CHRISTCHURCH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION LIBRARY A HISTORY OF MUSIC EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND STATE PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 1878-1989 A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Canterbury by Susan P. Braatvedt B.A. (Natal), Dip.Arts (Auckland), B.A.Rons (Canterbury) VOLUME II University of Canterbury 2002 Chapter Five 1950-1968 266 The growth ofschool music Chapter Five 1950 -1968 The growth of school music "music is fmnly established as an integral part of the school curriculum."l 5.1 Introduction This 18-year period was dominated by the National Party except for one term when Labour was voted back into office from 1958? When the National Party took office in December 1949, they inherited an educational system in which school music had not been particularly well served. Robert Chapman comments: The underlying changes in the golden 1960s were social rather than political, technological rather than legislative, individual rather than public ....The tertiary education boom, television, and the contraceptive pill were transforming family and personal relationships as well as the method by which politics were perceived. Government expenditure underwrote the surging development of health and education ... 3 In chapter one section 1.2 it was pointed out that the influence of English music education endured for many years. It is in this period that we begin to see a development of a more innovative approach which was more eclectic in its character. 1 AE. Campbell, Director-General of Education, AJHR. E-1, 1966, p.17. 2 R Chapman, 'From Labour to National,' The Oxford History ofNew Zealand, W.H. Oliver & B.R Williams (eds), Oxford University Press, Auckland. First published 1981, reprinted 1984. Reprinted with corrections 1987, pp.333-J68). 3 R Chapman, 'From Labour to National,' The Oxford History ofNew Zealand, pp.365-366. Chapter Five 1950-1968 267 The growth ofschool music 5.2 The perception of school music This chapter will examine the role played by the Department of Education to determine why effective school music programmes continued to rely on individual teachers. The Department promoted music education in a number of different ways. The most significant actions were the appointments of a National Adviser of School Music, W.H. Walden Mills in 1958 and a team of music advisers who provided support for teachers. There were numerous in-service courses, assistance from the music advisers and informative broadcast programmes, nevertheless school music was still viewed as a peripheral subject. Several inspectors claimed that many schools had an unsatisfactory music programme due to the paucity of specialist teachers. An Invercargill inspector remarked: "In comparison with other subjects in which specialist assistance is available, progress in music tends to lag behind because of the lack of specially trained advisers.,,4 In Hawke's Bay the inspector believed that specialist teachers "would be of considerable value in developing a love and appreciation of music and in increasing the skill of those responsible for instruction in our classrooms,',5 while an Auckland inspector asserted that "many teachers would profit from the assistance or guidance of the services of music specialists. ,,6 Specialist music teachers were a rarity in the early 1950s since third year trainees had been restricted to a limited choice of specialist subjects from 1948, with music no longer offered at this level. In the same year this action was taken a Consultative Committee on the recruitment, education and training of teachers was set up by the Minister of Education. Their report, published in 1951, recommended that the third-year music programme be resumed "as soon as practicable. ,,7 4 Invercargill inspector's report 1952, p.6. From E2 1952/6a, 12/15/6 pt 4, NA, Wellington. 5 Hawke's Bay inspector's report 1949-1950, p.7. From E2 1952/6a, 12/15/6 pt 4. NA, Wellington. 6 Auckland inspector's report, 1952, p.l2. From E2 1952/6a, 12/15/6 pt 4. NA, Wellington. 7 Report of the Consultative Committee, Recruitment, Education and Training of Teachers, Department of Education, Wellington, 1951, p.92. Chapter Five 1950-1968 268 The growth ofschool music The cessation of the third year music programme was also a cause of concern for the delegates at a Conference of Dominion Music Teachers in 1950. A unanimous resolution was conveyed in a letter to the Director of Education, from the Registrar of the Music Teachers' Registration Board of New Zealand: That the Government be requested to appoint a Director of School Music, and to accelerate the provision of music specialists for all Primary and Secondary Schools. To this end reinstatement of third year trainees in music is desirable. 