will always be interwoven with your explanations and your inspirations. These songs will bring back the innocent and happy state of youth, the springtime of life, so full of joy and love. Thus new energy will be given and fresh courage will bring power to attain the best in character and citizenship.

This method of vitalizing the child thru song is happily not only strengthening the right emotions which lead to right action, but also is a means of affecting the quality of the voices. We well know that the sweet child voice disappears entirely if the child back of the voice is indifferent, when carelessly singing with no thought of content of song; the body in poor position; the breath lazy; the eyes roving, the lips and jaws stiff; then the voice is apt to be harsh and nasal, or breathy.

In thinking of giving higher good to the child, that is, in developing his nobler emotions, intensified by the study of the songs and by reaching the inmost center of the child, not only the impulses for good are strengthened, the motive purified, but also you have solved the difficulty of the child voice. 'Tis true, tho wonderful, that when self consciousness is destroyed, when the weeds of the voice are pulled out, when active interest and concentration are induced, then the vocal organism adjusts itself, and all stiffness of muscles disappears, when the right feeling of the child is aroused, and is expressed, then the true flower of the child-voice blossoms. It is so pure and sweet that words cannot describe it, but it seems to touch an unseen chord in every listener's heart.

Just as the artist forgets self in the meaning of the song, and pours out the inner feeling, so the child, the true child, will, if guided rightly, give forth the sweet and true voice, the sweet and true emotion.

This method of teaching songs may be the most difficult, for it means that the teacher must be vital, must know how to reach the interest and heart of the child; but after all, it is the best, because it makes for growth on the part of the teacher, as well as the child. It means not only looking for music, for the sake of music, but also working with music for the sake of the child. When interested in the songs, the child will become interested in the composers of the different periods, just as in the study of literature, there is an interest in the life of the author.

From the interest in the songs and composers, will grow an interest in how songs are made, and the child will become creative in his effort to imitate, and he will be ready to study more advanced music. His own power in sightsinging will inspire him to work, and much experience will help him enjoy the great masters, and these will lead him to recognize the true from the false.

The individuality of the child will be brought out, and with his knowledge on hand, he will be able to achieve more thoro work in creation and appreciation. "A foundation for musical appreciation in the form of a national musical education is absolutely necessary," says Mr. Henry Labee, "if there is to be a discernment of the real merit of musical compositions."

A wish for this higher learning in music will be stimulated by intense interest

in the subject of singing. This interest will be created by the emotional element, thru study of songs and exercises, and thru the personal effort of conquering difficulties and creating bits of melodies.

There is not enough use yet of the vital song-singing and teaching; there is not enough value yet placed on the subject of music for the vitalizing of the child. You and I know that there is no other subject that can so grip the whole child. The best of the physical, mental, and spiritual nature can each be touched, vivified, and strengthened by use of the right kind of song-singing.

Self-consciousness is knocked down, and the real boy away from hardening influences, has a chance to dominate thru song. When he once gets a taste of this joy that comes from hearing and giving forth the right and beautiful music, he not only realizes there is a world of pleasure always open to him, but it gives him power, poise, and higher development because it gives him a higher love.

These interests will so vitalize the individual that no matter what path of life may be pursued, no matter what vocation may be taken up, the person will be a broader, deeper, more forceful, truer man or woman.

It seems to me that knowing such to be the case, we should consecrate ourselves anew to this great work, and feel that we are thrice blessed to be able to help on the cause of humanity in so beautiful a way. The road may be hard, sometimes; still we should be thankful that we may help others to "laugh and love and lift."

MY CREED

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;

I would be pure, for there are those who care;

I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;

I would be brave, for there is much to dare;

I would be friend of all, the foe, the friendless,

I would be giving, and forget the gift;

I would be humble, for I know my weakness;

I would look up, and laugh and love and lift.—Howard Arnold Walter.

