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THE RICHMOND PAIXADIU3I AND SUN TELEGRA3I, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1911. RICHMOND SCHOOLS ROTABLE EXAMPLES As Community Art and Mu sic Centers, writes Prof. J. F. Bobbitt. Richmond it cited as an example or a city where the public schools are the community center of art and ma nic, in an article appearing in the Kle mentary School Teacher, written by John Franklin Bobbin, of the Univer Hlty of Chicago, prof. Uobbitt's arti cle follows: It is probable that the reason tor tliis neglect in large measure lies in the presence of a number of obstacles of a Hcrious sort. Professional music is expensive as compared with other forms of heulthy activity that can be introduced; and the musical traditions of the coinmunty are usually bo little developed that a permanent, reliable, amateur orchestra can scarcely be de veloped to the proper extent, or held toother if once developed. Such tra in are matters of long and slow Hut fortunately when once lied within a community, they difficult to eradicate as they (o ' ;ite. of . (;oKsible in the um .t school a.-t musical cen ter for the community is afforded by the city of Richmond, Indiana. This is a small manufacturing city of less than twenty-five thousand inhabitants, not greatly different from scores of other cities of similar size scattered throughout the Middle West. The city is fortunate In having had a rather slower and more substantial growth than most cities of its size, and in the possession of a number of public spirited men and women of literary, musical, and artistic tastes and ability. Ita school system is not greatly dif ferent from the usual type. It con sists of a number of ward-school buildings containing the elementary grades from the first to the sixth. Thli is followed by the junior high school, as it is railed, centrally locat ed, containing all of the seventh and eighth grade pupils of the city. At the head of the system is the usual high school. This is housed in a new. mod ern, fireproof building, located within two blocka of the heart of the city. In the choice of a site for the new high school, consideration was given to the fact that it was to be the chief social center of the community. For this purpose it is provided with an audi torium capable of seating almost a thousand people, and provision has been made for enlarging this auditor ium by the removal of partitions when ever the growing need demands it. The auditorium is placed on the first floor at the front of the building, mak ing It easy of access from the street. It is freely open to the public for all sorts of purposes except those of a commercial or partisan nature. This auditorium is the musical cen ter of the city. It is the meeting place of four musical bodies: 1( The Peo ple's Symphony orchestra, which meets in this auditorium for lour hours' rehearsal and public concert ev ery Sunday afternoon from October until May. CM The People's Chorus, consisting of some two hundred and fifty voices, which meets regularly one evening per week through the year; (3) The High School chorus; (4) The High School orchestra, which furnish es the music for the school assembly meetings and for other school gather ings. The Symphony orchestra is a local organization of sixty-five members con taining all the instruments of the us ual, well developed symphony orches tra. Thirty five of its members are al ho members of the High School orches tra, or are recent graduates of the high school. This orchestra of sixty tlve Is a considerably larger body of players than Theodore Thomas had when he made his name famous in the seventies and eighties. Yet they are young men and women native to the place and educated in its schools. They furnish the city in a voluntary Momiey Fot QMsflmmais You Can Get Any Amount from $10 up on Your Household Goods, Piano, Team, etc. Come to us and we will advance you Satisfied Customers and an Ever Increasing Business WE GIVE YOU Open Evenings Until Xmas THE LOWEST RATES Phone 2560 PRIVATE way with a quality of music that is not usually found outside of our larg est cities where it is usually so commercialized as to be inaccessible to those most in need of development along lines of artistic appreciation. The larger city orchestra grew out of the high school orchestra which still continues to be its nucleus, and the leader of which has geen the guid ing spirit of all the community musi cal movement. The High School or chestra consists of fifty-four members two violas, two cellos, two basses, five flutes, two oboes, five clarinets, two bassoons, eight cornets, two horns, one trombone, one timpano, one drum, one piano. Most of the instruments are owned by the students, but a number of the most, expensive instruments that are of little use except as parts of the or chestra have been purchased for the school by the community. The