Presto
Issue: 1925 2045 - Page 18
16
October 3, 1925.
PRESTO
WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THE MUSIC BUSINESS?
(Continued from Page 4.)
doesn't take it home with him. Music fails to func- best be done through the various social and profes-
tion in his daily life. It has no joyful part in his sional organizations.
leisure hours. That can only be when he learns, at
How to Interest the Children.
school, to play some instrument that will give pleas-
It
would
be futile to urge parents to demand public
ure to him and to his family at home. School music music instruction
if the children have no desire for
needs to become more practical, more specific as it.. The urge must
come from the children; the
well as more general.
parents must make the requisition, and the schools
must meet the demand. For reasons too numerous
Schools Without Music.
mention, the educational methods of the private
A questionnaire prepared by the Educational Coun- to
have not kept pace with the progress made in
cil of the Music Supervisors National Conference and studio
other subjects in the public schoolroom. Private
sent out in 1922 from the National Bureau of Educa- music
teachers have understood music more, but chil-
tion at Washington showed that over sixty per cent dren less.
of American schools offered no music instruction
Consequently many children are indifferent to
whatever. When we consider the fact that some music
and hate to practice. Music is in disrepute in
forty per cent made no report whatever to the ques- the homes
children who have had unpleasant ex-
tionnaire, we are forced to the conclusion that these periences in of
music and this feeling has spread among
schools had nothing to report because no music was their schoolmates.
Sheet music publishers tell me
being taught. This makes the situation appear even
ninety per cent of all piano music sold is below
more serious. Fifteen million children with a chance that
grade. This means that children stop taking
to learn everything else except music! Do you second
music lessons after a year or two. Is it any wonder
still wonder what is wrong with the music business? that
music teachers dropped from third to fifth place
within the last ten years? Is it surprising that pianos
Schools Neglect Music.
idle, that piano production has fallen off? We
The American Public Schools make attendance are
need more amateur pianists because the amateur
compulsory through the elementary grades. Here makes
the market!
all the common branches are taught. In addition,
Expose Children to Music.
the vocational schools offer training for some sixty
occupations. The public normal schools and uni- The way to interest children in music is to expose
versities offer all the liberal arts and sciences—all them to genuine music instead of to artificial exer-
cises. Every child loves music that expresses his
except practical instruction in music.
moods. The answer, then, is the use of music mate-
PLAN FOR PUBLIC MUSIC INSTRUCTION.
rials and the adoption of music methods suitable to
The way to make America musical is to democra- children. The best music for children consists of the
tize music by offering courses in instrumental in- folk songs and folk dances that made their ancestors
struction in all public elementary schools, high in Europe a musical people. The best teaching meth-
schools, normal schools, colleges and universities. As ods in music must be adapted from those found most
it is today, only the well-to-do, that twenty-seven successful by the teachers of language reading.
per cent with incomes over $3,000, can afford the cost However, the children must know music before they
of private musical instruction for their children. This will come to make music. Listening lessons with
small minority spends some $300,000,000 annually for the phonograph, Music Memory Contests and song
private musical instruction as compared with $6,000,- singing have been valuable in acquainting children
000 now spent for public music education. With the with music in school. So far a general acquaintance
total cost of all public education at a little over one with music has constituted the principal part of
billion dollars annually, the amount spent on music school music work. It is not enough, because the
child can not apply these group activities in his own
is only about one half of one per cent.
life and in his home environment. To make music his
Musical Instruction Cost.
own, to express his individual self, he must learn to
The elimination of obsolete subjects and those use- play music on some instrument that appeals to him.
