Musical Justification

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Originally Posted by BigBear

Neg, 6-12 grades, instrumental/vocal. I had several cool ideas (I thought) such as sound engineering or creating an "electronic band" (Since we just dumped x millions into macbooks and ipads) and etc.

SAnd, I understand your point brother, no offense taken. I just hope you feel the same way about athletics as well because if you use the "athletics teach team work, discipline, etc" argument, all I can say is "so does music, check out how competitive marching and DCI is." A music program is MUCH cheaper to help fund than most atheltic programs.

Also Irv, I've been thinking. I will try to get an afterschool rock band or something going next semester to hopefully garner more attention... We shall see what transpires.

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I feel the same about any program that isn't part of tha basic stuff that will make a productive member of society.

I think the direction you are going is a good one. You will be doing a great thing if you can use music to motivate someone to stay in school or to stick with a subject than they perceive as useless.

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Originally Posted by SAnd

I feel the same about any program that isn't part of tha basic stuff that will make a productive member of society.

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If the only education people got was what they teach in public high schools, there would be a lot less members of society that we would consider "productive."


Bear, even enough public attention could save your program. Sports bring in money, but they also bring in attention. Everyone knows who the athletes are, and there is a "face" to the program. You may consider some way to gain wide spread attention through blunt force or something. For instance, if you could some how create some sort of tradition involving the band, the school would be more likely to keep them around. I know the band already plays at sporting events, but I can't think of a better way than to attach the band to sports in some way that enhances the sporting events so people start to see music and sports as package deal, like cheerleading.

Do they still have shop classes in school?

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Originally Posted by SAnd

I'm going to go contrary to the original post request.

I will state that music has helped me through the rough times in my life. It has also made the good times all that much better. I could spend many inadequate words trying to describe how and why my life has helped and enhanced my life as the original poster requested. But...

I do not see music as an essential to a basic public school curriculum. Schools should be about facts and basic skills needed to function in our society. If there is enough extra money to fund beyond the essentials then music could be offered as an extra course. The public school system is graduating students that read poorly, can't do manage their own finances, and don't understand the way our country works. I am a strongly opposed to government run schools. I can support taxpayer funding of education though. Parents should be given a voucher to let them pick a school they want. The school they pick can have music as a part of the education or not, their choice.

My apologies to BigBear but I would prefer my tax money not to be directly spent on music.

I do realize how much music is in my life. They tried to ruin it by teaching me to "understand the language".

I believe that some of the best poetry can be found in the lyrics of songs.

I read this about 45 years ago when I was in high school. I copied it out of a Readers Digest.
One time a young man whose musical sense was limited to three years of intensive study at the Boston Conservatory, complained to the band master about the singing of the best stone mason in town. "He sings off key, the wrong notes and everything" the young man protested, "and that horrible voice, he bellows and hits notes no one else does--it's awful!"
"Watch him closely and reverently," the bandmaster told the student. "Don't pay to much attention to the sounds, for if you do you may miss the music. You don't get the wild ride to heaven on pretty sounds alone". composer Charles Ives telling about his father.

That's what music is to me, a "Wild Ride to Heaven"

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It's also been proven that poor reading skills often leads to poor spelling and English skills in general... I take it you're a product of public school? [Coffee]






I joke, I kid, I poke... I mean nothing seriously.

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Originally Posted by Fmedges

Do they still have shop classes in school?

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Only in some districts. Windsor still does. They still have music too. A very, very well funded music program.

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Originally Posted by Irving

....Sports bring in money, but they also bring in attention. ....

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I often see that statement. Sports actually cost a district quite a bit. Most programs would be under water if it wasn't for fed money, booster programs, donations, etc. ESPECIALLY the small/rural areas that do not have a sports "name". However, I still understand your point. You are correct. They do bring in a lot of attention.

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Originally Posted by Fmedges

Do they still have shop classes in school?

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They have a shop class at my school, it's geared more toward trades though. They do a quarter each of carpentry, metalworking, electrician, and automotive.

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Originally Posted by jmg8550

...A very, very well funded music program.

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I had to read that twice. HAHA. Must be nice, I'm working in the wrong district. lol.

I strongly in favor of all extra curricular activities in schools whether it be art, music, drama, athletics, etc. A kid being involved in these activities creates well rounded individuals that can eventually become great assets to society. I think the gradual removal of these programs from schools is one of the problems, not the solution. All these activities teach kids way more than the main topic, they require team work, dedication, social interaction, etc.

I think one of the main problems with schools similar to the problems with our government, too much administration and bureaucracy.

I would argue that schools (public or private) should focus on the following things IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

1. The "Three R's".
2. History (in particular Constitutional studies).
3. The Hard Sciences (chemistry, physics, etc).
4. The Soft Sciences (psychology, sociology, economics, etc).
5. The arts (music, literature, visual arts, etc).
6. "Life Skills" (cooking, maintaining cars, balancing checkbook, changing diapers, etc).
7. Physical fitness.
8. Organized athletics.

If you're going to start cutting programs because you don't have the funds to teach all of them, you start at the bottom and work your way up, but not before you cut administrative overhead and facilities maintenance/management.

How many musicians have you ever seen with blown-out knees, concussions, and bodies that just don't work right anymore, vs. athletes? Sure, some athletes become mega-millionaires, most just become worn-out and broke. Same with musicians. But who do you think has more FUN in their lifetime? Who do you think contributes more to society over their lifetime? I know I wish I'd learned guitar when I was a kid, I'm 56 and STILL wanting to learn it. I have two, but can't play a lick.

Two things we humans take for granted but would be lost without, are music and photography. Think about it, you're always hearing a musical tune of some kind from somewhere, and damn near everywhere you look, you see an image of some kind that someone made with a camera of some kind.

Oh, and FZ says Thanks for all his quotes!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...a/PICT0044.jpg

Rondog, even better: did you know that there a ton of "professional athletes" that attribute some of their success to music education and are decent musicians themselves? It's true. I can find the numbers if needed.

This wasn't meant to turn into a bashing such and such group because this other such and such group is better thread.

I was just venting. Had another meeting this morning... talk about knuckle draggin'.... whew. I will survive.

Peace.