ation from several
choirmasters in agricultural districts, who have conquered the
difficulties of this task. First, I quote Mr. W. Critchley, choirmaster
and schoolmaster at Hurst, near Reading:--

"The rural choir-boy differs somewhat from his brethren of the town in
the following particulars. As a rule, he is duller, and slower in his
perception; he is attentive and docile, but sluggish; he retains what he
is taught, and therefore, as far as mere knowledge and memory are
concerned, it 'pays' to take him in hand. His voice is strong, but
rough, and this undisciplined strength is the cause of most of the
trouble he gives. Moreover, he is exposed to the weather very largely,
and this causes him to be more influenced by atmospheric changes than
the town boy, and prevents, in a great measure, any great delicacy of
finish from being obtained. So it will be seen that the country
choir-boy requires special treatment in order to produce good results.
Sometimes, when a village lies compactly together, a large amount of
work can be got through similar to that which we find in towns, but
generally the rural district is wide and scattered, and only a limited
number of practices can be secured. Under these circumstances, I have
found the best course to pursue to be somewhat as follows:--First and
foremost, let the Tonic Sol-fa system be taught, it lightens the work of
the choirmaster in a wonderful degree, and the boys bring an
intelligence to their work which is unattainable by any other means. If
the system has not been taught in the day school of the parish, it
should be introduced at once; if that is not practicable, the choir-boys
should be taught at a second practice-night. This second practice is
required in any case, if anything better than mere 'scratch' singing be
aimed at. _All_ practices should be begun by voice exercises. On the
extra night a greater amount of time should be taken up with them, for
to a country choir-boy, who perhaps in the day is shouting to scare
birds, they are vital. The lower register of a country boy is, as a
rule, coarse, so it is important to get him to use his higher register
as soon as possible. Show him first of all that he has, as it were, _two
voices_, and point out that he is required, as Mr. Evans observes, to
use that voice which is most like a girl's. He will be apt for some time
to use this voice in the upper notes of the music only, and there will
be a disagreeable transition to the