influence on the development of the young. Its role will be as
follows :
Raising men of stable and balanced character. Modern man is menaced by
the excessive development of the intellect and the increasing sway of
technology over everyday life. Just as sport is essential to maintain the
balance between mind and body, so music can offset the poverty of the
inner life, that is to say of the individual's emotional andvolitive powers.
Traininggood citiTens. In the very first place it may be said that a teacher
who moulds harmonious individuals is at the same time creating good
citizens, since the full flowering of the personality is more likely than
concentration to produce the qualities necessary for integration on the
development of a particular faculty into the civic community.
Real singing always calls for sincerity. The tongue can lie; song,
springing from the heart, cannot. If it relies on the infallible power of
song, teaching the children their duty towards others will result in their
identifying themselves with the laws and obligations of the community.
Producing individuals with an international cdtzire. In earlier days, musical
culture was an aristocratic prerogative. In the course of history this
prerogative passed to the representatives of the bourgeoisie until poli-
tical and social upheavals forced them in their turn to abandon it.
Nowadays the arts must be accessible to all sections of society. Each
of us at the present time has numerous opportunities to share in the
arts and therefore has a responsibility for preserving and enriching the
treasure-store of culture, which has been built up by national and inter-
national co-operation. The rarefied heights of music are not for every-
one; but everyone can acquaint himself with its more familiar forms
and with the classical styles of polyphonic and plain song.
As general education is responsible for the cultural training ofthe young
it must also undertake the task of giving them an effective musical edu-
cation. By making formative music a compulsory subject, the schools
will discharge their duty to that art. Music will help them to mould their
pupils, perfect their education and make of them cultured human beings.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Belgium is proud of her achievements and there is concrete evidence
of the value of these principles. Thanks to the work of specialist instruc-