| School is very competitive these days. Actually | | | | George Antheil and the actress Hedy Lamar |
| life is very competitive. Everyone is looking for a | | | | suggested using the melody of a song as a way |
| way to get a little edge over the next guy or gal. | | | | of sending signals in Morse code. The person |
| Although I believe that cooperation and not | | | | receiving the message would already know what |
| competition is the way to go, maximizing your | | | | song was being used and constantly retune his |
| brain's potential certainly can't hurt. Today there is | | | | receiver to the frequency of the next note in the |
| ample research documenting that that music is far | | | | song to hear the Morse-code version of the next |
| more than just entertainment. And yet we know | | | | letter in the message. Someone who didn't know |
| that when school officials cut the budget, music is | | | | which song was being used would have no idea |
| one of the first things to go. In a recent study | | | | what frequency to listen to. The concept has |
| headlined "TEXAS ALL-STATE MUSICIANS | | | | spawned hundreds of patents and is the basis of |
| SCORE 196 POINTS ABOVE NATIONAL | | | | many of the secure communications systems |
| AVERAGE ON THE 2000 SAT" the Texas music | | | | now used by the U.S. military.Of course, no one |
| educators association reported that students | | | | can guarantee that getting your child involved in |
| involved in orchestra, band, or chorus had higher | | | | music will produce astounding results or great |
| scores on their SAT's than students who were | | | | inventions or discoveries. What I can almost |
| not involved in a music program. The students | | | | guarantee is a lot of fun, satisfaction, and a boost |
| who scored highest were those in the schools' | | | | in self-esteem for child and probably for parent. |
| string orchestras.Another interesting story comes | | | | Again, research has shown that students who are |
| from The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 11, | | | | actively involved in music programs (and other |
| 1997. In an article entitled "For The Sake Of | | | | programs at school) are less likely to become |
| Science: The Arts Deserve Support," Robert S. | | | | involved in gang activity and other negative |
| Root-Bernstein, Professor of Physiology at | | | | behaviors because they have discovered and |
| Michigan State University makes many fascinating | | | | reinforced positive behavioral skills.About Author |
| points about how science and the arts have | | | | Dr. Alice Cash: Helping people to use music for |
| intersected in order to make our world a better | | | | Health and Wellness. Dr. Cash stresses the use of |
| and a safer place. For example, Music can also | | | | music for health, learning, motivation, relaxation, |
| produce insights useful to science and technology. | | | | energy building, or well-being. She is known |
| Take "frequency hopping," in which coded signals | | | | internationally for her work with music and |
| are sent along a constantly changing set of | | | | pregnancy, surgery, addictions, and Alzheimer's |
| frequencies so that the signals can be neither | | | | disease. Dr. Cash can be reached through Healing |
| intercepted nor blocked. In 1942, the composer | | | | Music Enterprises. |