Central Washington University ScholarWorks@CWU All Master's Theses Master's Theses 1966 A Study of the Instrumental Music Programs in First Class School Districts in the State of Washington Harold M. Sherman Central Washington University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, and the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons Recommended Citation Sherman, Harold M., "A Study of the Instrumental Music Programs in First Class School Districts in the State of Washington" (1966). All Master's Theses. 611. https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/611 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses at ScholarWorks@CWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@CWU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A STUDY OF 'lliE INSTRQ~IDI,T.A.L MUSIC PROGRAY.S IN FIRST CLASS SCHOOL, .. DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Faculty Central Washington State College In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Education by Harold M. Sherman July, 1966 £6068l HOl.LJ3110J .'l\flOJdS ssb-'1£<;; s;·1tt_7 (/1 APPROVED FOR THE GRADUATE FACULTY ________________________________ A. Bert Christianson, COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN _________________________________ Dean Stinson _________________________________ G. Russell Ross ACKNOVJLEDGEMENT Most sincere appreciation is extended to Mr. A. Bert Christianson for his help and guidance in directing the writing of this study, and to Dr. G. Russell Ross for his many helpful suggestions and service. Acknowledgement is also extended to the many directors and music supervisors in the State of Washington whose cooperation was essential to the success of this study. Special tribute is paid to rrry wife Madeleine whose many sacrifices and hard work made this study possible. TABLE OF CONI'EN"TS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBLEM, LIMITATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS OF Tm'fS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 The Problem • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Statement of the problem • • • • • • • • • • 1 Importance of the study. • • • • • • • • • • 2 Limitations of the Study • • • • • • • • • • 2 Definitions of Terms • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Director • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 ,,. Classroom teacher. • • • • • • • • • • • • • ,_) Pre-band instrument. • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Organizational meeting • • • • • • • • • • 3 Elementary honor band. • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Balanced instrument a tj_ on • • • • • • • • • • 4 Music drop-out • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 Class method • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 Band sponsored community projects. • • • • • 4 Stage band 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 First class school district. • • • • • • • '1 Organization of remainder of the thesis. • • • 5 II. REVIEVil OF RELATED LITERATURE • • • • • • • • • • 6 Pre-Instrurn.entBl Program • • • • • • • • • • • 6 The Instrument el Program . • • • • • • • • • • 14 CHAPTER ?AGE Rehearsals • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 19 Testing. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 Financing the Instrument al ?rogram • • • • • • 22 Equipment and Instrument Inventory • • • • • • 23 Performance of Secondary Instrumental Groups. • • • • • • • • • • • 26 Music Drop-Outs. • • • • • • • • • • • • 28 Current Na tj_ ona.l and Local AcUvity. • • 29 III. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES. • • • • • • 34 General Statement. • • • • • • • • 34 Specific Areas of Inquiry. • • • • • • • • 34 Questionnaire Distribution • • • • • • • • • • :~)5 Tabulation and Analysis. • • • • • • • • UVr, h IV. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY. • • • • • • • • • • 37 Elementary School Results. • • • • • • • • 3? Pre-instrurnerital pro grrun • • • • • • • • • • 37 'fhe instrumental program • • • • • • • • 41 Testing and grading. • • • • • • • • • • • • 45 General information. • • • • • 47 Junior High School Results • • • • • • 50 Rehearsals • • • • • • • • • 50 GrPding. • • • • • • • 52 Financing the instrumental prot,ram • • 54 Instrument inventory • • • • • • • • 56 CHAPTER PAGE Miscellaneous equipment. • • • 58 Performance. • • • • • • • • • • • 58 Surmner music • • • • • • • • • • • • • 59 Orchestra. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 Gener al information. • • • • • • • • • • • 61 High School Results ••••••••• • ••• • 63 Rehearsals • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 63 Grading. • • • • • • • • • • • • 65 Financing the instrument al program • • • • • 66 Instrument inventory • • • • • • • • • • • 69 Miscellaneous equipment. • • • • • • • • 69 Perf orm1:mce. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 71 Orchestra. • • 72 General information. • • • • • • • • 73 Highline School District Results ••• • • • 75 Elementary results • • • • • • • • • • • • 75 Pre-instrumental program • • • • • • • • • 75 Instrument e.l program • • • • • • • • • • • 77 Testing and grading. • • • • • • 78 Gener al :i_nforml3tion. • • • • • • • • • • 79 Secondary school results • • • • • • • • • 80 Rehearsals • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 80 Grading. • • • • • • • • • • • 80 Financing the ins trt.unen tal pro gr am • • • • 81 CHAPTER ?AGE Instrument inventory • • • • • • • • • • 82 Miscellaneous equipment • • • 83 Performnnce. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 84 Summer music • • • • • • • 86 Orchestra. • • • • • • • • • 86 Gener al inform2 tio n. • • • • • • • • • • 87 v. SUMM.11,.RY AND CONCLUSIONS. • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Elementary • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Secondary. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 96 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT. • • • • • • • • • • • • 105 BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • • • • 109 APPENDIX • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 111 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED If a school district is to have a successful instrumental program many factors must be considered. One of the first and most important is the amount of contin­ uity and communication that exists between grade levels. Each level must have a function which relates to the total instrumental program. While considering the total program, however, a teacher must never lose sight of the individual needs of the students. Music personnel should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with up-to-date methods and put those that are most desirable into practice. 'l'hey must be equally familiar with some of the more traditional methods that have stood the test of time. The administration must share the desire of the music department to provide an adequate program for the children. It must be willing to support all sound depart­ ment policies. It must also give complete financial assistence if the program is to succeed. I. THE PROBLEM Statement .2f. the problem. It was the purpose of this study to compare the instrumental program in the Highline 2 School District with other programs in first class school districts in the State of Washington. Importance of the study. '..!.'his study will attempt to reveal some of the more desirable practices and methods being used in instrumental music progrerns in the State of Washington. In order to arrive at valid conclusions a thorough survey was necessary. Many varied progrm11s are in existence, but if one covers a broad spectrum, patterns begin to reveal themselves. Once these patterns have been established one can test the adequacy of his own program through comparison. II. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This study was limited to an investigation of instru­ mental music progrems in first class school districts in the State of Washington. The collection of data was limited to the following sources: 1. A questionnaire survey reflecting the opinions and practices of individual directors in the elementary, junior high, and senior high schools; and 2. A survey of literature related to the field of instrumental music. No infonnation relative to general music, vocal music, or rhythm bend programs has been included. It should further be noted that this study has not included the opinions or 3 practices of administrators or teachers not involved in instrumental music. III• DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED Director. ~ educator employed by a school district for the purpose of instructing students in the subject of ins trument al music • Classroom teacher. An educator employed by a school district for the purpose of instructing one group of stu- dents in several academic subject areas. Pre-band instrument. These shall include all instru- ments used for giving students training in music fundamentals prior to involvement on a regular musical instrument. Organizational meeting. This refers to a group of parents and music teachers meeting to (1) determine the suitability of certain instruments to particulRr children, (2) to determine the probable success of particular students in instrumental music, and (3) to familia.rize parents with instrumental rental practices and costs. Elementary honor band. This is a musical organiza­ tion composed of elementary instrumentalists. These students are selected from the various schools in a district on the basis of superior musical ability. 4 Balanced instrumentation. This has reference to the adequate representation of the different types of instru­ ments in a musical organization. Music drop-~. Any student who has stopped parti­ cipating in a school music program. Class method. A music publication designed to teach the fundamentals of instrumental music to students in a music class. Band sponsored community projects. This refers to projects carried on outside of school hours and not sponsored by the school. The primary purpose is to raise funds