Music Trade Review
Issue: 1950 Vol. 109 N. 9 - Page 5
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Established 1879
VOL. 109-No. 9
THE
PIONEER
REVIEW
PUBLICATION
September, 1950
2,846th Issue
O F T H E MUSIC
I N D U S T R Y
Success of Aberdeen S. D. Piano Workshop
Indicative of Small Town Enthusiasm
O
NE of the most serious problems
surrounding the promotion of
piano lessons in the schools has
been securing teachers who have had
the proper instruction in conducting
these piano classes. The piano work-
shops, however, which are being con-
ducted by the American Music Confer-
ence, and the interest which has been
aroused in various teachers' colleges
throughout the country is helping to no
small degree in solving this problem.
It is estimated that during the time these
workshops have been promoted at least
1500 teachers are now prepared to con-
duct classes.
At the summer session of the North-
ern State Teachers' College in Aberdeen.
S. D., a community of 12,000 inhabi-
tants, 17 students enrolled in the class
pedagogy workshop which was con-
ducted by Miss Maurene Carpenter, who
is director of class piano instruction in
the public schools of that city. It was
on Monday, July 10th, that Miss Car-
penter demonstrated the new class teach-
ing methods in the piano workshop
which continued for four days before a
very large and enthusiastic audience.
Miss Grace McArthur, head of the
division of fine arts at the Northern
State Teachers College, acted as chair-
man of the clinic and workshop for the
piano teachers, which consisted of 20
hours of work, 4 hours each day. Half
the time was given to discussion and the
other half to actual class demonstrations
with children, Miss Carpenter showing
the guests exactly how the class work
is carried out. There were also several
private conferences after the general
meeting.
The success of the piano workshop in
this instance is manifested in a letter
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 1950
which was received by William A. Mills,
executive secretary of the American
Music Conference, from Miss Carpenter,
who stated: "You asked that I give you
a little follow-up of our workshop. I
have heard from a number of the teach-
ers who are beginning classes in their
studios, and a few who are contacting
school administrations regarding school
classes. Just now I had a call from one
of our nearby towns where a teacher
was asking to use my name for adver-
tisement in a local paper. We had a
grand time and I had lots of fun at the
workshop and, in fact, I wish I could
do more of them and less actual year
round teaching. I am enclosing a copy of
a letter form one of the outstanding
teachers in our state, which I am most
happy to receive."
Piano Class Progress
The letter referred to was one from
Mrs. Leroy E. Blanchard of Miller. S. D.,
who states her experience in commenc-
ing her paino classes as follows:
"Saturday I taught my first piano
classes. They began at 1:45 and ended
at 6:00. There were thirty pupils and
five classes. This was quite different from
my previous Saturday lessons which took
my entire day from 10:00 in the morn-
ing until 9:00 that evening.
"I used the Frost Beginner's Book for
the beginners' class, and for the other
classes I used Victor Herbert and other
Ada Richter books, Bernard Wagness
and Ella Ketterer books. Also some Cen-
tury sheet music.
"The children are all as enthused over
their next lesson as they ever were
when looking forward to a recital. One
little girl insisted that her parents post-
pone their trip to the hills one. day so
she wouldn't have to miss her next class
lesson. I felt that the greatest obstacle
to the class lessons was the long distance
so many of them had to travel, especially
during harvest, but the mothers drove
and are planning ways to help one an-
other get in every Saturday. Several
mothers visited the classes. I am en-
closing the letter which I sent to all
parents.
Letter to Parents
In promoting this work, Mrs. Blanch-
ard sent the following letter to ihe
parents in her town, in which she
pointed out:
"Tn July of this year Northern State
Teachers College department of music
offered a special five day workshop in
class ipiano instruction with Miss Mau-
rene Carpenter as special instructor.
Miss Carpenter has taught successfully
by class method in the Aberdeen Public
Schools for a period of twenty years.
She is a.specialist in class piano instruc-
tion who is nationally known as well as
locally. She has a practical working
knowledge of all the accepted classroom
methods and materials. She has had
classes under practically all the leading
authorities on teaching piano to chil-
dren. I was especially fortunate to have
been able to attend this piano workshop.
Miss Carpenter is chairman of the piano
class committee of South Dakota.
