Campaign to reteach national anthem kicks off today
Has the national anthem become an unfamiliar tune to many
Americans even as calls for patriotism bellow from Washington?
A recent survey by Harris Interactive shows that two out
of three Americans can't recite all the words to the Star-Spangled Banner, arguably the world's most famous anthem.
Now a group of music educators has launched a campaign to
reteach the anthem throughout schools across the United States. Called the National Anthem Project, the nonprofit group plans
to host contests for students and parents to see who can sing the anthem, written by Francis Scott Key. Singing begins at
a pregame event at today's FedEx Orange Bowl followed by an inaugural ceremony on Wednesday.
''The numbers are embarrassing, but it shows you what happens
when you don't have a strong music program,'' says John Mahlmann, head of the National Association for Music Education. ''People
usually learn the anthem in music class.'' Mahlmann has seen music classes gradually fade from the academic radar as the push
for standardized testing places emphasis on such core subjects as math and science. ''We've seen music pushed out of the curriculum,
but it doesn't have to be; it doesn't have to be either or,'' he said. According to the association for music education, fewer
than half of U.S. students get adequate music education. In fact, 58 percent of those who responded correctly in reciting
lines from the national anthem had at least five years of music instruction.
Hoping to foster a revival in music education, Mahlmann and
his group decided upon the national anthem as a catalyst because of its symbolic importance to American heritage.
