The Progressive Movement in Public Music Education: Influences on the turn of the 21 51 century

The Progressive movement in the United States from 1900 to the late
1940s was an attack on problems that plagued American life. One of the problems
faced by Progressives was in the area of education. Progressives targeted specific
areas in the curriculum including music education, especially because of its ability
to be directly used as a tool for amelioration. The main actions taken in music
education developed as a result of Progressive philosophies were: creating a
child-centered curriculum, testing according to the way adults' process
information, formulating a concept of music for life, affording equality of
educational opportunity, and formalizing the music education program. This study
discusses both positive and negative ways the reforms instituted during the
Progressive era influence the state of music in the public schools during the
twenty-first century.