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Music for Today and Tomorrow

1943; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 30; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3386431

1945-0087

Ruth Jenkin,

Diverse Music Education Insights

W HEN I WAS IN COLLEGE doing undergraduate work, my professor in political science was busy telling us why there was certain to be another war. It always puzzled me somewhat that while she seemed to know all about it, most other people flatly repudiated such a pessimistic point of view. As she was correctly analyzing the situation, we students were making firm resolution that no matter what happened, we would not be involved in the next slaughter. We were warned that it would take courage to remain pacifistic, but we believed that the young men and women who were really strong could brave all scorn and direct the destiny of our country in paths of peace. Aiding and abetting this philosophy were sessions in chapel where we listened to men who did all they could to instill us with this trend of thought. Well do I remember the day my history teacher said quietly, There are some things worth dying for. And then he went on to say that with all the talk of peace, all the United States would need to get an army was just to send a drum and bugle corps across the campuses of our universities and the boys and girls would follow. From that statement I began to think about music as a sort of Pied Piper, and I have wondered if we realize what a valuable or dangerous instrument of propaganda it can be. The same horn that can set silver slippers dancing on shining mirrored floors can set broad-soled shoes marching toward barren cold lands or the hot wastes of the desert, into the risk of a thousand deaths. A merry whistle will cheer the small boy as he walks lonely through the mist after going to a mystery movie; it will also lighten the heart of his father, who works all day long doing a tedious job which is essential to keep 'em flying. Too often in school we tear down music to a mere skill to be by excellence of performance. Children have traveled all over the country to be judged at large festivals, and have gone home hardly speaking to anyone because they were highly superior. Schoolmusic jobs have been won because of the ability of a group of high-school boys and girls to intone Russian liturgy about which they knew nothing and over which they have had to work very long. Men have suffered while their young offspring have performed in recital. The father whose child was among the first ten on the program has always considered himself lucky-he could stay just long enough to hear Junior and then hurry away in a business-like manner as though he were going to an important board meeting. Out of our abuses of music have grown those horrible programs where middle-aged women with old voices and Helen Hokinson figures sing endless songs and their loyal friends clap loudly and then ask them to sing on the next program. But music is so much more than this, and we should not be afraid to face the matter frankly and boldly. No man has a chance against candlelight, a woman in a pink dress, and a sweet song. It would be interesting to know how many suicides have been prevented by the singing of a hymn. Men march courageously with a brilliant band, and we on the home front can greatly enrich the lives of our community by giving careful thought to the type of music we shall offer our school children and through them give to the people we serve.