Central High School - Brecky Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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isfen and Eye Helen Daz Amos Taylor Rutherford Day Christine Taylor John Diggins Betty MeCrahon S BEETHOVEN was writing his music in Vienna, Napoleon was conquering all of Europe. Yet Napoleon lived to see his empire topple like a house of cards, and Bee- thoven died when his work was just beginning to be appreciated. When Strauss had that same city dancing to his brilliant melodies, the House of Hapsburg reigned serenely over an empire second only to Russia in area and population among the nations of Europe. Today we know the tunes of Strauss by heart, but the Hapsburgr have disappeared, and Austria-Hungary is but a memory. Buildings are torn down and forgotten, treaties are broken before the ink is dry, nations rise and fall in the space of a decade, but the man who can write a tune that peor-ie will remember has created something which will defy time for- ever. ' Modern popular tunes die out in a short time because people quickly grow tired of their simple tunes and formulated lyrics. They are written for a commercial market-for money. But great music- classical music-is permanent, because it is made of the same stuff as laughter, tears, love, and heartbreak. Its composers have ex- perienced every human emotion and have ex- pressed each one in music of overwhelming sin- cerity and eloquence. Why is classical music not more generally liked? Nearly all of us have some respect or love for it. To begin with, the word classical is repellant. It sounds highbrow. Serious music is a better term, but not all good music is serious. Hayden's Surpnlre Symphony is humor- ous, and Dukas' Sorcerer? Apprentice is down- right hilarious. School music appreciation courses may also have something to do with this attitude. Dis- secting and analyzing works of art is all right for the scholar, but not for the listener seeking en- joyment. Formalized study makes a chore out of a pleasure, work out of relaxation. The text- books are misleading too. They tell us that Mozart and Beethoven were geniuses, the former always merry and cheerful, and the latter living a life of torment and frustration befitting a man of genius. The truth was that they both led humdrum lives, Mozart pestered by creditors, and Beethoven besieged by blood-sucking relatives. In their music they sought an escape. It is still an escape for all of us who lead humdrum lives today. Composers are human. Their music would not appeal to us if they were not. Today we are continually subjected to a barrage of popular music which is dinned into our ears from morning to night. As month succeeds month, the titles change, but the songs are always more or less alike. It has the effect of deadening our appetite. We have been stuffed with :i starchy swing diet for so long that, when a svm- phony program offers us a really square musical meal, it is too big for usg we are unable to ap- preciate or cope with it. So we keep on with starch. The chief appeal of popular music lies in rhythm, a primitive instinct found in everyone. its appreciation requires no particular concen- tration or mental strain. Drawings have been found in the caves of Cro-Magnon Man, repre- senting people dancing what appears to he the Charleston, proof that the feeling for rhvthm is as old as man himself. We can listen to iam with our ears, but not with our minds. Un- fortunately, or fortunately, this is not the case with good music. From the foregoing discussion we can draw the following conclusions. Classical music is not en- joyed by a great many people because it is made to seem too sacrosanct, or because they don't think they can afford the time and energy required for its proper enjoyment .... It has every artistic and emotional advantage on its side. Tx! Review I15l

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wing 's Khbzq Ed Solomon Jack Smith Robin Gould Jackie French WING is the music of today-the music of youth! Classical music was all right for the Eighteenth Century, as it reflected the emotion of its day, but it isn't typical of the Twentieth Century. The difference between classical music and the swing music is the differ- ence between such a gallant sailing vessel as The Flying Cloud and the modern, streamlined Queen Mary. They are as different as Anthony Adverse and S. S. Van Dine's fast-moving mystery stories. Swing, to be appreciated, should be carefully listened to, and studied. While it is primarily dance music, and excellent dance music at that, its wonderful variations and the technical prowess exhibited by the performers should not be lost while you recklessly throw a girl over your shoulder or lose all sense of time and place as you frantically clap your hands in time with the rhythm. Incidentally, when Glen Miller was on the stage of the Capitol Theater, a couple of months back, he was forced to stop playing his marvelous com- position, In The Mood, because the noise made by the cats in the audience disturbed the mem- bers of his band so much that they couldn't play. These show-offs didn't hear the phenomenal dynamics of Mr. Miller's arrangement and kept the people who appreciated the music from hear- ing it. These squares are the ones who should be made to suffer the monotony of a long sym- phony. There is, however, an increasing number of interested individuals who are striving to es- tablish real swing in its deserved position. On the other hand, swing brings to these people some of the better classical pieces done up in the way they like to hear them. My Reverie and Our Looe as classics were little known, but many people became acquainted with these works for THE Rnvnzw i141 the first time when they heard the swing version. The argument is advanced by some people that swing is monotonous, but by this statement they show their lack of knowledge and appreciation of this type of music. Compare Benny Goodman's record, I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, with his Iurnpin' At The Woodside, or Charlie Barnet's record, Cherokee with his arrangement of Love Grows on a White Oak Tree. No similarity may be found in any of these. A study of the styles of different bands will also bring out this variety. Another advantage of swing is the fact that the artist has a chance to express his own emotions through improvisation. To be good in this Field the musician must have a thorough foundation in classical music as well as in swing. He must bc able to play classical music as well as his selected type. Swing music is difficult to play. With the new rhythm has developed a new type of beat. For years, the notes have been hit on the down-beatg now, the up-beat is used. The technical ability required is tremendous. An entirely different technique is imperative in order to give the ar- rangements the proper deliverance. Furthermore, swing has a great deal of variation. Keys are changed in the middle of a piece. Compositions are shorter, and there is more syncopation. Summing this all up, progress has created a desire to get across new ideas in music. Con- sequently, a new style of conveying these ideas has been developed. Swing has a place in the field of music just as the waltz has. It is the newest of all music, and so it isn't so well known to those who were brought up with classical music. It is our belief that, if these persons would listen to swing without prejudice, they would come to the conclusion that it is grand music.

