VOCAL MUSIC M THE FAMILY AND SCHOOL. 35 



pursued in the method indicated, confers advantages, which even 

 the unmusical readily recognize. 



After reaching a certain point, ability to sing means ability to 

 earn. The church-choir and the concert-room bear witness to this 

 and also that pecuniary results, ascending to large amounts, can be 

 thus earned, with delight in the work, with spotless reputation and 

 without seriously interfering with still other business pursuits. 



We all know that hardly any better passport in society can be fur- 

 nished to those, not personally objectionable, than an established 

 reputation for musical ability, if combined with due modesty and 

 tact in the use of this great power to please. 



The reasons already given for the cultivation of vocal music in the 

 family-circle lose none of their force in this connection. Why, then 

 if all this is so, have not our schools more generally made this study 

 a prominent feature in the course of instruction ? Simply because 

 so far as they have taken it up, they have usually made it an imita- 

 tive study, mere parrot-work. Thus pursued it is worthy of no 

 greater attention, because none of the results described can follow. 



So generally, by reason of this erroneous method of instruction, 

 has the public mind become imbued with the belief that the study 

 of music in our schools is valueless, that it is now no easy task to 

 procure its sanction to the introduction of a correct mode of instruc- 

 tion. 



Still, as with manual training, the advocates of this study are 

 making themselves heard. The public schools in New England, 

 especially in Boston and New Haven, are doing admirable work in 

 this deparment. A visit to them, under proper guidance, will richly 

 repay the friends of music and do much toward converting the skep- 

 tical. 



In New York City, unfortunately, little in the true direction is, as 

 yet, being done, outside of Public School No. 69, in 54th St., where 

 Mr. A. T. Schauffler, Vice-Principal, and musical instructor, is illus- 

 trating most lucidly and effectively, the truth of the statements above 

 made. 



Mr. Frank Damrosch is, at this very time, delivering an interest- 

 ing course of lectures in New York City, describing, by means of 

 quite a large body of school children, the true method of class in- 

 struction in vocal music. 



