Osbourne G.
McConathy
MENC
President 1918-1919
Born January 15, 1875, Pitts Point, Kentucky,
Died 1947
Education:
Honorary
Doctor of Music, American Conservatory of Music, Chicago, 1937
Study
of harmony, composition, and conducting with Karl Schmidt, 1893-1899
Voice
and horn private instruction, Louisville 1892-1893
Work:
Executive
music editor, Silver Burdett summer school, Evanston, Illinois, 1925-1942
Director
of the public school music department, Northwestern University School of Music,
1913
Music
teacher, Central Colored High School, Louisville
Music
teacher, Commercial School, Louisville 1901
Music
teacher, Fifth Ward School, 1892
Assistant
supervisor of music, Louisville schools, 1893-1903
Supervisor,
New Trier Township High School, 1915-1917
Director,
Aeolian Company department of research, New York
Faculty
member, AINM, 1908-1913
Superintendent,
AINM, 1913-1919
Significant Publications:
Parker,
Horatio, Osbourne McConathy, Edward B. Birge, and W. Otto Meissner, eds.
The Progressive Music Series. New York: Silver Burdett Company, 1914-1927
Prepared
materials for publication by Oxford University Press, Carl Fischer, Oliver
Ditson Company, and C.C. Birchard and Company while working as executive music
editor for Silver Burdett. His major
works include four school music series, four large collections of choral music,
two collections of music for and and orchestra, three piano methods, a highs
school music theory book, a text for college methods courses, and an
unpublished biography of Luther Whiting Mason
Professional Accomplishments:
Chairman,
Public School Music Department, Northwestern
Superintendent
of the Silver Burdett summer school, Evanston, Illinois 1925
Secretary,
Kentucky Education Association, 1889
President,
Kentucky Education Association, 1902
Helped
make Northwestern University one of the first institutions to grant a
bachelor’s degree in music education
Associate
conductor, Chicago North Shore Music Festivals, 1914 -
Chairman,
Evanston War Council Committee, 1918
Osbourne
G. McConathy showed harsh judgment of the rote method. He disagreed with those
who only taught by rote. He was
Beattie’s predecessor as chairman of the Public School Music Department at
Northwestern. He assisted Luther
Whiting Mason with the National Summer School and then took over the leadership
role when Mason died in 1896. He was a
member of the Educational Council established in 1918. The council served as a “bran trust” to
respond to requests for information on music education. It gave the organization a means of
establishing direction and priorities beyond the interests of the presidents.
His community involvement was almost as extensive as his teaching
activities. School music teacher
intimately involved with the NTNA over the years. He held membership in the NEA for over fifteen years and served
three terms as its president. He held
membership on twenty-one different councils, commissions, and committees in the
MENC over a period of thirty-seven years.
He is the only person ever to be elected to the presidency of all three
national organizations. Moved from
being a rigid disciplinarian as a young man in Louisville to a follower of
Luther Whiting Mason’s approach. He
lead the profession in to progressivism.
“One of the most influential persons in music education during his
lifetime.”
Personal Biography:
Two
brothers, two sisters were taught to sing and read music at an early age by
their mother.
Quotes:
“our
children should be thoroughly taught the principles of music, and to such a
degree of perfection as to enable them to read of a piece of music with as much
ease and readiness as they would read a lesson in prose”
Mark,
Michael L., and Charles L. Gary. A
History of American Music Education, 2d
ed.
Reston, VA: MENC-The National Association for Music Education. (1999): 169
“Every
child should be educated in music in accordance with his capacities, at public
expense and his musical development should function in the life of the
community.”
Mark,
Michael L., and Charles L. Gary. A
History of American Music Education, 2d
ed.
Reston, VA: MENC-The National Association for Music Education. (1999): 235
Sources Used:
Birge,
Edward B. History of Public School Music
in the United States, new and expanded
ed.
Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1966.
Keene,
James A. A History of Music Education in
the United States. Hanover, NH:
University
Press of New England, 1982.
Platt,
Melvin Carlos, “Osbourne McConathy, American music educator.” Ph.D. diss.,
University of Michigan, 1971.
Mark,
Michael L., and Charles L. Gary. A
History of American Music Education, 2nd
ed.
Reston, VA: MENC-The National Association for Music Education, 1999.
For more information, consult the following source:
Arneson,
Jon. The Music Educators Journal
Cumulative Index 1914-1987. Stevens Point,
WI:
Index House, 1987.
Journal
of Proceedings/Yearbooks, Music Supervisors’ National Conference, 1910-1940
Papers
and Proceedings, Music Teachers National Association, 1908-1940.
School
Music Monthly, 1907-1932. Arneson, Jon. The
Music Educators Journal Cumulative Index 1914-1987. Stevens
Point,WI: Index House, 1987.
Submitted
by Rob Hunter, November 2002