The Fascination of the Note-Book

By MAUDE BURBANK

ONE of the most valuable aids to the teaching of children is to be found in the lesson note-book. Children often derive the greatest satisfaction from copying definitions and examples of musical notation, signatures, tempo signs, expression marks and phrases, and similar details.

The note-book can become even more valuable if a little of the spirit of competition is engendered, and it becomes a matter of importance that Mary's note-book is more interesting than Jennie's this week, and that Johnnie's is still neatest.

As the lessons progress the note-book becomes an interesting individual expression of the child's personality. This is especially so when the children are encouraged to put other things than dry technical facts in their books. Technical matter can be written on one side of the page, while the opposite page may be reserved for a picture and interesting material regarding the composer of the piece being studied. The note-books will, of course, vary with the pupil, but the following outline may prove useful: