In 1920, the NI Ministry of Education (MoE) inherited the existing framework of schools located in the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone. These included denominational national schools and secondary schools which included royal and endowed schools, those run by private individuals and those under church management, all of which were denominational. Inspection reports show that the all- Ireland pre-1920 school curriculum continued to be offered in the new NI ‘statelet’ from 1921. While the proposed non-denominational schooling in NI’s first Education Act (1923) led to sustained protest from the Protestant churches, the Catholic clergy were opposed to the transfer of their schools to the newly established Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and chose to have them voluntary-managed. The Ministry attempted to address the controversy through amended Acts: a requirement for ‘moral
instruction’ (1925) (PRONI, SO/1/B/80) and finally, with the inclusion of simple bible teaching in Protestant schools (1930) (PRONI, ED/32/B/2/5).
Singing remained an essential part of the curriculum in children’s re-named elementary (primary) schools, perhaps not always very successfully experienced, as recounted by William Topping’s privately deposited memoir of his school days (PRONI, D3134/1). William recounted a tiered classroom setting where he did well in all subjects except singing lessons when he and some others “were given a card of sums, which we seldom did, and put outside the classroom until the lesson was over”. While no record of
inspection of William Topping’s school was available there was evidence that NI’s inspectors rated teachers as ‘efficient’ or ‘not efficient’ across the established range of subjects which included singing. For example, inspections (1922 and 1923) of the two teachers in Aughanderra school in County Tyrone considered the female teacher to be ‘not efficient’ in teaching singing (PRONI, ED/14/F/53). Similarly, a 1926 report on Blundell’s Grange school in Loughgall reported that singing and drill were successfully taught by the female teacher (designated efficient) but not by her husband who was deemed inefficient (PRONI, ED/14/B/3).
The appointment of Mr Corrin (1926) as Music Inspector was recorded in digitised Stormont Government papers (1921-1972), available through the Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS). By 1931, the Ministry of Education had circulated its ‘Suggestions for the Teaching of Singing in Public Elementary Schools’ (Circular G 41), authored by Corrin. The document with an introduction by A.N. Bonaparte Wyse [the grandson of the above Thomas Wyse] aimed “to provide practical assistance to teachers of singing in facilitating the employment of the most modern methods of class teaching in the
subject”. Corrin’s new approach had created controversy, as was apparent in Wyse’s letter of response to a Dr. Garett (13th October, 1930).
I see no reason to alter anything captain Corrin has written on that account [sol-fa system]. His approach to sight-singing through the staff notation is so admirable that I am enthusiastic for it. The old ‘Hullah’ which was an awful piece of humbug, was never treated in Captain Corrin’s manner and was in consequence, one of the driest brands. (PRONI, ED/13/1/1447)
Corrin’s ‘Suggestions for Teaching Singing’ pre-empted many of the developments which occurred over the following years in NI and England. For example, Hadow’s (1931) report on primary schools included suggestions for teachers with regard to singing national songs, the use of the percussion band and the introduction of staff notation. One very significant aspect of Corrin’s approach was his view that children could be musically creative. His published suggestions for teaching singing (1931) stated that to expel non-singers from the singing class was “sheer injustice” (p. 2). Not only did Corrin identify reasons for the non-singers’ predicament, but proposed a methodology to address their problem in three stages. Accordingly, such children should begin by developing the ability to differentiate between two sounds (similar/dissimilar,
higher/lower), then progress to vocalising sounds according to the same pattern before practising sounds which would be similar to pitched sounds. Children were to be encouraged to invent their own patterns and instrumentation, using piano, triangles,
tambourines, bells and drums and “if the services of a child conductor are requisitioned, the most delightful effects (and, incidentally, the most valuable
experience) may be achieved by means of controlling the volume and speed” (Corrin, p. 5). Movement was to be introduced to rhythm as an expression of mood and aural training - to develop the habit of listening “intently and intelligently”. Although, in the official programme of singing, the use of staff notation was not obligatory until children had reached their third year in school, “it is strongly recommended that teachers shall make use of it from the beginning” (PRONI, ED/13/1/1447, pp. 1-7). There is no doubt that, given skilled and motivated teachers, Corrin’s methodology would have been very successful and would have continued to be very useful to all classroom music teachers across the years. His ability as music inspector was well exemplified in the Inspector’s ‘Suggestion Book’ for Lislea primary school in Kilrea when, on the 5th May 1937 he
wrote:
The intellectual side of the work is well developed – the pupils are thoughtful and self reliant ...in the songs let the guidance be sensitive and flexible, with every gesture of hand and face definitely expressive of some shade of meaning required by the mood of the song; this will at once be responded to by the pupils. In the junior class, make sure the tone is well resonated – a lifted soft palate is essential – the songs should be pitched fairly high. The response of both classes today was eager and immediate. The vitality in this respect was most encouraging (Suggestion Book for Lislea, PRONI, SCH956/5/3).
During the Second World War, NI’s government refused to make children’s evacuation from Belfast compulsory, and although Belfast Corporation had arranged evacuation for 2,400 children in 1940, many had returned to the city before the Belfast blitz on Easter Tuesday, 1941. Children evacuated to the country went to the homes of co-religionists, and were able to attend local schools. With the removal of the Ministry of Education (MoE) headquarters from Belfast to Portrush, only two inspectors and those in charge of youth welfare activities remained in Belfast (PRONI, MPS1/2/4). I found only one music inspection report during the war years: St. Mary’s Public Elementary (primary) school, Brookborough (1943), where it was reported that “The children sing pleasantly, but are not as skilful at other aspects of the work in music” (PRONI, SCH211/5/2).
Hadow’s (1926) report on ‘Education and the Adolescent’ had made proposals for the introduction of (secondary) ‘Modern’ schools to exist alongside grammar schools in England and Wales, ideals that were realised in England’s Education Act (1944) and the Northern Ireland’s Education Act (1947). Secondary Education was defined in NI as full-
time education for pupils from 11½ to 19 years. Apart from those who passed the 11+ Qualifying Examination (introduced in 1923) and progressed to grammar schools, all children would proceed to intermediate schools where the upper limit of leaving would be 15 years. The MoE indicated that pupils during their first two years in the
intermediate schools should have three forty-minute periods of music each week, but if the school wished to introduce elementary science or a modern language that could be changed (PRONI, Circular G/947/27: G1926). The MoE’s education report (1948-49) mentioned ten intermediate schools in operation and that, apart from three single-sex schools, they were co-educational. Curriculum provision across the schools was fluid but, in the case of the Belfast School for Girls, music was included as a general course for the first two years and then available as a more specialised option in the third year. The Report also mentioned a conference held by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Belfast to consider the use of school broadcasts in NI. These were highlighted as an educational aid “which affords children a wealth of information and imaginative experience not within the power of teachers to provide” (Ministry of Education Report, Chapter 6, p. 26, PRONI, BCT/7/5/5). By 1949 some of the new intermediate Schools had received detailed inspections. For example, a report on Coleraine Intermediate School made the following reference to music which was taught by two teachers. Although singing and sight-reading were identified as the main musical focus, it was noted that some boys were learning to play the recorder.
Good method of song teaching by use of a well-graded series of voice production exercises. Song material used is good ... some two-part work in senior forms ... more imaginative treatment of words would help pupils realise the spirit of the poem and the words of the song. Results are not so good in teaching sight reading ... a purely mechanical process. The dry bones of theory (should) become the living vehicle through which the pupil learns artistry, discrimination and musicianship. (Inspection Report on Coleraine Intermediate School, PRONI, ED/28/1/3)
A report on Mountcollier Intermediate School in Belfast, in the same year indicated differences in provision across schools:
... sound planning for a good all-round musical education with singing not the only activity, but in which musical appreciation, history and training also have their place ... the teacher needs to relate his own pace to the capabilities of his pupils. In sight-reading and aural training he is proceeding along sound modern lines; he is imaginative in his teaching of musical appreciation, but is greatly handicapped by the lack of a record player. (Inspection Report on Mountcollier Intermediate School, PRONI, ED/28/1/7)
Reports on grammar schools were sometimes less positive, as exemplified by the following inspector’s (1937) report on Cookstown Grammar School, where it was deemed that:
the Art of Music has been so completely regarded as being merely a science; it should not be overlooked that the artistic side is of still greater importance, for Music is first of all an Art. (Inspection Report on Cookstown Grammar High School, PRONI, ED/79/85)
And in Loreto Convent Grammar School (1947) one period of singing per week, as preparation for performance of Bach’s ‘Peasant Cantata’, was deemed “an admirable subject ... but it did not make up for the general deficiency of timetable provision. (Inspection Report on Loreto Grammar School, PRONI, ED/79/85). Also, although the teacher in Upper Sullivan Grammar School (1949) was deemed well qualified, it was suggested that “a well-graded course in voice-production exercises” should be introduced and that “a sight test should be sung; there is no point in analysing it
rhythmically and applying the Tonic Sol-fa names to the staff without finally singing the test” (Inspection Report on Upper Sullivan Grammar School, PRONI, ED/29/102). The grammar school reports appeared to highlight the issue of well-qualified grammar school teachers who lacked pedagogical skills. The issue was later addressed by a requirement, from 1968, for university graduates to complete a teacher-education year.
The all-Ireland framework of private instrumental tuition and inclusion of performance within the examination system was retained in NI by providing NI grammar school certificate examinations at Elementary, Junior and Senior levels. Although the examinations had core subject requirements, music was available as an option, most frequently taken by more girls than boys. In 1948, for example, the MoE reported 253 pupils passing the Junior Music certificate, with three failures, and 98 passes and four failures at Senior Certificate level. A shortage of teachers for music was addressed through provision of a summer school in Stranmillis College, Belfast (1949) for those primary school teachers who wished to qualify as teachers in intermediate schools.