HISTORY NOTES


Newsletter of the MENC History Special Research Interest Group
Fall, 2005

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Editor: Dr. James T. McRaney, National Chair Email: jmcraney@aol.com


IN THIS ISSUE …
> 2004-05 HSRIG in review
> MENC 2006 Conference
> MENC plans a Centennial Celebration
> Research opportunities and resources
> Requests for input and response
> HSRIG National Officers (Advisory Council)

FROM THE HSRIG NATIONAL CHAIR
Activities relating to the History SRIG since our 2004 meeting in Minneapolis have been numerous and varied. The past several months have been divided between planning for the 2006 MENC Conference, the 2007 MENC Centennial, a divisional conference presentation and renovating the HSRIG “member” mailing list.

One of the major efforts of the National Chair has been an “overhaul” of the HSRIG email list. We began with email verifications in April, 2004 and continued with a call for news earlier this fall. Prior newsletter recipient lists (as early as 1998) have been integrated with colleagues who signed attendance rosters at the 2002 and 2004 national conferences, personal requests to be added, and the latest update from the MENC membership department. This electronic edition has been sent to over 250 addresses, including more than 40 new names added since 2002, while numerous email addresses that “failed” two update notices have been removed.

A hard copy of History Notes will be provided to the MENC Archives at the University of Maryland, and electronic versions may be added to interested websites. In the event you are aware of a need for a hard copy, please share that information with the editor.

Since being a HSRIG “member” is voluntary and has no additional dues, the MENC membership department uses a “coded identification” to mark HSRIG “members” on its database. If you are a member of MENC, it provides a more comprehensive email directory for your HSRIG officers IF you request HSRIG “identification” at the time of membership renewal. However, there is no space on the renewal form to indicate SRIG interest. It isn’t practical for your HSRIG Chair to furnish email addresses that receive the newsletter to MENC, as the electronic newsletter is also offered to professional and international colleagues who are not members of MENC. We are happy to continue to share our newsletter with anyone who wishes to receive it. Consequently, many screen names on our mailing list can not be connected to an actual MENC member’s name.

According to MENC, members who are specifically “coded” as HSRIG are considered to be “HSRIG members”. However, some names on the 2004 roster from MENC do not appear on the 2005 version recently received. You will recall from the recent (fall) HSRIG “update”, those identified on the “A” list represent the current MENC list, while those on the “B” list were on the MENC roster in 2004 but are either (a) not on the 2005 list, or (b) for some reason, the email address “disappeared” from the 2005 roster. Indeed, some that had been “coded” as HSRIG members in 2004 (“B” list) are known to still be MENC members – but do not appear on the 2005 “A” list? The HSRIG Chair is working with Nick Webb on clearing up this confusion. IF you are a current member of MENC and wish to be certain your name is “coded” for HSRIG identification in the future, you may wish to contact Nick Webb in the Membership Department at nicholasw@menc.org and request HSRIG “coding” – remembering to furnish an email address. Those email addresses used for this newsletter, identified in our recent update as being on the “C” list, are our newest additions, and those names will be forwarded to MENC for member “coding”. The “D” list includes a few non-MENC recipients.

THANKS TO PAST NATIONAL CHAIR
All of us in HSRIG express appreciation to National Chair Roger Rideout (2002-04) for his term of distinguished service and leadership. In addition to his leadership as Chair, Roger’s role was expanded with the opportunity to participate in the earliest stages of planning for MENC’s 100th anniversary celebration. Our thanks to you, Roger!

IN MEMORIUM
In 2004, two prominent HSRIG educators/researchers passed away. In April, Dr. Charles L. Gary died, followed in July by Dr. George N. Heller. Each had filled significant roles in the research of the history of music education, and both had been awarded the HSRIG Distinguished Service Award. Memorial tributes may be found in the October, 2004 issue of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education (Vol. 26, No. 1) … written by Michael Mark (Charles Gary) and Jere Humphreys (George Heller). These colleagues will also offer words of admiration and tribute to Gary and Heller, respectively, during the HSRIG Roundtable session on April 22, 2006.

Charles Gary, former MENC Executive Secretary, passed away on April 16, 2004, at the age of 86. A tireless worker for music education, he will be remembered for his books "The U.S. Copyright Law, A Guide for Music Educators" and “A History of American Music Education”, co-authored with another HSRIG member, Michael Mark.