II

MRS. FRANCES E. CLARK, SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC, MILWAUKEE, WIS. The vitalizing influence of song in the development of the child is a force that even the devotees of music do not yet half understand, nor half utilize.

In a way song is greater than poetry or music. It is the offspring of the marriage of these two divine gifts, the child of love, strong, effective, beautiful, in the degree in which this marriage be a true one, representing mutual selfsacrifice, oneness of purpose, a perfect welding together of the highest powers of the two, an inspiration on the part of each to touch the robe of divinity.

Music is greater than song in its scope and power. When it lends itself to poetry many sacrifices must be made, in song, in range, in form, in size, and

in content.

Poetry alone is never so effective as when its beauty of rhyme, of meter, of thought, and elegance of language is enhanced by the vital touch of its God

given spouse, music. Longfellow aptly said: "Lend to the rhyme of the poet the beauty of thy voice."

The love of music is almost universally innate; very few people are without a genuine love of music in lower or higher form. The village band, the circus calliope, even the hurdy-gurdy and hand organ find many hundreds of listeners.

The problem of the school-music supervisor is to take the beautiful and attractive song form of this force, and use it as a means of vitalizing the braincenter of activity, the emotion, thought, and will.

In the little child the use of language is much earlier developed than the use of melody, hence the story form of song is most attractive, but it must be a story of which he knows the meaning.

Until within very recent years, our songs for kindergarten and primary grades have been much too long, too big, too involved in thought and language, too heavy, slow, and uninteresting in melodic construction, to admit of their use as vitalizing forces to the child.

A child can be enthused in a minute or two to the bubbling stage with a little song story about a flower, a brownie, a bee, a "teddy bear," a pony, a dog, a fairy, a mother-love theme, or any theme that legitimately belongs to the realm of "maybe-so" or "once upon a time," if it is told in childlike words and bright catchy melody that sings the same story that the words are telling.

Words are such wonderful things, so fraught with meaning, so susceptible of a thousand shades of thought that illuminate the whole story. The true poet uses such words as express his meaning in most beautiful form. The meaning is often involved and to the child quite obscure. Here is the point of failure of many teachers whose classes are not vitalized; songs are sung again and again, containing words and idioms that are as Greek to the children, words that have not been reached in the language course or readers-without whose meaning the song is a mystery or empty of thought pictures.

No one who has ever sat under the teaching of that great apostle of vitalization, Tomlins, can fail to realize the value of painting a mind picture of each story word or word whose meaning is only made clear by singing thru vitalized tones. Can you ever sing the word "bell" without thinking of its marvelous ringing tone? or the mighty phrases of the text of the Messiah without hearing his wonderful interpretation of the inspired "Hallelujah"?

It is easy to paint a picture of the scene involved, to make clear the environment of the poet, the references to historical or geographical facts, which make the song alive. Who can sing "Annie Laurie" without a thought of Scotch idioms and scenes? or "Bonnie Doone," or "Flow Gently Sweet Afton" without telling of Bobbie Burns? How can one sing "The Vesper Hymn" without painting a picture of the listener, the lake, the monks, the mountain chapel, and the chant?

Yet just these things are done every day, by careless, thoughtless, or incom

petent teachers, allowing the children to float or howl along mechanically, saying words they do not understand, and whole songs whose pictures are to them like crude designs on wall paper.

The power of the song to vitalize, lies largely with the teacher, the most beautiful song falls lifeless if presented by a listless expressionless teacher. Of all travesties on vitalization, the worst is the attempt of a self-constrained, impassive, calm, expressionless teacher, standing aloof and prim, stiff as a statue of William Penn or Chief Watello, in the front of the room ten feet away from the nearest child, trying to get enthusiasm from fifty little wigglers intent on other affairs. To vitalize the child means first to vitalize the teacher. On the other hand, however, it cannot be denied that this same process of vitalizing the child thru song is often more properly hypnotizing the child thru the exaggerated efforts of the vaporous, butterfly teacher. Life and animation in giving a song are indispensable, but often I fear, that an overabundance of zeal leads many young teachers and supervisors into such an overdoing that it results in a soulless caricature of vitalization. Aimless arm-waving, à la Delsarte, facial contortions, senseless and useless dramatizations, wild markings and drawings and antics generally, are unmusical, unpedagogical, and retard the real progress of work.

