The first elements of formal musical training should be devoted to speech. Ideally this would come most effectively through the child's opportunity for hearing and imitating the beautiful sounds and speech of those around him. Even if the mother and other associates cannot set the model for the child, they can do a great deal to further musical development by showing their appreciation of the instinctive outcroppings of the musical qualities of the child's speech. During the first six years there should be no formal musical instruction; but, by the end of that period, the musical child should have gradually acquired a sense of appreciation for musical sounds, pleasure in self-expression in musical intonations, confidence in his ability to compose a tune, some proficiency in singing and good speech, and some degree of satisfaction in free playing with an instrument. The principles here developed for early childhood have profound implications for later musical education. Let the emphasis lie upon the broadness of the meaning of music to the child, upon the child's learning by doing, at his natural level of successful achievement, and upon the utilization of natural motivation in place of formal instruction. THOUGHT REVIEW[C] General Principles (1) Musical activity is always a form of play. (2) To be musical the child must be musical in response to his environment. (3) To the child noise is musical. (4) Musical education for the preschool child comes most effectively through formal education toward beautiful speech. (5) Musical education should begin in infancy by giving the child a musical environment suitable to elicit his response. Do the above statements by the author modify your own theories in regard to the musical education of your children? Questions to Consider (1) What may we be doing when we say to our husky two-year-old, "Oh, Johnny, don't make so much noise?" (2) Why is it that children so quickly lose their lovely childish intonations and inflections? (3) How does Doctor Seashore endeavor to help us recognize music in our children? (4) In our efforts to develop musical ability and response in the child, what errors do we, as adults, commit? (5) Is it ever too late for adults to cultivate a beautiful speaking voice? (6) Do you agree with Doctor Seashore that "genuinely beautiful speech is a revelation of beautiful character"? (7) What methods are you using with your young child to elicit musical responses? Are they in accord with Doctor Seashore's advice? (8) Do you think that the radio is helping to encourage musical speech? (9) What practical steps can the adults in the family take toward improving their own influence upon the child's musical development? Discuss These True Situations