The Singing School

Song from The Key-Note

You are already familiar with Bradbury since he was the composer of many hymn-tunes, including "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "He Leadeth Me," "Jesus Loves Me," "The Solid Rock," "Just as I am," "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us," and many others. He lived from 1816 to 1868. This particular book was written in 1863.

The book was written for use in Singing Schools. These were very popular in the latter half of the 19th century and continued well into the 20th century. I remember attending singing schools in the winter time at the Ephrata Mennonite Church when I was but a slip of a lad. That would have been in the 1930's and early 1940's. Singing schools were usually held in the winter and generally met once a week. Quite often they ran for six weeks. During that time the students learned the rudiments of singing four-part harmony and also learned how to read music.

These schools were usually offered either in a local church or community gathering. Any of you who have learned to sing four-part harmony know the pleasure that must have been derived through these schools. When I was an elementary student in the forties, students also learned to read music in the public schools. I could hardly wait for music class when I was a boy. I loved to sing and still do. Now I look forward to attending choir rehearsals.

I think it is a shame that the emphasis on music is often cut short in public schools today because of financial considerations. Interscholastic sports seem to be generally favored over music and the arts. This doesn't make sense. How many can play football or basketball when they are sixty-eight years old? Yet, most people can sing and/or create art all their lives. Can you imagine what it would sound like today if most people in the congregation could sing four-part harmony? That's the way it was when I was young in the Mennonite Church. No accompaniment was used. Everything was sung a capella, and it was sung with gusto.

I hope the time will come again when school districts spend more money teaching the arts and the music than they spend on interscholastic sports. Such a move would really contribute significantly to the lifetime enjoyment of people. "Lift Your Glad Voices in Triumph on High----"