ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609230008
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOSEPH H. KENNEDY
MEMBERS of the Roanoke Chapter, American Guild of Organists, would like to respond to the issue of competitive sports in Roanoke City middle schools. While we have no doubt that Jeff Artis and others supporting this idea have only the best interests of young people at heart, we believe their approach will not achieve the desired goals and indeed would be undesirable.
Sports activities within the school system should be intramural and should not involve injury-prone activities such as competitive football. Intramural sports can teach an important lesson: There is a value in playing simply because of the enjoyment of the game. Every experience in life doesn't come down to just winning or losing.
While not familiar with any particular studies Artis referred to in his Sept. 12 commentary, "Kids need team sports," we see from observing real life that competitive sports seldom "save" any children, and in many cases may do harm. Reality is that such sports do not by themselves build good character. Consider the current problems faced by colleges and universities such as Virginia Tech with improper, even violent, behavior of their players. This type of behavior isn't evident in any other single group within the educational community.
Competitive-sports programs tend to encourage aggressive play and behavior, and schools are often willing to overlook this and lower academic achievement to improve the team's point record. An example of harm is a local mother describing how she wished she had not allowed her son, now 20 years old, to play football in middle school and high school. He now suffers chronic pain from football injuries.
Another disadvantage of competitive teams is that a very small percentage of the student body can participate; it's a very exclusive activity. Artis states that competitive teams would be better because now there are "too many people on the team.''
We believe the role of public schools in physical activities for students should be physical education. This should include taking care of the body, especially while students are young and growing. It isn't wise to subject young muscles to punishing physical routines. The best examples of physical education would be activities the student can use throughout their life: swimming, folk or ballroom dance, etc.
We are firmly against competitive-sports programs in the schools because we believe school funds can be used in better ways to provide for the needs of students. A competitive-sports program, especially football, is very expensive and involves use of a large amount of funds for a small number of students.
In addition, there are other aspects of life that can provide the sense of cohesive school spirit Artis seems to seek. In his Sept. 10 letter to the editor (``Roanoke has its own `Mr. Holland`''), Rodney Hale writes about the Monroe Junior High School band. Those young people were able to build a strong school spirit around their award-winning band. The band provided such a supportive environment for those involved that 30 and 40 years later these students still meet annually. Ask graduates of Jefferson High School what their school was proud of, and you will hear about the choir that was known around the region for its fine concerts.
Participation in any of the fine arts can provide the experience of working as a team, and a fine ensemble can give an entire school something to be proud of and rally around. The band, orchestra, choir and drama and dance ensembles also can involve a large part of a school's student body. In contrast to competitive sports, anyone can participate in these activities.
At James Madison Middle School, more than 200 young people are involved in the band and string ensemble. They have intuitively understood the intrinsic personal benefit of music training. They do it for themselves as well as the group. They will tell you that they don't need a trophy case. Their sense of achievement and satisfaction comes from within. More students would discover this self-fulfillment if the fine arts were included as a significant, integral part of their education from the time they enter public school. As Artis said, it's important that young people "feel good about themselves." Participation in the arts can bring enrichment to life at any age.
While the arts themselves can provide great enjoyment, perhaps the most important consideration for educators is the effect of arts training on children's ability to learn in all other subjects. In Music of the Hemispheres, Discover magazine, October 1996, there are many interesting statements about the benefits of music training. Psychologist Mitch Waterman states that "music fulfills an essential ... biological role: It arouses our brains to a state of heightened readiness, in which we are better able to deal with our environment in general.''
Researchers report that young children who received voice and piano lessons performed 35 percent better on a standard test of mathematical reasoning skills than children who received no music training. Music can be used to enhance higher brain functions. Since music and language are both forms of communication, music study enhances language abilities. Addressing the importance of a supportive group, cognitive scientist Jamshed Bharucha states, "It would be hard to find a society today in which music ... does not serve to reinforce the identity and common interests of [a] group.''
Members of the American Guild of Organists are people who work with children regularly in music and drama programs as well as teaching private music lessons to children of all ages.
Joseph H. Kennedy is dean of the Roanoke Chapter, American Guild of Organists.
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