The Music Department of the University of Arkansas At Pine Bluff: Its Development and Role in Music Education in the State of Arkansas, 1873-1973.

The purpose of this study was to: (1) trace the development of the Music Department of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and (2) determine the effect of the Music Department on the development of music programs within the state and on the careers of the Music Department graduates. The study focuses on the philosophy and socio-economic conditions of the college as they affected the development of the Music Department; the prevailing factors in the state that contributed to its growth; and the role of the administration, faculty, students, community, and alumni in its development. Data for the study were obtained by research of historical documents, questionnaires, and personal interviews. The major findings of the research were that several factors contributed to the college's assumption of the responsibility for providing music programs for its Black citizens. (1) Prior to the Supreme court's 1954 decision (Brown vs. Board of Education), a dual system of education existed in the public schools in the state. (2) Because of segregation, Blacks were prohibited from attending the other state institutions of higher education offering training and degrees in music education. (3) There was a lack of teachers with proper training to initiate and direct music programs in the Black elementary and secondary schools in the state. (4) The majority of Blacks in the state who desired college training in music education were financially disadvantaged and unable to pursue this training outside the state. Issues regarding discriminatory practices in the allocation of funds to support Black institutions of higher education, the political impact of legislative decisions, and the effects of integration on Black music teachers in the public schools are discussed. The following conclusions were reached. First, the institution developed an awareness in Blacks of the cultural significance of music and the importance of providing musical experiences for their children in the elementary and secondary schools. Second, the number of graduates who developed music programs in the various public schools in the state is significant. Third, the institution provided an opportunity for many Black citizens of the state to become discriminate consumers of music.PhDMusic educationUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/158620/1/8204634.pd