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Oh Say, Can You Sing?
By Lacey Clay
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Ward surveyed more than 260 people, including the elderly and the top elementary music education specialists. From the elderly, she learned what songs they were taught as children growing up in America, fifty to one hundred years ago. Of those songs, the educators narrowed the list down to eighty-four children's, folk, and patriotic songs that most represented "American children's folk heritage."
The next task facing Ward was to interview 4,000 school music teachers from all over the country to see which of the songs the children could sing from memory. Songs such as "Bingo," "Home on the Range," and "God Bless America" were not a part of the children's repertoire. She found that even if some of the songs on the list were taught, they were not repeated often enough for the children to commit them to memory.
The result? Generations of American history and culture told through music have been lost in the tide of pop culture and meaningless pop music. Ward says that the "power of music's emotional effect is not to be underestimated. This is why so much of today's popular music is having such a terribly destructive effect on people."
The emotional effect of music is also the reason why Ward feels that patriotic songs make a difference in the viewpoints of American citizens and should be taught to children. "Patriotic songs influence your emotions toward being proud of your country, toward being more of a team player (nationally speaking), toward increased identification with and concern for one's fellow citizens. Patriotic songs help people feel included, like they're part of the team and have a stake in the success of our nation."
Ward also feels that by losing the knowledge of certain songs, we are losing a valuable educational tool that teaches our children about American history, the developing culture of a nation, and even hardships that our ancestors faced. Songs like "Dixie" and "Shenandoah" give emotion to a time or place that just reading a historical account won't provide. "They [songs] help a person see beneath the surface, to better comprehend deeper issues, motivations, and significance in details that are passed over in a historical account."
Though the results of Ward's study were sad, the overall outcome has been good. Her research received a lot of publicity. It was discussed on CNN's Headline News, and reported in U.S. News & World Report, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun Times, and hundreds of local and regional newspapers across the United States.
Ward has also received much support from schools. Though they struggle with budget cuts and more emphasis being placed on math and reading, principals have written to her to express their support and to let her know they are doing what they can to teach the songs. State arts and music coordinators have also written, telling her they are passing out the song list, which includes many Christian songs, and encouraging music teachers to teach them.
Currently, Ward is working to see if there is any connection "between the average degree to which students know these folk songs and [a] state's SAT scores."
With Ward's help, children across the nation will be able to learn songs that just might help them become better citizens of "America, the Beautiful."
