Mmic in educationb,e able to show that he had acquired sufficient knowledge to fit him-
self to teach his ‘semi-speciality’. This would be mentioned on his
diploma and it would be the duty of the authorities responsible for
appointments to see that these teachers were judiciously distributed
among the schools under their direction.
I think that the child of 6 to 7 years of age should be left to the
primary teacher alone, so far as the latter is endowed with the required
qualities; singing at this age should be an almost spontaneous activity,
of a type that is difficult to subject to a fixed timetable. In addition,
it is to be expected that the appointment of a specialist in rural schools
will always encounter difficulties inherent in the disposal of such schools
over a wide area, as well as the financial difficulties which those in
control of funds can always be relied upon to put forward.
This dual plan, while having the merit of not making a frontal
attack on the strongly entrenched positions of our educational dis-
ciplines and traditions, offers a fairly short-term solution capable of
breaking the bonds that have too long confined the expanding frame
of music education as part of general education.[Translated from the French]MUSICAL TRAINING OF
RURAL SCHOOL TEACHERS IN FRANCE
by
Emile DAMAIS, Director, Ftdtration des Centres Musicaux Ruraux de FranceBefore describing the steps taken by the FCdCration des Centres Musi-
caux ruraux de France (Federation of rural music centres in France) with
a view to giving specialized music teachers of rural primary schools the
necessary basic professional training, and the way in which it proposes
to intensify this training, I shall answer in advance certain questions
which may arise : Who are these teachers and what is required of them?