George Heller died at the age of 62 after a distinguished career as an educator/historian. He retired in 2002 from the University of Kansas after 29 years. He was the first National Chair of MENC’s History SRIG (1984-86) and founded (1980) The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education (now JHRME – see below).

2004 NATIONAL MENC CONFERENCE / History SRIG
Dr. Roger Rideout presided at the research session on Thursday, April 15, in Minneapolis, Mn. A panel presentation on research in the history of American music education in the twentieth century was moderated by Dr. Michael Mark. Presenters included Dr. John Grashel, Dr. Carolyn Livingston, Dr. Marie McCarthy, Dr. James T. McRaney, and Dr. Mark.
In the Roundtable Session that followed, the 2004 HSRIG Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. William Lee, distinguished researcher and HSRIG member. The nominating committee presented Dr. Jere Humphreys and Dr. Alan Spurgeon as candidates for the biennial election for HSRIG Chair-elect (2004-06). Jere Humphreys was elected and will assume the role of National Chair at the 2006 MENC Conference.
An open dialogue sharing potential ideas for HSRIG activities during the centennial celebration of the founding of MENC was moderated by incoming National Chair James McRaney. Multiple ideas were shared and discussed by the large gathering of music educators, and many of the possibilities were noted for further review and planning.

HSRIG 2004 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Bill Lee is professor of music and Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has presented or published numerous articles, dictionary citations, reviews and chapters in the field of music education history, and has served on the editorial boards of JRME and JHRME. A past Chair of the History SRIG, Bill hosts a major website on the history of music education (see below).

HSRIG FELLOW NAMED TO MENC HALL OF FAME
At the 2004 MENC Conference, Dr. Michael Mark, Emeritus Professor of Music at Towson University (Md.), was inducted into the MENC Hall of Fame. Michael is a past chair of the HSRIG and received the 1998 HSRIG Distinguished Service Award.
Michael began his career as a teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland and served as supervisor of music in secondary school districts in New York before teaching on the faculties of Morgan State University and The Catholic University of America, where he was head of the music education program. He served as Dean of the Graduate School at Towson University for fourteen years.
A Fulbright Scholar, Michael has lectured internationally, including speaking recently about American music education at several Taiwanese universities. He has authored numerous articles, chapters in books on the history of music education, and books, including the history of American music education co-authored with Charles Gary.

HSRIG AND MENC CENTENNIAL PLANNING
During the past year, significant planning toward the 100th anniversary of the founding of MENC (Keokuk, Iowa, 1907) has been conducted. The Centennial Coordinating Committee (of 12) met during the Minneapolis Conference and subsequently to provide oversight to the planning. Immediate past chair Roger Rideout, Michael Mark and Paul Lehman, all HSRIG members, were participants – and all had also participated in the HSRIG Roundtable discussion of ideas for historical celebration.
In a communication from MENC President David Circle, the purpose of the Centennial Coordinating Committee was:
“Develop a comprehensive proposal for celebrating the Centennial of MENC in
the year 2007.”
That committee’s report included a significant note regarding the role of the HSRIG:
“President Circle will contact the History SRIG officers to determine how the
organization would like to be involved in the Centennial Celebration.”
While many ideas are being considered by the NEB, President Circle met with Chair-elect Jere Humphreys while in Arizona in August and discussed ways in which HSRIG was interested in promoting the Centennial. Watch MENC publications and online for announcements about special activities celebrating 100 years of service to music education, and read HSRIG plans for the 2006 MENC Conference and 2007 elsewhere in this newsletter.

2006 – AN EXTRORDINARY YEAR FOR HSRIG
The HSRIG is excited at having been asked to fill an unprecedented role during the MENC Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in April.
In 2003, MENC President Willie Hill appointed the a national committee to look into options for recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of MENC (1907-2007). The committee first met in Minneapolis in April,2004. A report including multiple options was presented to the National Executive Board in July.
A tentative plan was developed for a “celebration” (2006-2008) during which the focus will be “looking to the past” during the first year (initiated at 2006 conference) and “looking to the future” during the second year of celebration (initiated with a special “event” in 2007).
At the April 19-22 conference, MENC will “kick-off” the beginnings of the celebration, and the HSRIG has been asked to host four additional major sessions focused on music education during the first hundred years of MENC.
MENC is also planning a national “event” for the summer of 2007. Initial planning is for an event in Orlando. In connection with this 2007 “event”, HSRIG is also planning – as visualized in Minneapolis in 2004 – a national history symposium (see Jere Humphrey’s announcement elsewhere in this newsletter).

