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Examination of the music opportunities available to students in the junior high schools of the early twentieth century lends historical perspective to current challenges facing middle level music educators. This article describes the specific music offerings at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from the school opening in 1923 to 1940, when financial challenges forced the reorganization of the music program. In many ways, the music curriculum at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis was exemplary of the music experiences found in other junior high schools. The required curriculum was based on the general music model of the elementary school and included music appreciation and a strong emphasis on the development of music reading skills. Extracurricular "clubs" provided performance opportunities for young adolescent musicians. Choruses focused on preparing large-scale productions such as operettas and musicals, while instrumental groups participated in contests and festivals. Performances for school assemblies and civic groups provide evidence of the importance of connections to the community for junior high schools. The formation of the Girls' Band at Lincoln in 1924 was unusual. In the absence of direct evidence, I postulate possible explanations for the founding of this unique ensemble. Keywords history, band, women's band, Minneapolis, junior high schoolAt the dawn of the twentieth century, American education began an evolution that included the formation of the junior high school movement. These early schools were highly experimental as educators, administrators, and theorists tried to determine the most effective ways of addressing the educational needs of young adolescents. Little is known about music program development in this era of experimentation. What kinds of music opportunities were available to young adolescents? Were there common practices among programs? Did schools develop unique features based on local needs or national trends? Examination of the early implementation of music curriculum in junior high schools lends historical perspective to current challenges facing middle level music educators.

Developing an effective string education system is the goal of educators and researchers alike. In order to do this educators need to be made aware of how students learn, what student attitudes affect learning and retention, and how effective programs address the many issues facing string educators. The purposes of this paper are to describe research related to the aptitude, attitude and achievement of individuals in string teaching/learning situations, to present research that describes interference to string learning such as injury, and to describe effective string programs both past and present. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section presents research related to string teaching while the second section focuses on string learners from preschool through adult. The third section describes both current and historical string programs.

As we enter the twenty-first century, middle-level music education (grades six through eight or nine) remains in turmoil regarding appropriate curricular offerings for young adolescents. Should music offerings be primarily performanceoriented? Should music be required of every student? What level of performance should be expected of young adolescents? How is musical experience balanced with the developmental needs of students? Are there musical experiences outside of large-group performance experiences that would attract more students to musical learning? As the profession struggles with these issues, it is important to look back at nearly a century of experience with middle-level education for models of excellence to determine the factors that contributed to their success.One such model was the operetta performance tradition at Ramsey Junior High School in Minneapolis, due in part to the large number of operettas presented, the commitment of two teachers to giving students abundant vocal performance opportunities at the junior high level, and the perceived success of the operetta performances by community members. Between 1932 and 1966, students at Ramsey presented more than sixty-seven operettas in addition to regular choral, oratorio, and cantata performances. The operettas were fullscale productions with lighting, scenery, and costumes, and in the early years it was not unusual for the students to present four operettas in one academic year. Quotes from the editorial staff of the student newspaper, the Ramsey Record, demonstrate the perceived quality of the operetta productions: "The operetta was very much liked by the students, teachers, and parents, and congratulations are given to all those who helped make the performance a splendid success." 1 "The success of the performance was evident as wave after wave of applause swept over the audience as the curtain closed." 2 This paper describes the development of the operetta performance tradition at Ramsey and examines the people and conditions that contributed to its success.