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ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: MUSIC EDUCATION IN PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY , M ARYLAND , FROM 1950 TO 1992: A N ORAL HISTORY ACCOUNT OF THREE PROMINENT MUSIC EDUCATORS AND THEIR TIMES Judy W. Moore, Doctor of Philosophy, 2004 Dissertation directed by: Professor Marie McCarthy School of Music This dissertation documents the professional lives of three prominent music educators in Prince George’s County, Maryland —LeRoy Battle, Maurice Allison, and Dorothy Pickard —whose careers from 1950 to 1992 spanned the period of school desegregation and its aftermath. The professional lives of Battle, Allison, and Pickard, their philosophies of teaching, and the instructional strategies they used in building music programs of distinction are examined employing method s of oral history. The interviews of twenty -three other Prince George’s County professionals , including a county executive, a superintendent, county teachers, and county administrators , combine with testimony of the three music educators in creating the fa bric of this historical dissertation. Set in Prince George’s County, scene of dramatic societal change between 1950 and 1992, county educational, cultural, societal, and political processes are explored to gain understanding of the lives and times of Battl e, Allison, and Pickard. Although the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling ended the era of “separate -but -equal” schooling in the United States, it was not until December 29, 1972, that a countywide system of busing of students was ordered in Prince Ge orge’s County to enforce racial balance in schools . Busing altered the racial distribution in county schools and was thought by many to have precipitated “white flight” of Prince George’s residents to surrounding jurisdictions. Remaining county residents voted to limit taxes for county services, creating a financial burden for the schools, the police, and the county government. Subsequently, the white -to - black ratio in the county and the schools altered. Through advocacy efforts of teachers, concerned resid ents, and students, the elective programs in Prince George’s County Public Schools were twice spared from elimination, in 1982 and again in 1991. Music education remains an active part of the Prince George’s County School curriculum due in part to the work of Battle, Allison, and Pickard, music educators who displayed creativity in the face of adversity. They set an example for other educators of how to produce, maintain, and support quality - performing groups in music education. MUSIC EDUCATION IN PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY , M ARYLAND , FROM 1950 TO 1992: A N ORAL HISTORY ACCOUNT OF THREE PROMINENT MUSIC EDUCATORS AND THEIR TIMES by Judy W. Moore Thesis is submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland at College Pa rk in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2004 Advisory Committee: Professor Marie McCarthy, Chair/Advisor Professor Barbara Finkelstein Professor Roger Folstrom Professor Bret P. Smith Professor Bruce VanSledright ©Copyright by Judy W. Moore 2004 ii Jack Moore iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who participated in an oral history session with me, in particular LeRoy Battle, Maurice All ison and his wife Nancy Allison, and Dorothy Pickard. This dissertation would not have been possible without the giving of their trust and willingness to share information about themselves. Thank you for your part in helping to document music education in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Over the course of this project, many people encouraged me and assisted my progress. These people include: two former principals, Dr. Gerald Boarman and Sylvester Conyers; co -teachers Barbara Baker, Laura Kafka, Sally Wagn er, Scott Laird, Rebecca Holtz, Lisa Sharer, and Paul Dembowski; Eleanor Roosevelt High School music students, friends, and family members. Thank you each for help and encouragement. A heartfelt thanks is extended to my committee members. Thank you for you r part in shaping this dissertation and helping me improve the final outcome. Dr. Bret Smith, with his fine -toothed editing comb, helped me weed out errors and reword phrases. Dr. Bruce VanSledright assisted me in understanding the style of a historic stud y. Dr. Roger Folstrom provided solace at a time when my spirits had plummeted. From Dr. Barbara Finkelstein I received the inspiration to do an oral history dissertation. iv Thank you to friend and colleague Dr. Barbara Baker for guiding me to the topic of music education in Prince George’s County. Barbara counseled me over the years as we worked together at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. To Dr. Marie McCarthy, my adviser, I extend thanks for her calm guidance as we designed the paper, did the research, wrote , and rewrote. Through her direction I learned much about writing and organization. Also, with her help, I was able to negotiate the perils of graduate school life. Thank you, Marie. Finally, a deep appreciation is extended to my husband of many years, Dr. Jack Moore. Jack was always willing to discuss music education, history, and writing with me. His editorial and philosophical insights permeate this work. His support enabled me to continue from the beginning to the end of this long, arduous process. Thank you, Jack. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. x CHAPTER I ...................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................... 2 NEED FOR STUDY ............................................................................................................ 6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................... 7 MUSIC EDUCATION IN PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY ...................................................... 7 SOURCES ........................................................................................................................ 15 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 16 Oral history ............................................................................................................... 17 Oral history: process and studies .............................................................................. 20 RELATED LITERATURE .................................................................................................. 23 Studies of music education during the period of desegregatio n ............................... 24 LIMITATIONS AND SCOPE OF STUDY ............................................................................ 26 DEFINITION OF TERMS .................................................................................................. 27 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER II ................................................................................................................... 31 HISTORICAL UNDERPIN NINGS AND CYCLES OF SUPPORT FO R MUSIC EDUCATION INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 31 SOCIETAL CONDITIONS A FFECTING MUSIC EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES ........ 32 NATIONAL CYCLES OF SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION ...................................................... 37 PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY , POLITICAL , SOCIAL , AND EDUCATIONAL MILIEU ....... 40 Civil Rights era and desegregation in Prince George’s County ............................... 42 Civil Rights era ................................................................................................... 42 Desegregation efforts ......................................................................................... 44 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER III ................................................................................................................. 50 WINDS OF CHANGE: PRI NCE GEORGE’S COUNTY MUSIC EDUCATION INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 50 THE ANALOGY .............................................................................................................. 52 PROLOGUE .................................................................................................................... 53 “The Land of Pleasant Living”................................................................................. 53 TOWARD DESEGREGATION .......................................................................................... 54 Prince George’s County School System, 1954 ......................................................... 54 vi Vaughns moves to Prince George’s County ............................................................. 55 Lawsuit ....................................................................................................................

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