2006 History SRIG Sessions

Thursday, April 20 (8:30 a.m.)
CENTENNIAL PROFILE I (1907-1932): A New Look at a Significant Cultural Moment
Dr. William R. Lee, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Thursday, April 20 (11:30 a.m.)
CENTENNIAL PROFILE II (1933-1957): Survival through a challenging era – the depression, WWII, and the cold war
Dr. Carolyn Livingston, University of Rhode Island

Friday, April 21 (8:30 a.m.)
CENTENNIAL PROFILE III (1958-1982): Against the backdrop of the cold war, technology, and the civil rights revolution
Dr. Michael Mark, Professor Emeritus, Towson University

Saturday, April 22 - 3:15 p.m.
CENTENNIAL PROFILE IV (1983-2007): Widening horizons with a global lens: responding to the New World Order
Dr. Marie McCarthy, University of Maryland

Saturday, April 22 - 8:30 a.m.
History SRIG Research Session
Alan Spurgeon (Mississippi), Dr. Shelly Cooper (Arizona), Dr. Patti Tolbert (Georgia) Selected Examples of Classroom Songs from the Century (group participation)

Saturday, April 22 - 9:30 a.m.
History SRIG Roundtable Session – HSRIG Award; Election; Bylaws review; meet the Division Chairs; research journal news; report of planning for 2007 HSRIG symposium.

Plan now to attend the Conference (and the HSRIG sessions) in April. Registration and hotel information is available online at www.menc.org. (I’m already registered - are you?)
HSRIG BYLAWS REVIEW
The Bylaws (ratified: 1993) are being reviewed and proposed changes will be submitted in the Spring, 2006 History Notes for review prior to the 2006 Conference. In order to facilitate this procedure, the Bylaws will be distributed online in early 2006.
To approve any change(s), the amendment procedure calls for a two-thirds majority vote at the HSRIG meeting in April. In addition to minor semantic or procedural change, it is anticipated that an awards section (not presently included) may be recommended.

HSRIG IN 2007
The HSRIG Chair has been asked to contribute to a special MENC publication for the 100th anniversary of its founding. This commemorative book is a small part of the celebration extending from the 2006 National Conference to the 2008 Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Chair-elect Jere Humphreys has appointed an advisory committee to assist in planning for special HSRIG activities in 2007. Having shared with MENC President Circle the expressed desire of the HSRIG membership for a symposium on the history of music education, and a national event has been approved. In view of Jere’s announcement below, you are urged to maintain the currency of your email address with the HSRIG Chair (email address above)!

From the HSRIG Chair-elect:
“The History Special Research Interest Group, in cooperation with MENC,
will sponsor an MENC Centennial History Symposium at Disney World near
Orlando, Florida in July of 2007. This 2-3 day symposium will be held in
conjunction with several other MENC events that same week (the exact dates
have not been set). A call for papers and other presentations will be sent out by
February 2006.”

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Journal of Historical Research in Music Education
Mark Fonder, editor of the JHRME, has expressed interest in articles celebrating the MENC Centennial, and the possibility of a special issue. He will share additional information about this premier academic journal during the HSRIG Roundtable in Salt Lake City in April, 2006.
The annual subscription rate is $12 (students); $225 (individuals); and $50 (institutions). A subscription year (2 issues) runs July through June. Mark can be contacted at Whalen Center for Music, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 14850 – jhrme@ithaca.edu

The contents of the current issue (Vol. 27, No. 1 October, 2005) include:

Alan L. Spurgeon: MSNC Comes of Age: George Oscar Bowen and the 1928 Conference

Lissa Fleming May: Early Musical Development of Selected African American Jazz Musicians in Indianapolis in the 1930s and 1940s

Wai-Tong Lau: Twentieth-Century School Music Literature in China: A Departure from Tradition

Jeri W. Bonnin: Katinka Daniel and Her Contributions to Kodaly Pedagogy in the United States

Southern Music Education Journal
A new refereed journal which invites historical research in music education made its debut since our last HSRIG meeting. Co-edited by HSRIG member Alan Spurgeon, it is published by the Department of Music, 162 Scruggs Hall, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677 (aspurg@olemiss.edu).
An annual subscription (2 per year) is $10 (U.S.), $12 (Can.), and $15 (International and U.S. libraries). Alan will also share more about this new journal during the HSRIG Roundtable in April.