initia tive was taken by the Commercial club of the city which has been very generous in the support of the move ment. Other instruments have been furnished by the board of education. This board has been more than usual ly generous, not only in supplying in struments but also in supplying a teacher qualified to direct and lead in the musical work not only of the schools but also of the larger communi ty. The director of the music, is for example, the most highly paid teacher in the city, his salary being in fact only a little less than that of the city superintendent of schools. Thus, mu sic in the higli school receives as much care as mathematics or science or literature and is credited toward graduation in the same way. The High School orchestra was or ganized some twelve years ago. For eight years the high school has been turning graduates out into the com munity who are trained in skilful exe cution and in musical appreciation. In this way the school lias been de veloping musical traditions in all ranks of the community. The feeder for the high school body of players is the junior high school orchestra consisting of seventh and eighth grade students. This is the place where they try them out for the first time and gather together all of the players of promise, both boys and girls. By the time they reach the high school they have "found them selves" on some instrument and have already had two years' training in co operative instrumental exercise. The instrumentation, of the junior high school orchestra of last year shows Vthe nature of its work: Four first, violins, four 2d violins, one bass, one flute, two clarinets, one trombone, two cornets, one horn, two drums, one piano. With this preliminary two years of training in the junior organization, the fifty four orchestral members of the high school when they graduate go out into the community having had some six years of systematic, instru mental training. They have reached such a stage of proficiency and appre ciation that they naturally feel a de sire for continuing their activities af ter they have left the high school, and have entered upon their vocation. And thus the voluntary adult Symphony orchestra is the logical result of the work of the schools. Besides the instrumental work of the high school offers four years of vo cal music for which credit, is given toward graduation. There is a two year course in harmony, two years in critical study of music, and chorus practice of an indefinite amount through tlie four years of the high school. Mr. Karhart, the musical di rector, in speaking of these courses, says: "The 'critical study' classes THE CHESAPEAKE & OHIO RAILWAY OF INDIANA LEAVING TIME OF TRAINS AT RICHMOND, IND. Effective Nov. 12; Subject to Change Without Notice 7:13 p. m. DAILY, Limited for Cincinnati, Washington, Baltmore, Phil adelphia, New York, Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia, and North Carolina points. 8:45 a. m. DAILY, Local for Cincinnati, connecting with F. F. V. Limited for the East. 4:15 p. m. DAILY, Local for Cincinnati. 12:00 Noon DAILY Limited for Chicago and West. 10:40 a. m. DAILY, Local for Chicago. 8:10 p. m. DAILY, Local for Chicago. Sleeping, Observation-Parlor, and Dining Cars on Limited Trains. Sleeping Cars on Night Trains. MONEY TO ENABLE YOU TO GET YOUR FULL LIST OF GIFTS. FOR THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND THE TREE THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO THE LITTLE FOLKS. FOR THE CHRISTMAS TURKEY. TO MEET THE HUNDRED NEEDS AND EMERG ENCIES SURE TO ARISE. STATE LOAN CO. Room 40 Colonial Bldg. Take Elevator to Third Floor. have for ten years past been turning into the citizenship of the town a body of young people who are more than usually informed on such facts as musical history, biography, form and aesthetics as contribute to a sympa thetic and discriminating understand ing of music. These young peole have also learned to sing and to read not only the notes but the quality, mood, or meaning back of the notes. I be gin to notice in consequence greater intelligence, quicker grasp, and great er love for the work on the part of the chorus singers. The addition of chor us singing to the curriculum and the greater number of hours given to the critical study work in the high school will hasten our progress in this direc tion. And I should not omit mention of the harmony classes. Many of out best chorus singers and orchestral players owe a large part of their super ior efficiency to the thorough musical understanding that two years work on harmony has give nthem. The development in Richmond shows what is possible in any city. It also shows the need of slow, substan tial growth, and that these things will not grow of themselves. One sees that in the wider use of the school plant where music is subsidary only or omitted, this is because it is a form of activity not to be