Social Studies

Oh Say, Can You See?

March 22, 2005 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Americans are going to get a refresher course on the lyrics and importance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” courtesy of the nation’s music teachers.

The National Association for Music Education kicked off its campaign, the National Anthem Project, on March 10. In addition to teaching the words and history of the anthem, the project aims to raise awareness about the importance of music education in schools.

A recent Harris Interactive survey suggests there’s work to be done. Two out of three Americans said they don’t know the anthem’s lyrics. Another poll, conducted by ABC News, found that 38 percent of teenagers didn’t know the title of the anthem, and that fewer than 35 percent could name the author of its lyrics.

Despite learning the national anthem at school and hearing it at baseball games, students are becoming less familiar with it and traditional American folk songs, according to a study by Marilyn Ward, a professor of music education at the University of Florida in Gainesville. After two years of research, Ms. Ward concluded that students need to learn such age-old songs as “Bingo” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” to develop empathy for others and feel they are a part of the larger American society.

To begin the national tutorial on the anthem, hundreds of schoolchildren sang the anthem in a live performance on Capitol Hill on March 10.

First lady Laura Bush is the project’s honorary chairwoman. Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. serves as its national executive chairman. Musicians who have lent their support include gospel singer CeCe Winans.

Gov. Ehrlich signed on with the project to highlight his state’s role in the birth of the anthem, said Shareese DeLeaver, his spokeswoman. Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the song in 1814 at the Battle of Baltimore, when he saw that the U.S. flag had not fallen when the British bombarded Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

The music teachers’ association still has to persuade the governor to lead the country in a planned nationwide singing of the anthem.

“He was a little bit hesitant,” Ms. DeLeaver said. “He was sold on every other aspect except ‘I’m gonna have to sing?’ ”

The multiyear effort will include education initiatives in schools, special performances and alliances with professional sports teams, and an extensive mobile marketing tour.

The National Association for Music Education, based in Reston, Va., has some 120,000 members.

Related Tags:

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Social Studies Florida Is Latest State to Require Teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander History
Advocacy groups and individuals question how AAPI history will be taught in Florida schools given the state's current political environment.
5 min read
Image of the word history behind torn paper.
Canva
Social Studies Florida Rejects Social Studies Textbooks, Requests Edits for Others. What You Need to Know
Florida's education department rejected more than 30 books for social studies instruction, highlighting a new challenge for publishers.
9 min read
Image of a textbook and a magnifying glass.
<a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/search/photographer?photographer=Bet_Noire">Bet_Noire</a>/iStock/Getty
Social Studies Florida Wanted Changes to Social Studies Books. Here's a Sample of the Revisions
Textbook publishers found themselves with new, confusing specifications to follow in Florida.
1 min read
Photo of stacked school textbooks with no symbol over them.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Social Studies Latino History Is U.S. History. High School Textbooks Neglect It
Including Latino history is an issue of representation, but also about "filling a gap of foundational knowledge,” a report concludes.
8 min read
Image of a stack of books.
iStock/Getty