The traitzitig of the teacherposition of inferiority, with disastrous results not only for primary
education properly so-called, but throughout the whole cycle of ge-
neral education.
Possibly the teacher-training system is to blame. I must, in all
loyalty, defend the teachers in the training colleges who receive young
people of between 14 and 15 lacking, for the greater part, the most
elementary knowledge of music. The timetable provides for two weekly
lessons of 45 minutes each in the preparatory division and in the first
year of teacher-training. Then it is reduced for the second, third and
fourth years, which are in fact the most important, to 45 minutes a
week, to which is added a choral singing lesson given to two classes
at a time (first and second, third and fourth).
All these lessons are given to classes containing up to 40 pupils,
gifted or otherwise, among whom are certain budding instrumentalists
(ever fewer in number since the wireless dethroned ‘hand-made music’,
to use Duhamel’s expression). Is it in these circumstances possible,
under the working conditions imposed on us, to give all our teachers
adequate musical training?
Why not institute a cycle of teacher-training courses open to holders
of the Royal Conservatories’ diploma (and other musicians ranking
with them) who wish to teach in primary classes? Without covering
every aspect of education, it would be possible to give them a short
general panoramic view of the problems they will have to face-child
psychology, principles of rational teaching, methodology and reper-
toire. In addition to providing this professional initiation we should
have to accompany them into the environment in which they must
evolve-which means attending model lessons, followed, at an early
stage, by actual practice in teaching.
Those who pass the tests at the end of the course would be given
charge of the intermediate and higher classes; in this they would be
helped by the regular teacher who, while acting as assistant master,
would acquire more confidence in his capabilities and through contact
with the specialist could easily develop them as part of his teacher
training. Optional extra classes would have to be provided in the three
specialized subjects (music, drawing and gymnastics) along the same
lines as those for the advanced study of modern languages (Dutch,
English or German).
After the first year of teacher training, every student teacher would
have to specialize in one of these subjects, chosen in the light of his
natural bent. He would receive a more thorough technical training,
familiarize himself with his chosen subject and, at the end of the course,