Before proceeding further, an explanation of the Norwegian educa-
tional system appears necessary.
Elementary age (7-14)
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elementary education (14-16)
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Practically all schools are co-educational. A period of 45 minutes a
week is allotted for music (singing) in all grades of elementary and
secondary schools, but there are some minor exceptions. During the
first two grades of elementary school no defined singing lesson is
allotted because it is supposed to be included in the other periods. In
the fourth and fifth years two weekly singing lessons take place. The
boys have an interruption of two years during the period when their
voices are breaking. I should add that our Board of Education has
stated that there is no reason for this interruption in singing, but no
steps so far have been taken to change the established system.
The practice of letting the general teacher handle music instruction
was first established in the elementary school. Their colleges give
instruction in harmonium playing; some music theory, including har-
mony, and also allow for participation in choir singing. But an e%-
cient elementary teacher acquires most of his knowledge outside the
college, for instance at the Oslo Conservatory of Music-a private
institute with some State support-which runs a special one-year
course in elementary school music teaching.
The general teacher as the music instructor on secondary level has
recently been recognized as the final aim of our endeavours, but the
term ‘general teacher’ must be differently interpreted for this level.
It means a person who has chosen teaching in secondary school as his