[Footnote 251:  It is hardly necessary to recall the unfortunate statute of 15 March, 1850, which says:  “Primary instruction may comprise singing.”]

[Footnote 252:  By the decree of 4 August, 1905.  At the same time, a programme and pedagogic instructions were issued.  The importance of musical dictation and the usefulness of the Galin methods for beginners were urged.  Let us hope that the State will decide officially to support M. Buchor’s endeavours, and that it will gradually introduce into schools M. Jacques-Delacroze’s methods of rhythmic gymnastics, which have produced such astonishing results in Switzerland.]

[Footnote 253:  M. Chaumie’s suggestion.  See the Revue Musicale, 15 July, 1903.]

In 1904, following the suggestions of M. Saint-Saens and M. Bourgault-Ducoudray, class-singing was incorporated with other subjects in the programme of teaching,[254] and a free school of choral singing was started in Paris under the honorary chairmanship of M. Henry Marcel, director of the Beaux-Arts, and under the direction of M. Radiguer.  Quite lately a choral society for young school-girls has been formed, with the Vice-Provost as president and a membership of from six to seven hundred young girls, who since 1906 have given an annual concert under the direction of M. Gabriel Pierne.  And lastly, at the end of 1907, an association of professors was started to undertake the teaching of music in the institutions of public instruction; its chairman was the Inspector-General, M. Gilles, and its honorary presidents were M. Liard and M. Saint-Saens.  Its object is to aid the progress of musical instruction by establishing a centre to promote friendly relations among professors of music; by centralising their interests and studies; by organising a circulating library of music and a periodical magazine in which questions relating to music may be discussed; by establishing communication between French professors and foreign professors; and by seeking to bring together professors of music and professors in other branches of public teaching.

[Footnote 254:  Revue Musicale, December 15, 1903, and 1 and 15 January, 1904.]

All this is not much, and we are yet terribly behindhand, especially as regards secondary teaching, which is considered less important than primary teaching.[255] But we are scrambling out of an abyss of ignorance, and it is something to have the desire to get out of it.  We must remember that Germany has not always been in its present plethoric state of musical prosperity.  The great choral societies only date from the end of the eighteenth century.  Germany in the time of Bach was poor—­if not poorer—­in means for performing choral works than France to-day.  Bach’s only executants were his pupils at the Thomasschule at Leipzig, of which barely a score knew how to sing.[256] And now these people gather together for the great Maennergesangsfeste (choral festivals) and the Musikfeste (music festivals) of Imperial Germany.