How to Use Folksongs. How to Do It Series, Number 25
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 081 653 SO 006 000 AUTHOR Dufty, David; Scott, John Anthony TITLE How to Use Folksongs. How to Do It Series, Number 25. INSTITUTION National Council for the Social Studies, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 69 NOTE 8p. AVAILABLE FROMNational Council for the Social Studies, 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 ($0.25; Quantity Discounts) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Area Studies; Assembly Programs; Bibliographic Citations; Choruses; *Classroom Techniques; Clubs; Elementary Education; *Folk Culture; *Music; Secondary Education; Singing; *Social Studies; *Teaching Methods; Teaching Models; Teaching Techniques; World Geography IDENTIFIERS *Folksinging ABSTRACT The purpose of this bulletin, one of a series designed to aid the social studies teacher, is to indicate ways in which folksongs can be used in the classroom as a vivid reflection of the history and culture of the common people. An explanation is given of the value of the use of folksongs in the social studies classroom, followed by sections on general principles in using folksongs in the home, nursery school, kindergarten and elementary school, in unit teaching, in high school history courses, in world geography, and extra curricular activities such as folk music assemblies and clubs.. A guide to further study suggests activities for classes, and lists of books, records, and periodicals that may prove helpful to both teacher and student. Although this series is aimed at helping the social studies teacher, English and music instructors will also find this of use in their classes. Related documents are: SO 005 979 through SO 006 000. (OPH) ,0.4;!1'1 % t. 4. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL BYMICRO. FICHE ONLY HAS BEEN GRANTEDBY i _- TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONSOPERAT iNG UNDER AGREEMENTS WITHTHE NA TIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION U.5:, HER REPRODUCTIONOUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM' REQUIRESPERMIS SION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER DAVID DUFTY JOHN ANTHONY SCOTT of the people by reference to their songs. Songs, indeed, Introduction are often the best of all possible sources for such infor- mation. Thus Carl Sandburg compiled The American The purrose of this bulletin is to indicate ways in Song Bag (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1927) in order which folk songs may \be used in the classroom as a to give' "the feel and atmosphere, the layout and lingo vivid reflection of the history and culture of the common of regions, of breeds of men, of customs and slogans in people. Examples will include traditional songs collected a manner and air not given in regular history." The in rural areas, such as ballads or spirituals; popular Australian historian, Russel Ward, found that folk songs originating in urban centers; songs and instrumen- songs constituted the major sources for his study of tal music of the common people in other cultures. The the nomadic pastoral worker of the Australian frontier bulletin is directed both m social studies teachers and in the 19th century. (The Australian Legend, Mel- to teachers of English or music. bourne: Oxford University Press, 1968.)The great men of history have been well documented in textbooks Why Folk Songs in the Social Studies? and biographies; the ordinary folk are often best docu- mented in their songs. Folk songs provide us with knowledge; knowledge Folk songs are perhaps most valuable to the social not only of the words, tunes and background of a studies teacher because, like all art, they have power specific song, but of the historical experience which to affect the emotions. They stir our imagination and that song expresses. The historical significant- of such move our sympathies. A class, for example, listens to O songs becomes clear when we realize that they have the songs and the stories of Aunt Molly Jackson as she O been a fundamental part of the culture of the common describes her life during the depression years. (Folk- O people of the United States since the earliest days. ways, FH 5457.) One finds the following reactions in The factual details of folk songs have at times been the class: criticized as historically inaccurate; yet this very un- "You seem to be tuning in to another age." O certainty may stimulate the student to delve more deeply "Textbooks seem all so much a matter of fact; but into the history of a period. Students may sometimes when you hear Aum Molly talking it brings everything find their conventional textbook accounts are less ac- to life." curate than the version given in a ballad. In some cases "You know these were real people like us." ballads provide a brilliant summation of a given his- "You start to feel their starvation and misery just as torical experience. Highlighting both the human and if you were there." factual aspect