PA Shorts: Then And Now
In the beginning of the school year when I was nine, all eighty or so of us in the 4th grade were shepherded into the cafeteria of our Northern California school for three hours of musical evaluation (well OK, maybe it just seemed like 3 hours to a nine year old). Our well meaning teachers informed us that a series of scientifically proven tests would reveal our musical talents and we could then be given the musical opportunities our various talents demanded.
I was ecstatic. Up until then I had lived in Southern California and music had meant lots of singing and lots of fun. I sang hymns in our church choir, Gilbert and Sullivan on my Grandfather’s lap, and silly songs with my family in the car. At school, music was singing and dancing in large circles with huge parachute like squares on the playground. Being only an average student – to this day calling me mathematically challenged is an insult to those who actually are – I thought here was a test on which I could finally come out at the top of the class.
Back to the cafeteria: We were given little cards with rows and rows of numbers and bubbles along with brand new yellow no. 2 pencils. Someone turned on the sound system and a voice told us to find the patterns of beats that we heard. Were they groups of 2 or 3, 3 or 4? Electronic beeps ensued followed by total confusion. Where was the music? The beeps were in patterns that may as well have been in groups of 42 and as far as I was concerned were absolutely from Mars.
The ending to this story is that I was the only child out of the entire 4th grade who was barred from orchestra, band, and chorus. My parents were advised that I should never try to learn a musical instrument. Results showed I had absolutely no affinity for musical study. This scientific musical evaluation has had several opposite effects other than those anticipated by the authorities.
The next week my parents went out, bought a piano, and started me on the piano lessons I had been begging for since I was 3. Today I am, so far as I know, the only person from that 4th grade class who pursued a career in music, I possess an irrational dislike of elementary school cafeterias, and I am definitely the only person from that class who was president of a state music teachers association, served on the board of a national foundation, teaches piano at the college level, or writes a blog dedicated to all things piano.
Over the years, I have realized that, even at age nine, I knew what music really meant.
I believe it was the Seashore. http://www.jstor.org/pss/3343874 sorry WP wouldn’t include this as a link- just didn’t show. So you will need to cut and paste.
So much for the validity of standardized tests:-) I wonder how many kids were prevented from pursuing music because their parents weren’t as smart as yours and paid attention to the test results?
BTW, does anyone remember the name of this test? Was it just a California thing? I hope it’s not being administered anymore. Yikes.
I was the (distant) last of four children in my family. When I was 3 years old, the piano on which lessons were given to the first three, was hauled away. We did not have the ‘beep test’ (thank GOD!), and I was allowed to begin studying trumpet in 4th grade. After learning that, and a few other instruments, I was given a (small, spinet) piano for Christmas when I was 13. I ate it for breakfast and dinner every day, for at least 4 hours per day, for the next 5 years… BUT was discouraged from pursuing a ‘career’ in music… “Study law, or physics, or something ‘practical’ with which you can get a job.” – Without formal piano lessons, or college training, and against the advice of parents, I’ve been a pianist/composer/accompanist/musician for approx. 28 of the past 35 years, since age 18. (I took an interest in computers in 1979, and have consulted/been employed in that field when I’ve needed ‘BIGGER’ money – as a parent – thus the ‘7 years out of 35’ that I wasn’t earning a living exclusively as a musician. – And in some ways, I regret not spending the energy given my computer interests, to music… I’d perhaps be even further along in a more stable music career, had I been more focused on JUST that. – But now I’ve merged the two areas of interest together into piano and laptop recording/performance.) – Music is, for me, a puzzle on the table from which I simply CANNOT seem to walk away… 🙂 – (Thanks for your site, and your Twitter-ness… I’m ‘an outsider looking in’ (@insidethepiano), and appreciate your style/perspectives/vibe. 🙂
At least I know for sure that I wasn’t dreaming this:) Thanks for the great comment and for reading Piano Addict.
I can’t believe I’m reading this! I thought I was the only one who remembered taking that stupid beep test in 4th grade! I remember failing it and wanting so bad to play an instrument. I failed it because we sat in clusters and we were laughing and not paying attention. I determined in 5th grade to pass that stupid test! I did, and got to play the clarinet. Eventually I was able to take piano and that became my main instrument.
Ironically, I teach a lot of kids with autism. They happen to be my best students. They learn quickly. If any of them had to take that test to play an instrument, they would probably fail. Most would probably cover their ears due to sound sensitivities…
Great site by the way. Glad I stumbled upon it…
I still can’t understand how the teachers or researchers, no matter how well-meaning, could have thought that 4th graders wouldn’t have had an extremely rich musical exposure by then. Beeps? You use beeps to research planaria, not humans, even nine-year old ones. I can’t help but think that those tests must have been like most of the lab-tested child-rearing standards from days gone by: devised by married men whose wives raised the kids. 🙂
Yes- aptitude as what you know rather than as the potential to be taught.
It’s like they were expecting you to be an inch off the ground, and you were 30,000 feet in the air.
I’ve heard stories that Steve Perry’s mother was also told by a (piano!) teacher that her child had no aptitude for music whatsoever, and any instruction would be a waste of time. She apparently opted to get her six-year old son hooked up with a barbershop quartet to channel his energy instead of just letting him sing to himself at the top of his lungs at all hours.
In high school I accompanied for the choir and then was able to learn clarinet so I could join band, marching band (glock wasn’t for me), and orchestra thereby leaving my checkered past behind:)
Good GOD.