Another influential factor in the spread of choral culture was the wandering choirs, or _currendi_. The ancient custom of pupils from the monastic schools going about town on certain festival days and singing for alms was utilized in the Reformation period for the twofold purpose of spreading the new doctrines and strengthening the popular love of sacred song. The members of these _currendi_ belonged to the lower grades of the parochial and cathedral schools, and to them was assigned the duty of singing choral responses and chorales in the service. On week-days they passed from house to house singing canticles, and soon became so much of a public institution that their services were in demand, at a small fee, for all sorts of home and semi-religious occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, and baptisms. The older members of the choirs were recruited in the higher or Latin schools from the _alumni_ or boys who were given a home in the school buildings and who in return obligated themselves to serve in the church choir and church orchestra. They received the best vocal and instrumental instruction and were therefore well equipped to perform the florid and difficult music of the polyphonic masters. The interest of these choristers in choral music continued after their connection with the choirs as _alumni_ and _currendani_ (members of the _currendi_) had ceased, and, as students in seminaries and universities or as plain citizens, they exerted a wide influence on choral music either by individually supplementing the local choirs or by establishing choruses which were independent of the churches but which were used to augment the choirs on important church festivals. III