of that experience, they make it real for "It's wonderful how under such terrible circum- the student and arouse curiosity to pursue the matter stances she was able to express her feelings so clearly." further. The students evl Jently are able to identify with Aunt In addition to particular facts, folk songs introduce Molly, to empathize. to undergo in their imagination us to important concepts and generalizations. We learn experiences which they have not had in real life.It a great deal about the attitudes, interests and values dawns upon them that poor and uneducated people Copyright 1969 by the National Councilfor the Social Studies -Price 25 cents per copy. Discounts: 2-9 copies,10%; 10 or more copies, 20% Page 2 HOW TO USE FOLK SONGS No. 25 have a literature of their own and can express their Using Folk Songs h the Home, experiences with incomparable force,sincerity,and Nursery School, and Kindergarten directness. Folk songs are indispensable in helping young people One condition enhancing the effective use of folk develop a sense of heritage and a sense of identity. music in the elementary and secondary school is that Many of us have a specific ethnic origin and are bound it should be introduced in the home, the nursery school by these ethnic roots to one or other ancient (and highly and the kindergarten. In this regard. Ruth Crawford specific) ethnic grouping with a history, tradition and Seeger's excellent book American Folk Scngs for Chil- background of its own. Ethnic songs that tell a story dren (New York: Doubleday & Co., 1948) provides and communicate the tradition of a- given ethnic group both a rationale and a repertoire for the teacher wishing help the members of that group understand their identity to use songs at the pre-school level. All the songs that and their own honorable roots and traditions in the Mrs. Secger included in.her book have been tried out world. Every person born in the United Statcs, in addi- with groups of children in actual school and home tion, has a national heritage as an American citizen. situations. She sought songs with "plain tunes, melodi- The songs of the United States help every young Ameri- cally simple, rhythmically vital, whose traditional texts can to comprehend imaginatively the magnificence and possessed the spirit of work and play and thought of the diversity of the nation of which he is a part. Study small children." Mrs. Seeger does not attempt to im- of the songs of other lands, finally, leads to an under- prove the grammar of the song, or to eliminate refer- standing of the heritage of the human family itself and ence to tragedy and death. Even littlechildren can promotes a feeling of kinship with other human beings appreciate differences in dialect and do not have to be in all places and times. shieldeti from the realities of life. For them, folk songs are not only the bearers of custom and story; they Using Folk Songs Some General Principles provide a musical and dramatic basis for the child'sown improN isation and Ills own creativity in speaking, sing- 1. Select for use folk songs which are the authentic ing and dancing. creations of the people who composed them, rather than Some songs may not be understood by very young the simplified and "improved" products of some educa- children at their deepest level, but later on additional tors and music publishers. Sources for such authentic meanings become clear and have a special significance songs are listed in the bibliography. for the child since he has already made the song his 2. If possible, sing and play the songs yourself, and own. Pete Seeger suggests that folk songs are like take time, if you can, to learn the necessary skills.If onions; we can peel away successive layers of meaning, you must resort to records and phonographs try to get often with no end to the process. "Take This Hammer" equipment of the best quality. or "John Henry," for example, may be to the small 3. It is a basic principle of teaching that the student child simply songs about a man with a hammer. Later should be actively involved. Do not simply throw songs, on they help him gain a far deeper insight into the lives recorded or otherwise, at the students. Involve them of working people, or oppressed people in the modern in the process by having them study the songs as they industrial age. The intellectual comprehension that thus are played; discuss their meaning; and where possible grows has its roots in feelings about people which were involve the students in singing the songs themselves and nurtured with songsfirstintroduced in the nursery in dramatizing performances of them. (We shall have school. more to say about folk songs and drama below.) 4. Encourage your students to ask questions about Using Folk Songs in the Elementary School the material and to suggest hypotheses; What kind of instrument is being played? What is the mood or pur- Once again, seek out authentic songs collected di- pose of this song? What viewpoint is being expressed? rectly from the oral tradition.