Sterrie A. Weaver (1853–1904): His Influence on American Music Education at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Sterrie Weaver is an important music educator from the turn of the twentieth century. He was significant as a teacher of children and a teacher of teachers. Writing about Weaver in 1928, the prominent music educator Edward Bailey Birge said, There stands out with striking distinctness from among his contemporaries of this epoch the figure of Sterrie A. Weaver of Westfield, Massachusetts. Like the prophet Elijah of old, he suddenly appeared on the scene of school music, delivered his message, completed his work, and as suddenly departed. Birge went on to say, influence upon school music was healthy and invigorating ... and he tirelessly urged the supervisors of the country, through his summer school, public addresses and written articles to take a scientific approach toward their work.... Mr. Weaver may be called our first exponent of tests and measurements in sight reading, and this stands out as his main contribution to school music, and, in the writer's opinion the main contribution of the period. (1) Philip Hayden, writing in his publication School Music Monthly, said in 1901, Mr. Sterrie Weaver, Westfield, Mass. has made a decided stir in school music circles in the past few years. He is the follower (that is the blind follower) of no published method of school music and is free and independent. His results in school music are recognized and admitted throughout the eastern states and are fast becoming well-known throughout the country. Pupils go to him from places widely separated from his field of labor and not one of them has imbibed his methods who has been less than delighted with what they have received at his hands. Everyone of them will gladly refer you to him. School superintendents who have seen the workings of the Weaver method of school music pronounce it effective beyond anything they have seen and, in several instances refuse to have any other method taught in their schools.... His general music methods are unique and well worth investigation. (2) Weaver is one of the continuing line of New England music teachers who, like Lowell Mason, were influenced first by the singing school and then gained prominence as music educators. He lived during a period of growth in education in general and school music in particular throughout the country. This essay examines Weaver's teaching methods and discusses his influence on other music educators. It also investigates his publications, as well as the publications of those who have written about him. Most prominent among these is Philip Hayden, who wrote about Weaver and his method in the pages of School Music. Other important sources of information are the Cyrus Thompson thesis on Weaver from 1942, Edward Bailey Birge's 1928 book, History of School Music in the United States, and the Torrington, Connecticut, school newspaper The Tabula from the period in which Weaver taught in that community. (3) Sterrie A. Weaver was born in New London, Connecticut, on March 16, 1853, the second of thirteen children. His father, Alston Weaver, was a cotton mill worker originally from Rhode Island and his mother, Louisa Spalding Weaver, was born in Moosup, Connecticut. Alston Weaver was active in the Baptist church and played the flute quite well. He sometimes accompanied at singing schools. When Sterrie was nine years old, the family moved to New Hartford where his father became superintendent of a cotton mill. Sterrie attended singing schools with his father from a young age and studied music first with his father and later with private instructors. His father was killed while at work in 1864 when Sterrie was eleven years old. (4) Cyrus Thompson interviewed Weaver's wife, Adaline, and gained much information through conversation and correspondence. Mrs. Weaver told Thompson that her husband was, as a young man, apprenticed as a machinist, though he continued his study of music, traveling to nearby Hartford twice weekly for piano lessons with Mr. …