developed in a day or a year. The schools must turn out a communty of individuals who are filled with the necessary tradi tions and appreciation, and who are trained in the .confident, skillful exe cution that can come only with years of steady, systematic training. This is not to be done without a teacher who is willing to work for years till his end is reached, irrespective of the hours consumed by his daily labors; one who is well paid but who does not measure his work by his pay. The teaching must be with the spirit not of the pedagogue but of the artist. And in the undeveloped stage of musi cal traditions in our country, such teachers are rare. , Such a development is needed for the civic, social centers everywhere. Nothing less will ever be avle to off set the attractions of the saloon, the beer-garden, the dance-hall, the low class music-halls so-called, and other debasing social agencies, all of which use music of some sort as one of the chief sources of attraction. City lib raries attract relatively few; public lecture courses reach only certain lim ited classes. One visits the civic fa cilities furnished by the small parks system of Chicago, which, by the way, is probably the best of its kind in the world, with distinct feelings of disap pointment. The facilities for healthy recreation of many sorts are furnished by these parks and yet the adults of the type that most need them are not there. It is to be noticed, however, that when music is employed as the attractive influence, the park facili ties are found inadequate for the de mands. "What our peopie need," a musician recently said to me, "is to hear mucis, and to hear music. They much hear it regularly for months and years in order to develop a proper appreciation of proper music. It does not greatly matter what kind they hear in the beginning or what kind they demand. Experience has shown that where peo- Asthma ! Asthma! POPHAM'S ASTHMA REMEDY gives instant relief and an absolute cure in all cases of Asthma, Bronchitis, and Hay Fever. Sold by druggists ; mail on receipt of price fi.oo. TrVil Package by mail 10 cents. WILLIAMS MFC. CO.. Prop... Cleveland. OUc For sale bv T. F. McDonnell. Are Ample Proof That THE BEST SERVICE THE EASIEST TERMS Rich mond, hid. RELIABLE pie hear music regularly their tastes develop and they acquire an apprecia tion for a continually better and bet ter quality. The main thing is that they should hear it." Mr. Earhart told me that he has permitted the members of the high-school orchestra a considerable voice in the choice of compositions to be played, and that while in the beginning there were fre quent requests for compositions of the crude, popular order, at the present time the students very rarely care to experiment with anything except mu sic of the better type. And he was of the opinion that when the community has opportunities to hear all kinds of music that it will gradually come to frefer music of the better quality to that of the poorer quality; and stand ards of appreciation once developed do not deteriorate in the particular indi viduals in whom developed. Music is used as a leisure occupa tion by two classes of persons, the players or singers, and the auditors. The leaving of musical education in our country almost wholly to private initiative has resulted in the musical education of such a relatively small proportion of the population that all or most of the well-trained individuals have been drawn off into professional music; and this has left the communi ty without musical leadership. But the experience of Richmond, in giving in her schools a completer form of mu sical education than most of our cities, has shown the possibility of develop ing large and stable, amateur, musi cal organizations of a superior type. And where such individuals exist in so great numbers one can conceive of no leisure occupation that could be more attractive to them than the exer cises and personal associations with in sqch voluntary organizations, fur nishing the community at the same time with a superior kind of music as a by-product. In the present agita tion for physical education, it ought also to be remembered that there are few forms of in-door, physical exer cise so beneficial as the vocal exercis es of an enthusiastic People's Chorus. This high school is not only the com munity center for music, but also for pictorial art. In the construction of the new high-school building three large rooms on the top floor were set aside as the city's art museum. Art exhibitions are frequent in the city and they are held in these art rooms. A number of valuable pictures have been contributed to the school by vari ous members of the community. The school itself has purchased a number. Public-spirited citizens, the owners of valuable pictures, have hung many of them in the art room of the high school for the sake of aiding in the development of a