ROBERT FORESMAN
(?-c.1932)
Bibliography of Sources on This Member
Last known address: 205 Alexander Ave., Montclair, New Jersey
Primarily known as an editor of children's music books, Robert Foresman was an important member of the Music Supervisor's National Conference. He also developed a curriculum tool called the Foresman Educational Music Records, which was aimed at providing music instruction in rural areas where music supervisors would rarely be able to go. Margaret Streeter, an experienced music supervisor, said this about Foresman's records:
I have proven absolutely to my own satisfaction in my work with this and other classes, that Mr. Foresman's contribution to music in the schools of America is very great. This work, which dove-tails and correlates with any course of study or set of music books is invaluable to the musical as well as the unmusical teacher.
(MSNC proceedings, 1917)
Anecdotes from the Founders Breakfast at the 1928 Conference:
Frances E. Clark: "There was very much behind that pilgrimage to Keokuk that probably has never been voiced. It has been a difficult thing for those of us who were there and others of us who were in active work in those developing days of school music, after Tomlins had served his marvelous notice of possibilities of the child voice, after [Robert] Foresman and others had brought to us the new message of the value of the song; and we were struggling, all of us, those who happened to go to Keokuk, and many other who did not go, for better things. Music was an unorganized, incoherent thing; we had no voice anywhere. We were, as I have said once before, neither flesh, nor fowl, nor good red herring."
Stella Root: "…and Mr. Foresman was quarreling all the time he wasn't flirting with the girls. (Laughter) He quarreled with every one of us. Didn't he? He quarreled with everybody because we didn't, we wouldn't, or we couldn't see song first. Of course, something has happened since then. He was right and we were wrong!"
C. A. Fullerton (within a poem): "…One favorite pastime was to discuss Bob Foresman's psychology, One opponent, and Bob were caught at the job, One morning at half past three…"
Robert Foresman: "There are times when your past comes up before you and you wish you had lived a little differently. Now if I had known that what I did in Keokuk was to have been announced through this microphone I wouldn't have looked at a girl in there. (Laughter) I really was not flirting with them all; I was trying to tell them my point of view. (Laughter) If I had known that our good friend, Fullerton, (I am still his friend, at least I shall try to be) would use the word that has stuck to me, it sounded something like psychology, to rhyme with half-past three, I should never have thought of it or allowed it to be spoken at all. (Laughter and Applause)"
A Child's Book of Songs (98pp., c. 1928)
Songs of Pictures (140pp., c. 1937)
First Book ofSongs
Second Book of Songs (140pp., c. 1925)
Fifth Book of Songs.
This information was compiled by Brian Cardany.
If you have additional information about this member, please submit email to:
Brian.Cardany@asu.edu