8 The letter stated that several schools in different districts had "no music specialists of any kind," while a reference was also made to the "excellent work done by the late Mr. Douglas Tayler," as Supervisor of School Music. Owen Jensen also believed that primary school music was held back by the fact that teachers were not appointed as music specialists: "a school is dependent, therefore, on being able to secure a general teacher with music qualifications. ,,9 The 1953 New Zealand music syllabus recognised that some teachers felt inadequate to the task of teaching music, but if the music programme was "sufficiently rich and varied," a teacher "who professes to have no ability in music will find something in which he is interested, and in which he can participate" with the children, and become a learner with them." The crucial element for a successful music programme was the teacher's interest in the subject, "whether he sings or plays or whether he does neither."l0 It was the first time that a syllabus acknowledged that the teacher's attitude was a significant factor. Following an extensive overseas tour to investigate music education in British schools, Charles Martin, one of the founders of the primary schools music festivals in Christchurch, pronounced that there existed a "healthy" standard of music in New 8 The Registrar, letter to The Music Teachers' Registration Board of New Zealand to The Director of Education, 5 June, 1950. From E2 ei44/1/2 part 2, 1953/32a, 'Music in Schools,' 1945-53. NA, Wellington. 9 O. Jensen, 'Music in the New Zealand Primary School,' Music in Education, March-April 1958, p.27. 10 Department of Education, Primary School Syllabuses: Music, Wellington, 1953, Department of Education, Wellington, p.2. Chapter Five 1950-1968 269 The growth ofschool music Zealand schools. He ascribed this to "the enthusiasm of the teachers concerned with the training of choirs and instrumental groups," which "gives a good foundation."ll While the level of interest in music undoubtedly affected a teacher's motivation in teaching the subject with any degree of success, several official reports indicated that school music in New Zealand only flourished when teachers had skills and ability. Wanganui inspectors stated: "Wherever skilled teachers of music have been placed in schools, the love of music and quality ofthe singing have advanced wonderfully,,,12 while Wellington inspectors asserted: "Music as a subject is being taught courageously in all our schools with varying degrees of success depending largely on the specialised training and enthusiasm of the individual teacher.,,13 Similarly Invercargill inspectors commented: Where teachers themselves have a real interest in music and can sing or play, this subject is well treated as an integral and most enjoyabl~ feature of the school programme. In large schools such teachers specialize to some extent. 14 While some teachers achieved success with school music, in a letter to Frank Callaway, Vernon Griffiths described the woeful state of music education in 1954: It is as hard as ever to make any impression here on the leaden mountain of complacency and indifference. The difference seems to be that they want to go ahead in Australia, while they don't want anything new in New Zealand. Take away "new" and "Zeal", and you have taken away a lot!,,15 Indeed the small number of candidates taking music for school certificate in the early 1950s in comparison to other subjects was possibly a reflection ofthe "woeful state of music education" described by Griffiths. Had music been fostered in primary and II C.L. Martin, National Education, 2 July, 1956, p.223. 12 Wanganui inspector's report, 1955, p.2. From E2 12/15/6 part 5, 1955/3a, 'Inspectors' Reports,' 1953- 55. NA, Wellington. 13 Nelson inspector's report, 1955, p.6. From E2 12/15/6 part 5, 1955/3a, 'Inspectors' Reports,' 1953-55. NA, Wellington. 14 Invercargill inspector's report 1955, p.5. From E2 12/15/6 part 5, 1955/3a, 'Inspectors' Reports,' 1953-55. NA, Wellington. 15 V. Griffiths, letter to F. Callaway, 15 November 1954. Cited in R. Hawkey, 'Vernon Griffiths (1894- 1985) His Life and Philosophy of Music Education as Demonstrated in his Collected Papers.' Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 1993, p.l33. Chapter Five 1950-1968 270 The growth ofschool music intennediate school, perhaps secondary school music would have attracted more student interest. TABLE 10 School Certificate Examination Entries in Subjects associated with the Core Syllabus 1950-195216 1950 1951 1952 English 9,430 9,692 10,570 Geography 5,694 5,869 6,397 History 5,063 5,135 5,446 Drawing and Design 972 1,034 1,093 Music 200 209 224 The Director cifEducation, c.E. Beeby, acknowledged in 1955 that school music was still the least consistently taught subject in the curriculum: Of all the school activities, music is, perhaps the one that leaves the inspectors of schools and other observers least satisfied.