Eurhythmies in the Special School
What is implied by the term “Eurhythmies”? It may seem an unnecessary question to ask at this time of day, but as there may be some to whom the subject is only a name, an attempt must be made to answer it. Yet when one is brought to the point a definition is hard to frame.
“Eurhythmies,” in the words of M. Jaques-Dalcroze himself, “is not a theory, but an experience.” It follows then that the method can be discussed profitably, only after one has had personal experience of its effects on mind and body.
This is not the occasion to deal with the history of the subject; rather would we try to realise the principles underlying it. The whole system then is based on the belief that “children learn words and music with much greater ease and pleasure when these are accompanied by movements of the body.
In the first instance, Dalcroze Eurhythmies forms essentially a musical training, the aim of which is to make the child experience music with his whole body, and so render it easier for him to understand, express and interpret. The exercises given to attain this end progress in intricacy until extremely complicated movements are carried out, but for the ordinary school child only the elementary stages need be considered.
In brief, it may be said that the arms are used to indicate time, while the actual notes, their length, grouping, etc., are shown by movements of the feet. In the Physically Defective Departments of our schools the exercises must necessarily be limited, and adapted to meet the individual conditions of the children, but experience with pupils of this class, handicapped in many cases very severely, ‘ias convinced us thoroughly of the soundness of the principles, from the standpoint of musical training.
The Transition from Sol-fa to Staff Notation is much more easily accomplished after the elements of Dalcroze Eurhythmies have been mastered than could otherwise have been the case.
“But,” say the teachers of the Mentally Defective Classes, “what bearing has all this on our work ? The theory of music is beyond the scope of our pupils.’’ Quite so, but for those, specially, who are tackling the problem of the mentally defective, the ill-balanced and unstable, we believe much help may be found in this subject.
Reference has been made to the use of the body for the expression of rhythmic feeling. “This use of the body as an instrument obliges us to cultivate it by giving exercises in physical technique, exercises to obtain more co-ordination between the brain and the body; and to develop self-control and the power of concentration.’’
Are not these exactly the objects of much of our training of the mentally defective? Improvement of carriage, co-ordination of mind and muscle, and development of self-control form the basis of our methods; when, in addition, we consider the tremendous appeal of music to these ‘ ‘more feebly gifted’’ little ones, it appears as if, in this subject, Eurhythmies, a means has been provided whereby to some extent these ends might be realised.
In it we have the necessary outlet for the physical energy of the child, while at the same time, by giving scope for the expression of his rhythmic instinct the whole equilibrium is improved. Every teacher of the mentally defective child will agree that in many cases there is an impression of something being out of gear, of a want of harmony in the processes. In cases like these we have found the undoubted power of Eurhythmies to soothe and restrain.
But the value of Eurthyhmics in the training of the backward or defective child is much greater than that. From the outset, even the simplest exercises demand the attention of the pupil; the sense of hearing is developed; memory is trained; the powers of concentration and self-control are increased.
Can it be proved that the system accomplishes what its exponents claim? We believe so. Even in our limited experience we have fully satisfied ourselves not only of the appeal but of the benefit of Eurhythmies to mentally defective children. The waking and working of mind and will can almost be followed in the more erect bearing, the listening ear and the concentrated attention.
Fortunately from the experience of others, more tangible results of these exercises have been obtained. In one school where the value of Eurhythmies was questioned, a certain group of children was taken and divided into two sections. So far as such a result could be arrived at, these sections were equal in attainment and in possibility. Only to one Section (A) were regular rhythmic exercises given, the training of the two sections being in all other respects identical. At the end of the time devoted to the experiment, it was found that a large proportion of Section (A) had improved so much in mental power that they were transferred to the ordinary school. The criticism that, “in that case they were not really mentally defective children,’’ is met with the answer that they had been placed in a Special Class for mentally backward children, and the important point is that, after, and presumably as a result of, this training the powers of attention and concentration were so developed that the whole efficiency of the children had increased to such an extent as to justify their being classed with normal children.
The children with whom we have dealt belong unquestionably to the mentally defective class, but with them too have been attained the results claimed, and most certainly, among the high grade children, improvement in attainments in the literary subjects.
