Miscellaneous Papers: Research in the United States

As A HlSTORlAN rather than an experimental scientist, I can justify my taking part in this seminar only on the basis of my editorship of the Journal of Research in Music Education since its founding in 1953 by the Mtlsic Educators National Conference. From the very beginning it has been the stated and implemented practice of this journal to publish all research reports sent to us whether they dealt with philosophical, historical or scientific matters (saving only that we expect all articles to represent reasonable standards of internal logic, literary style, and the like). It may be of some interest that of the 107 articles published in JRME from 1953 through 1962, 26 reported experimental studies or were critiques of experimental studies, 24 articles reported quantitative studies of current status, 36 dealt with various aspects of the history of music education, and 18 articles may be characterized as philosophical in nature. A few of the latter actually dealt with scientific problems. Thus, about half the articles during that period were scientific in nature while the remainder were historical or philosophical. However, beginning in 1963 a change can be noted. The large preponderance of our articles now report scientific rather than historical investigations. Although we still receive a reasonable number of competent historical studies, it is obvious that researchers in music education have begun to dedicate themselves to the scientific investigation of our problems. This development is probably a good one, but it is not a development that brings music educators into closer accord with the profession of music in general, nor is it development that does not present certain peculiar problems having to do with the preparation of music teachers and of the professors in universities who will prepare music teachers. There are hundreds of institutions of higher learning in the United States that prepare music teachers for elementary and secondary schools. There are at least 33 of these institutions recognized by the National Association of Schools of Music as qualified to gtant doctoral degrees in music. Since professorships in music education in the United States are