Articles in the inaugural issue (Vol. 1, No. 1 Fall, 2004) were contributed by:

Carol McDowell and Gale A. McMahan; Dale Misenhelter; Jennifer Shank;
Lynn M. Sherrin, Peggy O. Jessee and M. Christine Nagy; James South;
Kimberly C. Walls and Nancy H. Berry; Emery C. Warnock

History of Music Education Website
This website is hosted by HSRIG member Bill Lee. It includes a reference page to the HSRIG. The site has recently been updated, and may be of interest to you. It can be found at http://www.utc.edu/Faculty/William-Lee/.

History of Music Education in Austrailia Website
For those who may wish to think “outside the box” (unless you hail from Australia) this website is hosted by HSRIG colleague Robin L. Stephens at Deakin University. It can be linked through Bill Lee’s site or also by direct access (NOTE: no “www.” needed) at: http://education.deakin.edu.au/music_ed/history/

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS and 2006 ELECTION PROCEDURE
According to the HSRIG Bylaws, the National Chair is responsible for appointing a Nominating Committee to consider potential candidates for Chair-elect. The report of the committee is to be presented by March 1, with the election held at the 2006 HSRIG Roundtable session (nominations may also be made from the floor). The committee report will appear in the Spring issue of History Notes prior to the 2006 Conference.
Suggestions for candidates for National Chair-elect (2006-08) are encouraged and should be sent no later than January 1 to the Nominating Committee Chair, Jere Humphreys, at Jere.Humphreys@asu.edu.

CALL FOR 2006 AWARD NOMINATIONS
Nominations for the HSRIG Distinguished Service Award are invited – postmarked no later than January 1, 2006, A letter of nomination and the nominee’s vita should be sent to Dr. James T. McRaney, 2636 Whiteleigh Court, Atlanta, GA 30345,
The award was established in 1993 “to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to historical research in music education.” Members are free to nominate anyone, including him/her self, according to the following qualifications - - -

Nominees must have a record of at least ten years of ongoing significant contributions to historical research in music education, including high quality work in one or more of the following activities:
• Publication/presentation of scholarly research related to the history of music education;
• Collection/publication of primary source material related to the history of music education;
• Editorial service to journals/other publications related to the history of music education;
• Encouragement/mentorship to students and other researchers interested in historical research in music education;
• Service to HSRIG/other organizations related to historical research in music education;
• Demonstrated excellence in the teaching of the history of music education.

Past HSRIG award winners are: George Heller (1994); Allen P. Britton (1996); Michael Mark (1998); Bruce Wilson (2000); Sondra Wieland Howe (2002); William Lee (2004).

CALL FOR SPRING NEWSLETTER INPUT
You are invited to submit news of research in the history of music education for the HSRIG History News spring issue – no later than February 15, 2006 – to the National Chair (jmcraney@aol.com).
Send news of research or recent articles or books. Titles and authors of recent dissertations (2004 -) in the field will also be listed. Information about summer activities of interest to HSRIG members is welcomed, as well as reviews of significant meetings.

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HSRIG OFFICERS (Advisory Council)
James T. McRaney, Chair (2004-06) Jere Humphreys, Chair-elect (2004-06)
Adjunct Professor of Music Professor of Music
Reinhardt College, Waleska, GA Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Email: jmcraney@aol.com Email: Jere.Humphreys@asu.edu

Division Chairs (2002-06)
Southern: Alan Spurgeon North Central: Teresa Volk
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
aspurg@olemiss.edu ag7658@wayne.edu

Western: Shelly Cooper
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
ShellyCooper@cableaz.com

Division Chairs (2004-08)
Eastern: Patrick Jones Northwestern: Pat Sheehan Campbell
University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA University of Washington, Spokane, WA
pjones@uarts.edu pcamp@u.washington.edu

Southwest: George McDow
Boeme, TX
ghmcdow@prodigy.net