Satterfield 1

Lukas Satterfield

Nikki Bliss-Carol

ENG 112

7/9/19

Regaining the Arts: A World Struggle

Music. This one word is so powerful. Music can have an undeniably positive effect on

almost all aspects of human life. Anyone involved in music will say nothing but positive things

about their experience from their beginner days to their mastery level. Music can be quite an

enjoyable hobby. As shown by many studies, Arts programs improve the minds of our youth in

many ways. These benefits can be confidence, creativity, and academics. However, some

governments harbor the opinion that there are a lot of better things to pour government money in

to and cost less. Music is undoubtedly improving the lives of children as well as adults day in

and day out.

Our arts programs provide the youth with many benefits that include things like math,

science, history, motor skills, understanding and mental quickness. (Vitale) There have been

multiple music studies to link music to an enhanced life in plenty of ways. It has been well

documented that music can create a huge change in emotions, bring back an old memory, and

even enhance the speed in which our children can grasp new information. (Vitale) Most

importantly, music has many long-lasting intellectual effects. Music all around gives everyone an

opportunity to better themselves in many important aspects of life. Without these programs,

students’ growth and emotional well-being could take a toll. (Kuzki) The understanding of the

unified language of music could become just another piece of overlooked history.
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To prevent this, the board should make it mandatory for schools to have a music program to offer

their well deserving and hardworking students.

“Music has been proven to increase the IQ of children who get a head start.” (Chapman)

This can be one of the most exciting areas of music research. In fact, this point alone emphasizes

the need for music programs in elementary schools. Unfortunately, some of the governments

today never see the true value of these programs. There are some that are talking about not

giving grants for arts programs and then there are some that have already gone along with the

process of killing them off. Although this should be a nonpartisan decision, it seems a lot of the

conservative parties around the world are the ones that are adopting this idea. "The cuts are

largely driven by an ideology to shrink the federal government and decentralize power. The

Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, argues that government should not use its

“coercive power of taxation” to fund arts and humanities programs that are neither “necessary

nor prudent.” The federal government, in other words, has no business supporting culture.”

(Knochel) Although this point makes it seem as if they are defunding just national museums and

things, a cut in this funding would also mean the money in the federal reserve for arts would be

cut so no money would be given to public schools to support their recreational and historical arts

programs. In Canada, they were faced with a similar situation that could be presented to the U.S.

“For the most part, they fail to recognize the research which supports music as a necessary core

subject. In so doing, education fails to address the broad concept of a culture which includes

music - a culture which is supposed to be the core, the basis, of an all-encompassing education

system. Although research supports the values of music in education, it alone will have little

impact on Canadian education.” (Hills) This quote from an article gives America a little taste of

what it would feel like to have a country with no arts programs. It gives just an example of how
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lifeless a town, city, or even a state could be with no community or school arts programs at any

sort of level. Even if it is taken for granted, the world without any sort of arts programs would

feel like an empty and lifeless atmosphere. There are schools that also agree with this proposition

but for different reasons than the government advocates. In a book written by Ryan D. Shaw

from a Michigan State research facility he states, “There are many other academic classes we can

pour school funding into rather than what some students abuse as a free class” (Shaw) Shaw

wasn’t the first person to come up with this idea, this is something that some schools across all of

America feel and believe is true. The main argument to be found within schools that want to

defund arts programs is that they would rather put their money towards athletic programs or

more rigorous academic courses. Some schools today just don’t think that societies youth can

succeed through a music program like they do athletics or rigorous academics. On the contrary,

there are also schools that do not agree with this thinking. These schools have done their research

and are doing anything they can to keep their programs alive. For example, John L.Vitale, a

worker in the school system himself, composed an article on everything music can do for our

youth. “Musical instruction influences a child's perceptual and literacy skills, numeracy,

intellectual development, general attainment, and creativity. Similarly, Schellenberg (2006,

2004) found that IQ can be associated positively with musical instruction.” (Vitale) He then goes

on to elaborate with different sources of research to support the claim that music can be just as

rewarding as another academic class to a child’s brain. Music can also be a very fun recreational

activity so children wouldn’t have another academic class to be stressed out about if they had

some sort of arts class in that spot.

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Aside from the benefits to the IQ and mental health, there is another case to be made for

the music programs in our schools. There are many great things to get out of a program like this

whether it be an inspiration for a new career, lifelong bonds, and the feeling of accomplishment

that comes with the talent of being able to process music and perform it in front of many. Many

music students will speak from experience on this side of the argument and explain the deep

sentiment that grows within the program as they grow with it. "High-quality, sequential arts

education does more than help develop a sustained interest in the arts," asserts Moy Eng, director

of the performing arts division at the Hewlett Foundation. "It fosters the ability of our students to

think in new and creative ways." (Lafee) Expanding on the career inspiration that comes from

these programs, Lafee’s excerpt demonstrates the inspiration it can give students.

Now, it is society's job to -ensure that we have music classes available for all the

passionate or curious students wanting to pursue their dreams. Even if it is not for the kids with a

dream, it can be for the enhanced test taking, motor, science, math, and comprehension skills that

can better the minds of our youth. Everyone should try to do their part and write letters to school

boards and local government officials urging them to create and fund more musical education

programs. It is also important to vote in officials that back this issue. A student's future success

-can come down to each letter that a caring person in our society may write. The world is

obviously losing its taste for art, and putting it back into schools nationwide is the first step to a

world bustling with unique creations for any genre of art.

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Works Cited

Chapman, S. (2015). Arts immersion for music teachers: How to widen the path without

losing the plot. Australian Journal of Music Education, (3), 26-36. Retrieved from

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/178857

0756?accountid=10163

Emily-Jane, Hills O. "A Place for Music: The Importance of Music Education in the

Public School System (Elementary Grades 1-6)." The Canadian Music Educator, vol. 48,

no. 4, 2007, pp. 38-41. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/231187

83?accountid=10163.
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Kuzik, Adam. "Do we Need Music in our Schools?" ATA Magazine,

vol. 90, no. 3, 2010, pp. 18-19. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2314706

22?accountid=10163.

Knochel, Aaron D. "Why do Conservatives Want the Government to Defund the

Arts?" University Wire, Feb 05, 2017. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1865210

954?accountid=10163.

LaFee, S. (2008, 09). ART SMARTS: Lessons learned about investing in a well-rounded

education. The Education Digest, 74, 42-46. Retrieved from

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2181933

05?accountid=10163

Leong, Melissa. "National Gallery Cuts Arts Programs." National Post, May 19,

2010. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/3114717

85?accountid=10163.
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Shaw, Ryan D. The Vulnerability of Urban Elementary School Arts Programs: A

Case Study, Michigan State University, Ann Arbor, 2015. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1713682

548?accountid=10163.

Vitale, John L. "Music Makes You Smarter: A New Paradigm for Music Education?

Perceptions and Perspectives from Four Groups of Elementary Education

Stakeholders." Canadian Journal of Education, vol. 34, no. 3, 2011, pp. 317-343.

ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/loginurl=https://search.proquest.com/docview/9032025

77?accountid=10163.