The
Wisconsin Idea and the Development of String Education:
How
UW-Madison and University Extension Nourished String Teaching
in
the State of Wisconsin, 1960-1990.
Dr. Janet Jensen,
The
University of Wisconsin Madison
Abstract
From its earliest history, the University of
Wisconsin has been committed to a mission of outreach in the state. The "Wisconsin
Idea" holds that the boundaries of the university are the boundaries of
the state (and beyond), and the outreach mission pervades all of the
university's administrative structures. However, the primary delivery system
for outreach has been University Extension. Though its name has changed over
the years, this forward-thinking concept identified 'non-traditional' students,
(including farmers, homemakers, and teachers); used 'distance learning'
delivery systems (including correspondence, teleconferences, short courses, and
county agents); and fostered the development of a 'campus within the campus'
long before today's cyberconcepts. Nowhere has the impact been greater than in
music and string education, where joint and collaborative appointments in Music
and Extension fostered programs for youth, schools and teachers that have
become national models. Those programs include the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras,
the Masters Program in String Development, the National String Workshop, video
resources for teachers and teaching, and string programs in school systems
throughout the state.
Credit for these
programs goes to a number of individuals, but two figures were the focus of
this study: Marvin J. Rabin and Richard Wolf. Prof. Rabin's joint appointment
in Music and Extension, in collaboration with Prof. Wolf and other colleagues
in Extension, provided the structure which has impacted three decades of string
playing and teaching. This study examined the individuals, the administrative
structure, and the scope of influence of their collaborative efforts.
Dr. Janet L. Jensen
Assoc. Prof. of Music - String Pedagogy
The University of Wisconsin - Madison
455N.ParkSt.
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 263-3144
jljense2@facstaff.wisc.edu