Socialize Music.
less to many students would easily finance the cost
of music instruction for every child in America with
The strongest appeal you can name to a child is to
musical talent. The vocational schools give their his social instinct. Therefore, school music organiza-
students practical and specific training. Since the tions such as glee clubs, bands and orchestras should
musician and music teacher ranks fifth among all the be a part of the life in every school. Music memory
learned professions, his vocation deserves recognition contests are valuable. Band and orchestra contests
from public educational institutions. The practical are a tremendous stimulus to the playing of small
value of music as a source of income should be pre- instruments. This division of the music industries
sented to boys and girls. I recently met a sixteen- more than trebled within the past ten-year period
year-old lad in Detroit who was attending high which coincides with the introduction of bands and
school and earning sixty dollars per week by playing orchestras in schools.
the bass tuba in an orchestra. Modern class methods
Solo contests in piano and other instruments would
make it possible to give children music lessons at ten stimulate the interest of the children to a marked de-
cents each while private lessons, given by the same gree. These contests should be organized on a city,
teacher, cost two dollars.
county, congressional district, state, zone and national
Demand Must Come From the Parents.
The boy talented in music now has no fair chance
alongside of the boy fitted for mechanics. The girl
QUALITY FIRST and FIRST QUALITY
is forced to study higher mathematics, but she is
denied a chance in music. The average annual cost
of instruction per pupil, in all branches, in 1920 was
$40.90; in high schools, it was $51.49. The average
annual cost, per pupil, for private instruction in music,
is greater than the cost_ of public instruction in all
the other branches combined.
When every parent clearly understands that his
children have the same right to public instruction in
music that now is given in all other subjects, they
will bring pressure to bear upon schools that music
be recognized on an equal basis with all other sub-
jects. Parents must be educated to demand equal
opportunities in music for their children. This can
Grand and
Reproducing
Grand Pianos
are the last word In
musical perfection.
Lester Piano Co.
1806 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will newr do anything butter
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHFJW BKANdk 780 ftuuUw BU*. ATLANTA. GA
JESSE FRENCH & SONS
E. Leins Piano Co.
Makers of Pianos and
Player Pianos That Are
Established L e a d e r s .
Correspondence from Reliable
Dealers Invited
Factory and Offices, 304 W. 42nd St.
NEW YORK
A
GOOD
PIANO
FOR
YOU!
JESSE FRENCH
& SONS
New Castle, Indiana
Newman Bros.
Grands and Uprights
Guarantee
Quality, Profit and
Satisfaction
Newman Bros. Co.
816 Dix St.
'A name well known since 1875"
Est. 1879
CHICAGO
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
October 3, 1925.
PRESTO
WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THE MUSIC BUSINESS?
(Continued from Page 4.)
doesn't take it home with him. Music fails to func- best be done through the various social and profes-
tion in his daily life. It has no joyful part in his sional organizations.
leisure hours. That can only be when he learns, at
How to Interest the Children.
school, to play some instrument that will give pleas-
It
would
be futile to urge parents to demand public
ure to him and to his family at home. School music music instruction
if the children have no desire for
needs to become more practical, more specific as it.. The urge must
come from the children; the
well as more general.
parents must make the requisition, and the schools
must meet the demand. For reasons too numerous
Schools Without Music.
mention, the educational methods of the private
A questionnaire prepared by the Educational Coun- to
have not kept pace with the progress made in
cil of the Music Supervisors National Conference and studio
other subjects in the public schoolroom. Private
sent out in 1922 from the National Bureau of Educa- music
teachers have understood music more, but chil-
tion at Washington showed that over sixty per cent dren less.
of American schools offered no music instruction
Consequently many children are indifferent to
whatever. When we consider the fact that some music
and hate to practice. Music is in disrepute in
forty per cent made no report whatever to the ques- the homes
children who have had unpleasant ex-
tionnaire, we are forced to the conclusion that these periences in of
music and this feeling has spread among
schools had nothing to report because no music was their schoolmates.
Sheet music publishers tell me
being taught. This makes the situation appear even
ninety per cent of all piano music sold is below
more serious. Fifteen million children with a chance that
grade. This means that children stop taking
to learn everything else except music! Do you second
music lessons after a year or two. Is it any wonder
still wonder what is wrong with the music business? that
music teachers dropped from third to fifth place
within the last ten years? Is it surprising that pianos
Schools Neglect Music.
idle, that piano production has fallen off? We
The American Public Schools make attendance are
need more amateur pianists because the amateur
compulsory through the elementary grades. Here makes
the market!
all the common branches are taught. In addition,
Expose Children to Music.