general apprecia tion of this form of art. For four years during their most susceptible period, the youth of the community Four More Shopping Never Before in the history of Richmond and vicinity, never again will you have a chance at this time of year. M Wdwre CItarefliiisis to buy TT Dm. co) tlh si eh dl of dollars worth from bankrupt stock to sell, consisting of Dry Goods. Notions. Hosiery. Underwear. Ladies' Ready-to-wear. (Clloailk: Don't miss this golden opportunity. The People's Store is the only place to save money on all purchases. Wishing everybody a merry Xmas. Cor. Main live under the influence of the beet are that the city is able to procure. An occasional visit to a city art mu seum is probably of little value in the development of appreciation where the influences are so tenuous and the in dividual left so passive. One must live with pictures if his spirit is to be transfused with the spirit of their art. For this reason the method of using the city school as the art museum of the city is incomparably more effect ive than the method of placing all the pictures in a separate city art museum to be only occasionally visited by the few. and by most of these to a degree wholly insufficient for the develop ment of any considerable degree of ap preciation. Richmond believes th her art should be a thing functional in the lives of her peopde and not merely a thing to be set apart and occasionally admired. So far as an art museum is for the education of artists primarily it is well for the city to possess one. But so far as the City art museum is intended for the education of the com munity in the appreciation of pictorial art, it would be far better if the pic tures and statues of the city art mu seum were scattered through the vari ous schools of the city. Especially would it be effective if they were scat tered among the high schools, since it is during the adolescent period that art has its greatest initial appeal, when the growing individual is most susceptible to its influence by its presence. Only Pure Candy at The Greek Candy Store. 18 51 'Stage Scenery. Walter Prichard Eaton, the dramatic critic, believes modern dramas are too elaborately staged. In "The Question of Scenery" in the American Maga zine he says: "After all. it wos not the Elizabeth ans who were stupid because they could enjoy the drama on a bare stage. It is we who are stupid because we cannot enjoy the drama unless the stage Is littered with 'realistic' scen ery. We have no faith In our own im aginative powers. It would be a good thing for the drama If all scenery were abolished for the next ten years. Having learned to get along without it, we would perhaps keep it in its proper place for awhile after It re turned. Its proper place is as a pic torial and suggestive background to the actors and the play and nothing but a background." ' REST AND HEALTH TO MOTHER AND CHILD. Mrs. Wixslow's Soothing Svurr has been used for over SIXTY YEAKS by MILLIONS of MQTHEKS for their CHILDREN WHIL8 TEETHING, with PERFECT SUCCESS. It SOOTHES the CHILD. SOFTENS the GUMS, ALLAYS all PAIN ; CURES WIND COLIC, and is the best remedy for D1ARRHCEA. It is al solutely harmless. Be sure and ask. for " Mrs. WinsloWs Soothing Syrup,' and take bo otbec kind. Twenty-five cents a bottle. up-to-date goods at such ridiculous low We still have Jackets. Shirt Waists. and N. 9th St Philip's Reminder. ! Philip, father of Alexander, had a j servant whose sole business It was to i remind him that he was human. It ; is said accordingly that he never went j from the house and. having returned, j never gave audience to any one with-! out first this servant would say to him j three times in a Ion voice. 'Thilip. j thou art but a man: j Awfully Agonizing. "He told me my operation would be : absolutely painless." j "And wasn't it?" "Xaw, It cost me a hundred dollars;' Houston Post. Reduced Rate. Beppnr Please, mister, a dime for a poor Mind man. Old tJentleman But yen are only blind in one eye. Beggar j All right, make it a nickel then Exchange. The price of true success is patient j toil. Never give up until you have ! tried every means to attain Tour end. ! In the New Home You want the best when starting in the new home. Above all, you want that home to be snug and warm and comfortable. You are sure of warmth and comfort with a Perfection Smokeless Oil Heater. The Perfection is the best and most reliable heater made. 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George, aud your poor father died of dyspepsia twenty years ago. A Horse on Him. King Richard III. had offered his kingdom for a horse. "Ha." exclaimed Richmond. "I'll have to go and uag him a little." Graspiug a property sword, he rush ed to the fray. Chicago Tribune. Ak vor dealer to stew ywu a Psriactioa SinokelesiOil Hester, or wm for oWriptna circular direct to any ageac of Standard Oil Company Incorporated) Christmas prices.