* MARCH 16, 1929 A stranger who chanced to enter the Westminster Central Hall on Saturday and who purchased a programme with “Philharmonic Choir” written large on the cover might wonder to find that all the performers in, and most of the listeners to, the admirable concert were schoolchildren. This is part of a plan, and a very good one, to link up the musical training of the schools with the musical performance of adults. The schools are full of young choralists and some of them sing so well that the put older choirs to shame. What happens to their music when they leave school? Too often nothing, if they are in London. In the country the competition festivals have a better chance of getting hold of them.

50 YEARS AGO

* MARCH 19,1954 Negotiations over the salaries of teachers in technical colleges and other places of further education have come to an awkward pass. It seems inevitable now, however, that April 1 will come and go without agreement being reached. At best the old scales will continue until there is some fresh development. Primary and secondary school teachers will be drawing their meagre but assured increases. The many technical teachers whose salaries hitherto were abreast will lag behind. Teachers in technical colleges cannot expect to have their salaries assessed in isolation from the salaries of teachers elsewhere. Sixth-form teaching in a grammar school, which is closely related to university standards, will not bring a man even with an allowance much over pound;1,000 a year. Technical lecturers in the draft proposals go up to pound;1,065; but more senior grades carry salaries that rise to as much as pound;1,665.