con- indulging in all kinds of self-denials in or- a population of 6,000,000 people, maintains
nection he asks: When will the American der that they may continue their studies two such institutions, while the present
Nation, by and through its Government, until the time when they are competent to suggestion means one conservatory to
establish institutions for the education of go forth and take up the battle for suprem- every 20,000,000 people.
musical and art students ? The older and acy ; and it is pitiful to hear the pathetic
Congress thinks little of appropriating
more prosperous we grow the more impor- stories of struggle and self-abnegation $5,000,000 for a man-of-war, whose pur-
tant becomes this question—a question so which they undergo for the sake of achiev- poses are to destroy, whereas by the ex-
seldom thought of by the ordinary mind of ing success in their chosen art. These sto- penditure of $1,000,000, an institution can
the industrious, dollar-seeking American,
be reared to build up and perpetuate a
but which is so vital to the student who has
lasting heritage for the glory of our Nation.
to run the gamut of the education afford-
It has often been suggested that some
ed in this country through private sources;
of our multi-millionaires might found such
and when we come to consider the higher
an institution. This would not answer the
branches of art or music, then the dark-
purpose. Such an institution must be
ness of the situation is appalling. In
under the protection of the Government
speaking to one of our oldest United States
and carry with it the Government's seal,
Senators, the question was asked: "When
for that would give it verity, and the stu-
are we going to establish, like the older
dent coming from this institution with the
nations of Europe, institutions under Gov-
seal of the Government on his diploma
ernment patronage and control, for the
would be accepted wherever he went.
higher education of American genius ?"
His answer was: " I hope soon; but up to
p RETCHEN BERNETT is a California
the present we have been a very material
^-* girl, in whom Mme. Nevada became
and commercial Nation, striving to earn
extremely interested during her recent
money and building up the country." He
tour of the Pacific Coast. She is the pos-
was then asked: "Have you ever thought
sessor of a sweet contralto voice of great
of the great hardship that is imposed upon
breadth and power and she uses it intelli-
the poor young man or woman who, by
gently. She has appeared in a number of
God's gift, is possessed of some great
concerts on the coast, one with Nevada,
talent and who is ambitious to perfect his
and the San Francisco papers, especially
or her education and is without means to
the Examiner and Chronicle, were loud in
do so ? " He said: " N o . "
their praise of her talents. She sang re-
GRETCHEN BERNETT.
cently
for Chas. L. Young, the well-known
How distressing and discouraging must
ries force upon the listener a blush of manager, and he immediately closed a con-
be the thoughts that pass through the mind
shame for our Nation's neglect of the true tract with her. It is his intention to send
of the American when he thinks and knows
genius and manhood suffering want and Miss Bernett to Europe to complete her
that in Europe even the poor children from
exile for the sake of art and to make the training under Marchesi, and Mme. Ne-
whatever station they come are in the full-
American name honored. These young vada has graciously consented to person-
est enjoyment of institutions maintained
men and women who are thus conditioned ally look after her interests while in Paris.
by the Government which give to them
are our own country people, Americans, With the aid of such a triumverate—Mme.
the instruction that brings them to a high
the children of American parents.
Nevada, Mme. Marchesi and manager
degree of perfection, and sends them forth
There is also a business side to this ques- Young—and in consideration of her ad-
in the world as great artists, while the
American looks at all the wealth and great tion, as Mr. Kawalsky shows. If we mini- mitted vocal ability, she should, in due
expenditure in and about Government mize the cost of the twenty thousand course, forge to the front as an artist of the
affairs, and finds that this mighty Govern- American students abroad, including in- very first rank.
ment of freedom and liberty has not even struction and all other incidentals, to $1
A N American tour of the Leipsic Phil-
taken the initiatory step for laying the foun- per day per student, or $600,000 per month,
or
$7,200,000
per
annum,
the
average
**•
harmonic Orchestra under the leader-
dation stone upon which shall be built a
course
for
three
years
extracts
from
Ameri-
ship
of
Hans Winderstein is said to have
home for the cultivation of the great arts.
ca therefore $21,600,000, while we can been arranged for by Mme. Norma Knup-
I T may be interesting to know that there build four modern institutions fitted for fel who has just returned to this country
* are as many as 20,000 American stu- such purposes and maintain them with a from abroad. The orchestra, consisting
dents scattered through the great cities of full corps of high-class professors within of eighty men, is announced to arrive in
Europe, studying music in every branch, $500,000 per annum, giving to each insti- November.