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Show Broadcasting Is More Effective Than Reading John Wallace, well-known critic, whose frequent attacks on radio education edu-cation have received wide publicity, takes a surprisingly optimistic stand when considering the value of broadcasting broad-casting from a musical viewpoint. "Radio is the best-fitted agent to do this work," says he in the Radio Broadcast Magazine. "It can function to Its own best advantage by forget-t'ojT forget-t'ojT all its silly aspirations to sup- plant the technical college and by devoting itself to this equally large and far more important task. "Not all the millions of people In the United States who own receiving sets have the Intelligence to really get the low-down on what music lsv but that does not controvert the fact that there are thousands upon thousands thou-sands of people In the land who have got the mental equipment to enjoy music if they put themselves to It It is amazing how many people who are apparently cultivated, well educated, and surrounded by opportunities, and who profess to enjoy music, can be discovered, by a couple of well-directed questions, not to have the remotest idea of what music really means. "There are many excellent books on the. market and in the public libraries which offer primer courses In the un-1 un-1 derstanding of music. The only objection objec-tion to learning music from a book lies in the fact that the book can't play the music It is talking about. It can uote measures, but if you can't readtnusic, this is of little use. "Herein lies the unique advantage of radio; it can offer explanations and at the same time Illustrate them. There have been a number of music appreciation programs on the radio already, but the saturation point has been far from reached. An Impetus In this direction Is furnished by the report that Walter Damrosch has accepted ac-cepted the post of musical counsel for the National Broadcasting company com-pany and has already under way a comprehensive plan for promotins fine music through the medium of ra-jdlo ra-jdlo broadcasting. This plan provide for a series of concerts supplemented by talks which can reach the maturity matur-ity of the 25,000,000 students in American Amer-ican schools and colleges." |