One of the great obstacles to the introduction of Eurhythmies into the curriculum of some of our schools is the want of suitable accommodation. Obviously this renders the work more limited as well as often more difficult, but with very restricted floor space, and even in desks, much useful training can be accomplished .
Inability to play the piano, again, discourages some teachers who otherwise are favourable to the subject for their classes, but this difficulty also can be surmounted. With the most elementary knowledge of the piano, or with nothing more than hand-clapping, singing, or the use of a triangle, many of the exericses can be successfully performed.
Want of time, an overburdened day, also militate against any additional demands, but when it is remembered that in Eurhythmies is found something of the music lesson, of physical culture and of dancing movement, it will surely be possible without undue sacrifice, to secure for the new subject a place on the TimeTab les of our Special Schools. M. A. Williamson.
In connection with the above article we should like to quote the following passages taken from the letter of a correspondent on the subject (Miss Marion Harrison, of Brighton):? “As regards defectives, I have had two distinct successes G aged six, could not balance her body, nor had she sufficient mental and muscular control to execute any given movement however simple. In a month’s time she could step a rhythmic pattern?not the easiest of patterns either. I merely held the tips of the fingers of one of her hands to assure her that she would not be allowed to fall down and we stepped it perfectly to music. During her first lessons this child was such a dead weight on me that at the end of less than ten minutes I was wet with the effort.
The other child was a very low-grade M.D. I reached her through teaching her governess. She in turn taught this girl of 21. The governess writes that of all the subjects taught and outlined specially for N , the ‘piano work’ makes the best appeal. By ‘piano work’ she means Rhythm. I may add that in both these cases the children had to begin on their fingers. G began in bed.’’
Another correspondent (Miss E. G. Williams, The Manor, Epsom) writes as follows: In reply to your request in the July number of “Studies in Mental Inefficiency,” I thought your readers might be interested to hear of an experiment carried out in an L.C.C. School for elder M .D. girls. By the courtesy of the Head Mistress I was allowed to experiment with a class of girls, and as a result was convinced that very valuable help can be given to this type of child through the medium of Eurhythmies. We all know how the mentally defective child almost invariably responds in greater or less degree to music, how order can be brought out of chaos, and how apathy can be turned to joy. In the Dalcroze method we have a system of musical training ready to lead the child from where he is musically into a larger experience. The little low grade child may not get very far, but my experience taught me that the high grade girl was able to go much farther than one dreamt possible.
In the early days of our experiment the girls had a short lesson each morning. At first they were clumsy, their movements awkward, and they showed little capacity for careful attention. After the first few lessons when the music got hold of them, their movements became much more graceful and they were able to detect differences in time, marking the accents and beating the various bar times?up to 6/8?with their arms. To rhythm they readily responded and developed sufficient co-ordination and self-control to beat the bar time with their arms while interpreting rhythm with their feet. They were able to read rhythms from the black-board, having previously realised the various note values. Some of the girls after a time were able to make their own rhythms. The great majority of the girls performed simple inhibition exercises and a few had commenced to work in canon.
The general effect upon the girls was marked in many ways. The greater freedom gained helped the girls to forget themselves and caused relaxation of the tenseness which one senses in the mental defective. The girls began to speak more clearly and to show greater confidence and i nitiative. These girls, with their limited capacities can never become musicians in the ordinary sense, but their lives will be fuller and they will be able to listen to and to feel the music they hear, intelligently.
In other parts of our teaching we work on the principle that the mentally defective must learn by doing. In eurhythmies we present music to him in such a way that it becomes a part of himself. In order to carry out the work successfully it is necessary, of course, that the teacher should have had some training in Eurhythmies. She must have felt herself what she wishes the children to feel. Unless she is a very expert pianist and able to improvise readily, it is advisable that the teacher during the early stages at least, should have the help of a sympathetic and reliable pianist. The teacher, with this type of child, would find it advisable at first to watch and suggest until the preliminary difficulties are mastered. It pays to go slowly in the first stages.
When we discarded boots and stockings and worked in bare feet the girls were much happier. We felt that if we had had control of their clothing, they would have been happier still. I might add that the course I followed was the one from Miss Houghton’s book which is sold to Dalcroze students who have had at least two terms under a fully qualified Dalcroze Eurhythmies teacher.
I hope this short account of one experiment will tempt others to use this method of approach to the soul of the defective child.”
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