Frank William Westhoff (1863–1938): A Music Education Leader of the Progressive Era

The purpose of this study was to examine the life and work of Frank William Westhoff (1863–1938), a leader in music education during the progressive era (circa 1890s–1950s). Research questions focused on his work as a music supervisor, teacher educator, pedagogue, and textbook author. I also explored Westhoff’s contributions to the profession and influence on music education. Westhoff was born in St. Charles County, Missouri, in 1863. He moved to Decatur, Illinois, in 1884, and in 1893 he began supervising music in the city’s public schools. From 1901 to 1935, Westhoff served as music instructor at ISNU, where he taught methods classes, directed ensembles, and supervised music in the local public schools. He died in Normal, Illinois, in 1938. Although Westhoff was not as prominent a figure in music education as those who led the field on a national level during his time, he played an important role in sustaining, perpetuating, and expanding school music on a regional basis throughout much of the progressive era. He was a founding member of Music Supervisors’ National Conference at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1907, and published numerous compositions and didactic materials, including a statewide curriculum that helped standardize music instruction in Illinois.

"Barbershops Encouraging Black Boys to Read"

This research project Involved interviewing Title I personnel in Charles County Public Schools and visiting six barbershop owners in Charles County Maryland who are a part of the Barbershop Books project. The visit to these barbershops included interviewing the owners of the barbershops as well as reviewing the books used in the project. These barbershops display a variety of books for young black boys to read while they are waiting to get their hair cut. These books are located on a small bookcase in the corner of the barbershops’ waiting area. The idea of books in the barbershops was to help improve reading skills for Black boys in elementary school. The project was purposed and funded by the Charles County Public Schools Title I Program. The literacy project began in August 2018. Mr. Alvin Irby, who is a former kindergarten teacher in New York City, is the founder of Barbershop Books.

Arbitration in America: The Early History

On June 29, 1789, Zephaniah Turner of Charles County, Maryland, wrote to President George Washington and observed:Our Laws are too Numerous. Is it not possible that an alteration might take place for the benefit of the public?…Could it not be possible to curtail the Number of Lawyers in the different States? Suppose each State was to have but Two Lawyers to be paid liberally…[and] where a real dispute subsisted between Plaintiff and Defendant a reference [to arbitration] should be proposed, and arbitrators [be] indifferently chosen by both parties…whose determination shall be final.