We Need To Return Music Education To Our Public Schools
Unfortunately, many of our public schools have long banished music education from what they offer students, as well art programs. These things are considered non-essential. This attitude is absolutely wrong. Yes, basics such as reading, writing, math and science are necessary, but arts education has been proven to be extremely beneficial to young people.
When I was growing up on Long Island in the 60s, the public schools I attended had active music programs, K-12. I learned to play the French horn in elementary school, and continued to play it well into adulthood. We had bands, orchestras, choruses, and even a music theory course I took in High school which helped prepare me for further musical studies. There were even all school district orchestras and bands for talented students, and I was a participant.
Going over the help wanted ads in the New York times, I still see that some schools in the area still have active music programs. But many schools around the country do not. It has been shown that young people who take up musical instruments in school are far less likely to drop out and gravitate toward drugs and anti-social behavior. Their mental development is enhanced and their academic performance improves. Those who are really talented may go to conservatories and become successful musicians.
My schools also had required courses introducing students to classical music. Yes, some of the kids in junior high were apathetic or even hostile about this, but there is always the chance that some students migh be led to enjoy it. In these classes, I had already begun to be a fan of classical music, and I had started to listen to it regularly. But I was not a typical student. I discovered LPs of it in my public library , which had an extensive collection of classical LPs, and later Cds. I got hooked for life on classical music. The other kids in school though I was weird, but it didn't bother me. When there was a discussion of music in a high school English class, and I announced that I was an opera fan, the teacher looked at me as though I were from Mars ! It might be a better idea to start classes introducing students to classical music in grades 10- 12, when the kids may be more intellectually mature.
Let's face it; music and the arts are not irrelevant to education today; they should be an integral part of young people's preparation for as productive life.