"The purpose of the workshop was to
give an understanding of modern tech-
nique for teaching piano and to pre-
pare teachers for using the class pro-
cedures. It was designed as a refresher
course for private and studio teachers,
Established 1879
VOL. 109-No. 9
THE
PIONEER
REVIEW
PUBLICATION
September, 1950
2,846th Issue
O F T H E MUSIC
I N D U S T R Y
Success of Aberdeen S. D. Piano Workshop
Indicative of Small Town Enthusiasm
O
NE of the most serious problems
surrounding the promotion of
piano lessons in the schools has
been securing teachers who have had
the proper instruction in conducting
these piano classes. The piano work-
shops, however, which are being con-
ducted by the American Music Confer-
ence, and the interest which has been
aroused in various teachers' colleges
throughout the country is helping to no
small degree in solving this problem.
It is estimated that during the time these
workshops have been promoted at least
1500 teachers are now prepared to con-
duct classes.
At the summer session of the North-
ern State Teachers' College in Aberdeen.
S. D., a community of 12,000 inhabi-
tants, 17 students enrolled in the class
pedagogy workshop which was con-
ducted by Miss Maurene Carpenter, who
is director of class piano instruction in
the public schools of that city. It was
on Monday, July 10th, that Miss Car-
penter demonstrated the new class teach-
ing methods in the piano workshop
which continued for four days before a
very large and enthusiastic audience.
Miss Grace McArthur, head of the
division of fine arts at the Northern
State Teachers College, acted as chair-
man of the clinic and workshop for the
piano teachers, which consisted of 20
hours of work, 4 hours each day. Half
the time was given to discussion and the
other half to actual class demonstrations
with children, Miss Carpenter showing
the guests exactly how the class work
is carried out. There were also several
private conferences after the general
meeting.
The success of the piano workshop in
this instance is manifested in a letter
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 1950
which was received by William A. Mills,
executive secretary of the American
Music Conference, from Miss Carpenter,
who stated: "You asked that I give you
a little follow-up of our workshop. I
have heard from a number of the teach-
ers who are beginning classes in their
studios, and a few who are contacting
school administrations regarding school
classes. Just now I had a call from one
of our nearby towns where a teacher
was asking to use my name for adver-
tisement in a local paper. We had a
grand time and I had lots of fun at the
workshop and, in fact, I wish I could
do more of them and less actual year
round teaching. I am enclosing a copy of
a letter form one of the outstanding
teachers in our state, which I am most
happy to receive."
Piano Class Progress
The letter referred to was one from
Mrs. Leroy E. Blanchard of Miller. S. D.,
who states her experience in commenc-
ing her paino classes as follows:
"Saturday I taught my first piano
classes. They began at 1:45 and ended
at 6:00. There were thirty pupils and
five classes. This was quite different from
my previous Saturday lessons which took
my entire day from 10:00 in the morn-
ing until 9:00 that evening.
"I used the Frost Beginner's Book for
the beginners' class, and for the other
classes I used Victor Herbert and other
Ada Richter books, Bernard Wagness
and Ella Ketterer books. Also some Cen-
tury sheet music.
"The children are all as enthused over
their next lesson as they ever were
when looking forward to a recital. One
little girl insisted that her parents post-
pone their trip to the hills one. day so
she wouldn't have to miss her next class
lesson. I felt that the greatest obstacle
to the class lessons was the long distance
so many of them had to travel, especially
during harvest, but the mothers drove
and are planning ways to help one an-
other get in every Saturday. Several
mothers visited the classes. I am en-
closing the letter which I sent to all
parents.
Letter to Parents
In promoting this work, Mrs. Blanch-
ard sent the following letter to ihe
parents in her town, in which she
pointed out:
"Tn July of this year Northern State
Teachers College department of music
offered a special five day workshop in
class ipiano instruction with Miss Mau-
rene Carpenter as special instructor.
Miss Carpenter has taught successfully
by class method in the Aberdeen Public
Schools for a period of twenty years.
She is a.specialist in class piano instruc-
tion who is nationally known as well as
locally. She has a practical working
knowledge of all the accepted classroom
methods and materials. She has had
classes under practically all the leading
authorities on teaching piano to chil-
dren. I was especially fortunate to have
been able to attend this piano workshop.
Miss Carpenter is chairman of the piano
class committee of South Dakota.
"The purpose of the workshop was to
give an understanding of modern tech-
nique for teaching piano and to pre-
pare teachers for using the class pro-
cedures. It was designed as a refresher
course for private and studio teachers,
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