
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 14, 1993                   TAG: 9311130068
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PUPILS NEED MORE ART, MUSIC INSTRUCTION

As parents of children attending Christiansburg Primary School, we are concerned about the reduction of art and music instruction in the primary and elementary schools in Montgomery County. According to the National Center for Education statistics, students who concentrated in the arts consistently score above the mean on the verbal and math sections of the SATs. A recent article from the Roanoke Times & World-News revealed that music stimulates neural activity and expands the ability to think, resulting in higher test scores. We encourage you to read this article.

The recommended standard for elementary art teachers is 1 to 350-450 students. The Montgomery County elementary average is 1 to 738. We need to increase the art and music teaching staff, not cut it back.

We recognize that economic constraints and budget reductions require difficult decisions. However, this area has a vast pool of untouched resources. Gov. Wilder enacted a bill providing eight hours of paid leave for all state employees to assist in the schools. This area is fortunate to have two major institutions of higher education as well as many other state agencies. A program similar to the United Way campaign could be implemented that would encourage state employees to use their paid school assistance leave time. The public schools would benefit if all state employees, not just those with school-age children, would participate.

We believe the future of our community rests with the education of our children and that we need to recognize the importance of art and music in the school curriculum.\ Curtis and\ Martha Mullen\ Stephen and\ Karla Plastek Christiansburg

by CNB