National Guild of Community Music Schools

Founded in 1937, the guild consists of local music schools that provide music education, cultural assistance to social welfare agencies, and musical activities for therapeutic purposes.

Settlement houses, in particular the National Federation of Settlements (NFS) and its member houses, often promoted appreciation of the arts and encouraged participation in cultural activities. This effort frequently took the form of a settlement music school, which would offer instruction on the social, recreational, and professional levels. The Great Depression and the consequent infusion of New Deal programs in the area of settlement and community schools created tensions within the Music Division of the National Federation of Settlements over the issue of quality in musical education. Feeling that there was no longer a specific place in settlement music for the more specialized and highly developed music schools and centers, several leading schools withdrew from the federation and, in 1937, founded the National Guild of Community Music Schools.

Despite the fact that the National Guild of Community Music Schools was formed by separating from the National Federation of Settlements, a close tie remained between the two organizations. Guild schools drifted in and out of the Federation and music educators participated in the activities of both organizations, sometimes simultaneously. The goals of placing music study within the reach of all and maintaining a balance between professional and recreational music study also continued to be shared by both.

From its inception, the Guild replaced the Music Division of the NFS as the major coordinator of approximately thirty community schools throughout the country. The Guild developed strict membership requirements and offered member schools a curriculum of comprehensive courses from preparatory to advanced levels. It published a news bulletin, Guild Notes, that reported member activities and sponsored annual conferences featuring roundtable discussions by leaders from music, education, and social welfare.

The Guild was administered by a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer. These officers, all of whom were unsalaried during the period documented by these records, met in executive session four times a year and were assisted in their operations by an advisory council of distinguished musicians and community leaders. Member schools were nonprofit, autonomous organizations, supported by income from tuition, contributions, endowments, grants, and parent-student associations. They offered music lessons and classes in addition to joining with city-wide and neighborhood organizations to coordinate musical activities and provide cultural centers. While equipped to develop the individual student to the professional level, the musical needs of the non-professional student were stressed. Extra-curricular courses and activities-such as chorus, orchestra, chamber music, opera workshops, music appreciation classes, and lectures-were offered. Student and faculty recitals and concerts were a regular part of school programs.

The Guild continues to operate as the National Guild for Community Arts Education .

Note: An in-depth discussion of the circumstances surrounding the Guild's formation may be found in: Cords, Nicholas J. "Music in social settlement and community music schools, 1893-1939: a democratic-esthetic approach to music culture." A copy is available in the Social Welfare History Archives.