the vocational schools offer training for some sixty
occupations. The public normal schools and uni- The way to interest children in music is to expose
versities offer all the liberal arts and sciences—all them to genuine music instead of to artificial exer-
cises. Every child loves music that expresses his
except practical instruction in music.
moods. The answer, then, is the use of music mate-
PLAN FOR PUBLIC MUSIC INSTRUCTION.
rials and the adoption of music methods suitable to
The way to make America musical is to democra- children. The best music for children consists of the
tize music by offering courses in instrumental in- folk songs and folk dances that made their ancestors
struction in all public elementary schools, high in Europe a musical people. The best teaching meth-
schools, normal schools, colleges and universities. As ods in music must be adapted from those found most
it is today, only the well-to-do, that twenty-seven successful by the teachers of language reading.
per cent with incomes over $3,000, can afford the cost However, the children must know music before they
of private musical instruction for their children. This will come to make music. Listening lessons with
small minority spends some $300,000,000 annually for the phonograph, Music Memory Contests and song
private musical instruction as compared with $6,000,- singing have been valuable in acquainting children
000 now spent for public music education. With the with music in school. So far a general acquaintance
total cost of all public education at a little over one with music has constituted the principal part of
billion dollars annually, the amount spent on music school music work. It is not enough, because the
child can not apply these group activities in his own
is only about one half of one per cent.
life and in his home environment. To make music his
Musical Instruction Cost.
own, to express his individual self, he must learn to
The elimination of obsolete subjects and those use- play music on some instrument that appeals to him.
Socialize Music.
less to many students would easily finance the cost
of music instruction for every child in America with
The strongest appeal you can name to a child is to
musical talent. The vocational schools give their his social instinct. Therefore, school music organiza-
students practical and specific training. Since the tions such as glee clubs, bands and orchestras should
musician and music teacher ranks fifth among all the be a part of the life in every school. Music memory
learned professions, his vocation deserves recognition contests are valuable. Band and orchestra contests
from public educational institutions. The practical are a tremendous stimulus to the playing of small
value of music as a source of income should be pre- instruments. This division of the music industries
sented to boys and girls. I recently met a sixteen- more than trebled within the past ten-year period
year-old lad in Detroit who was attending high which coincides with the introduction of bands and
school and earning sixty dollars per week by playing orchestras in schools.
the bass tuba in an orchestra. Modern class methods
Solo contests in piano and other instruments would
make it possible to give children music lessons at ten stimulate the interest of the children to a marked de-
cents each while private lessons, given by the same gree. These contests should be organized on a city,
teacher, cost two dollars.
county, congressional district, state, zone and national
Demand Must Come From the Parents.
The boy talented in music now has no fair chance
alongside of the boy fitted for mechanics. The girl
QUALITY FIRST and FIRST QUALITY
is forced to study higher mathematics, but she is
denied a chance in music. The average annual cost
of instruction per pupil, in all branches, in 1920 was
$40.90; in high schools, it was $51.49. The average
annual cost, per pupil, for private instruction in music,
is greater than the cost_ of public instruction in all
the other branches combined.
When every parent clearly understands that his
children have the same right to public instruction in
music that now is given in all other subjects, they
will bring pressure to bear upon schools that music
be recognized on an equal basis with all other sub-
jects. Parents must be educated to demand equal
opportunities in music for their children. This can
Grand and
Reproducing
Grand Pianos
are the last word In
musical perfection.
Lester Piano Co.
1806 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will newr do anything butter
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHFJW BKANdk 780 ftuuUw BU*. ATLANTA. GA
JESSE FRENCH & SONS
E. Leins Piano Co.
Makers of Pianos and
Player Pianos That Are
Established L e a d e r s .
Correspondence from Reliable
Dealers Invited
Factory and Offices, 304 W. 42nd St.
NEW YORK
A
GOOD
PIANO
FOR
YOU!
JESSE FRENCH
& SONS
New Castle, Indiana
Newman Bros.
Grands and Uprights
Guarantee
Quality, Profit and
Satisfaction
Newman Bros. Co.
816 Dix St.
'A name well known since 1875"
Est. 1879
CHICAGO
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).