Maria Miller

Editor in Chief

“Mathematics and music, the most sharply contrasted fields of scientific activity which can be found,

and yet related, supporting each other, as if to show forth the secret connection which ties together

all the activities of our mind, and which leads us to surmise that the manifestations of the artist's genius are
but the unconscious expressions of a mysteriously acting rationality.” –Hermann von Helmholtz

    In American education, the “core” curricula are known as mathematics, science, English, social studies, and arts and humanities.  However in recent years, the art related courses have been phased out.  Some schools do not have drama programs; some do not even have choir or band ensembles.  These schools often present the excuse that there is little to no funding for these “extra” classes; but therein lies a still more fundamental issue.  What caused this misconception that the arts are the “fluff” of education, and can easily be the first things to cut when school funding is tight?  Why does America choose to strip education of the arts in schools? 

    First, a bit of history: the origins of education began in the ancient empires of Egypt, Greece, and Rome.  Greece and Rome are famous for their influences on many crucial concepts in modern society.  Our culture highly esteems these empires’ ideas, and our government bases our societal systems on their successes.  In Greece and Rome, the core curriculum of education was math, writing, and music.

    Math, writing, and music.  We take from these societies our architecture, our political systems, our language, our culture - so why do we ignore their beliefs that music was of the same caliber, the same importance to success in society, as math and writing?

    What the Greeks and Romans understood was that art is not a frivolous, careless pastime.  It requires thinking of the highest order: in practice, art demands that an individual utilize both sides of his/her brain simultaneously.  Take a flute player in band, for example.  In order to be successful, that student must be fluent in a language (read music), have sharp math skills (understand theory and interpret rhythm), implement hand-eye coordination (move the fingers corresponding to the notes on the page), demonstrate maturity and concentration (give full attention to tone quality and tempo in relation to other band members and the director), establish self-discipline (practice outside of class to achieve results and be prepared), acquire critical thinking skills (recognize ways to personally and collectively improve through constructive criticism), and have the ability to interpret works (heighten style of a piece and emote feeling with musicality).  Art in practice is the farthest thing from “fluff”:  it is a concrete, multi-faceted, highly intellectual pursuit.

    This area of education is often misinterpreted as a curriculum for students who have natural talent so instruction is not required or for students who have a particular interest and certainly a school cannot and should not be required to offer opportunities for every student’s “whim.”  But this idea isn’t applied to other core subjects.  Take mathematics: some people can understand math perfectly, having no difficulty with even the most complicated concepts, while others struggle incessantly throughout their middle and high school careers.  But despite the fact that some students are gifted in math and some not, we still require every student to undergo math training.  There should be no difference with the arts.  Some students are born with exceptional talent in painting, dancing, writing, etc., and will excel in their respective subjects no matter what the situation.  But there is no reason why every single student should not be trained equally in each art form.  Students who are successful in the arts often have become learned in the subject at home from an early age; there is no reason why a public institution can’t build these talents as well.  If not all students have access to the arts, institutions need to provide that education for everyone to succeed.  We implement this same idea with reading, writing, the sciences, and mathematics, so why aren’t the arts put on the same pedestal? 

    Our schools offer the bare minimum for the arts; we do enough to “pass the test.”  But that’s just not enough to develop an adequate interest in our students.  Our schools need to not only offer art classes but recognize that they are crucial to the curriculum.  They understood it when formal education first began; why we fail to realize it now is Greek to me.