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.Med our rilzctioa HELEN Daz '40 HAKILY, and with doubt as to the outcome of the enterprise, yourinterviewer accepted the assignment of getting for this magazine any accessible- information about Central's digni- fied principal, who, we had heard from perhaps disreputahle but nevertheless convincing sources, had no sense of humor nor any pity for well-- meaning but scared students like ourselves. .lust as soon as one steps over the threshold of his office, however, one's fears are calmed. One finds that he is dignified, to be sure, but in a kindly, understanding way. and that he is one of those rare persons with a really subtle sense of humor, one which does not flashily show itself on the surface. 'When we had gathered our wits and were con- vinced by his sincere courtesy that there was nothing of which to be afraid. the interview proper was begun. XVe discovered that Mr. Hoover was born on a farm near Harrisville. VVest V irginia, where he spent his early childhood. He began teaching at the age of seventeen, when he received the tremendous salary of S25 a month for five months. Later on, in other elementary schools. he taught for seven terms: he continued his school work as principal of elementary schools for three years and as principal of the Grant District High School of Cairo, West V irginia, for three more. His higher education has been obtained from several colleges. l He was graduated from Marshall State Normal in Huntington. XV est V irycginia, and got the coveted Phi Beta Kappa key from the University .of VVest Virninia. He earned his Master's degree at George Wasliinqton University, after he came to VVashington to accept a position in the Department of Agriculture. His son. Lawrence G. Hoover, Ir., was once one of Central's prominent students. He was the sports editor of the Bulletin in i934 and was active in dramatics. He was also a member of the Arc. but his journalistic work was, and still is. his greatest interest: heis now editing the Prince Georges Post. He was graduated from Maryland University, where he was editor of the Diamond- I-crlr the college newspaper. Tas Rmviiav U61 Mr. Hoover's daughter, Muriel, who is now teaching at Paul Junior High School, was an as- sociate editor of the Bulletin, she graduated from Central in 1932 and will receive her Master's de- gree at the University of Wisconsin next year. When Mr. Hoover first came to Central, he was assigned to teach biology and chemistry. At the end of six years he became assistant principal. After seven years in that capacity, he was ap- pointed principal, in which position he has served for four years. 1 '- As is always true of a ,busy man, Mr. Hoover does not have very much time to devote to hobbies, but into his spare moments he manages to crowd reading of biography, history, and fiction, and a little gardening. . In answer to a question concerning his favorite type of work, Mr. Hoover admits that he enjoys classroom teaching, preferably biology, because he likes the personal contact with the students. The most distasteful part of his work as principal is disciplining unruly students. So. gentle readers, let us try to make his work as pleasant as possi- ble for him-and for ourselves! When our interview was over and we had time to look back upon it, we realized what a privilege had been granted us in this opportunity to meet. Mr. Hoover under such favorable circumstances. VVe know now that Central is under the supervi- sion of a man who understands us and our prob- lems., He made us feel that he is interested in the welfare of each and every student. We under- stood that he puts us Centralites on our own re- sponsibility, with as many privileges and as few restrictions as possible, because he hopes that we will thereby gain independence of thought and action. i A ' , We wish that all of Central's students might have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hoover, in order that they might be able to understand 'him as he understands them. Could they do so, we are sure they would join the members of THE REVIEW staff in wishing that he may have many more suc- cessful years as the principal of our fine old school.