As the child grows older, he learns a great vital truth, that there is no joy like that of doing or having done. No possible thrill can be so lasting as that which comes from a consciousness of having accomplished a worthy or beautiful deed. So in music, when the child has had his full quota of rote songs thruout the kindergarten and first and second grades, the rote songs alone pall somewhat, and a new and stronger interest is needed to spur the growing intellect to its best efforts.

Here then must enter the joy of doing for himself. The mastery of the elements of music, learning to use the scale tones to express his own childlike musical thoughts, becoming able to read the printed symbols, are tasks worthy of his highest efforts. In the later years this definite, accurate knowledge of the scale tones, and their endless combinations of rhythm and its various uses enhance the beauty of the songs learned.

When the child has once been really vitalized thru song, it reaches in, and in a real and intimate manner makes him alive to the beauties of music other than song. Our children hear too little of the great music, too much of the ragtime and clap-trap of the comic opera and cheap show. When once they have learned the great things from piano, violin, organ, band, pianola, or graphophone, they are much more critical and less well satisfied with the trash. A really vitalized musical child enjoys a good melodic or harmonious exercise as well as if it had words.

If they have come to really love music for music's sake, they will sit spellbound, as I have seen them do in our recent composers' programs, listening to the works of Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann. To vitalize children thru song means more, much more, than giving a few primary songs

with appropriate gestures and animated countenances. That is the foundation, but not the completed structure. There is nothing in our whole school curriculum that is so vitalizing as music in its entirety running thru the whole gamut of child song, larger song, part song, and the great masterpieces of the world's treasure of song, opera, and oratorio.

Vitalize the child thru song? Yes. Use it as one of the greatest forces of the universe to stir up his whole nature and the effect will be carried over into every other branch studied and every avenue of expression.

Realize the importance of making the songs alive with meaning.

Itemize the things really worth while, and then do them well.

Specialize in finding the shortest way of getting the results that are indispensable.

Do not jeopardize the strength of the whole by spending too much time on the frills and pretty things to the exclusion of the really good work that must be done.

Visualize the end in view, the completion of the eighth grade, when you outline the work for the kindergarten.

"Fear not being ostracized if you do not happen to follow every vagary and mirage of new things, neither be afraid to fly off, a bird set free, if something is offered better than you have known; only be honest to your own soul. "Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good.”

If your field of usefulness is undersized and your best efforts and purposes thwarted by an unappreciative populace, minimize the danger to your future, by permitting some school board to sufficiently subsidize you for a life time at a liberal allowance, with all contingent conditions to your liking.

This do and you will be a suitable candidate for the music-teachers' paradise.

FREE MUSICAL EDUCATION A NECESSITY TO THE MUSIC ART OF A REPUBLIC

FANNY EDGAR THOMAS, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MUSICAL COURIER, NEW YORK Outside of public-school music teaching there exists the so-called private school and studio field. In it musical education is in the hands of whoever wishes to hang out a shingle as music teacher. Consequently, there may be found, here a fair one, there one thoroly bad, again one something better, with once in a while a really efficient instructor-by chance-because born so.

All these people, depending for their living upon moneys derived from pupils must have those pupils at all hazards. They obtain them, largely by the methods of hucksters at the market-place-with trumpet and drum, noise and bombast, yelping their wares to attract the passer-by. "This way, come this way, I alone can teach you. All others will take your money and harm you. I am the only one. This way, this way." Naturally, the one with the strongest voice and loudest call, is the most successful-at securing pupils. As to who