To think all schools should teach children the old traditional hymns

[Staringintothevoid616]

Just switching between channels and Songs of Praise came on. It was a run down of the most popular school hymns.complete with recorders It brought back many memories and how important communal singing is. It doesn’t matter what your religion is, everyone should know the most popular hymns as a way of uniting society.

Why is communal singing important though?

It is something I have always hated, and I've always wondered what the connection is between worshipping God, and suffering through dreary songs.

My children hate singing in school too. I appreciate that some people do enjoy it, but it is in no way universal, is it?

Went to a festival last summer and on Sunday there was a brass band and a hymn singalong, 200+ people (wasn’t a big festival to start with) singing along was very uplifting. A good tune is a good tune! Folk songs too are a good singalong option (think of eg on ikley moor, Scarborough fair, I like wild mountain thyme for instance.)

There's hardly a kid in the land who doesn't know how to use Youtube 🤷‍♂️

If they've got an event coming up, they can have a quick peek.

Well as im not Christian generally hatched matched and despatched, although obviously having learned hymns at school I can join in these communal events, also very useful for Remembrance Day. Occasionally go if I’m visiting a city and planning to look round a cathedral - it’s nice to also go to a service.

But clearly that’s nothing to do with the question I asked

To this day I loathe the majority of hymns. I could never reach the high notes and obviously, still can't. Folky sort of songs eg Morning has Broken are fine.

And how would they know what to have a “quick peek” at? Bizarre

No but then I believe our childrens education should be just that. I would make our schools secular.

A lot of the old hymns are lovely regardless of if you believe in God or not. Lots are about love in general and can be quite up lifting.

If parents are practising Christians, children will learn hymns at church. School is not the place, unless it's a church school. But yes to music in schools, much more than currently, so all primary children sing every day, including a hymn from time to time and carols at Christmas, and have the opportunity to learn an instrument.

Typo

I think it's quite relevant to the question you asked. Thank you for confirming that you're not a regular attender at church services.

Most schools don't have a daily assembly.

There’s loads of research on the benefits www.ox.ac.uk/research/choir-singing-improves-health-happiness-%E2%80%93-and-perfect-icebreaker

It’s not nonsense. You said it was a way to get young kids engaged in Christian tradition. That’s a form of brainwashing. It is precisely the reason an utterly outdated clause in legislation still stands, and it’s pathetic.

A mouse running up a clock is far more likely to happen than an omnipotent being (one of thousands created by humans) existing, never mind creating everything.

Ugghh I hated singing hymns at school. Kum by yah my lord and all that nonsense. I wouldn't have wanted to be singing songs like Greensleeves either.

Such as?

Most of the contention seems to come from the idea of it being forced, which is what it sounds like from the outset to readers not thinking about what they're reading. Nothing like this is ever forced, how can it be? The only means to enforce it is to make it an option for the school to take it on, so there are other schools that likely won't opt-in. It's always a choice that people have the option to skip. If kids want to join in, they can. If they don't, then they don't have to. If the kids want to join in but their parents say no, that's when it can get a bit dicey, so switch schools.

But how is it relevant? Can you explain that? Why do you need to be a regular church goer to enjoy the benefits.

If you've got a hankering to sing a traditional hymn in a group of people at a local event, you can. It's Church.

Even if you did force children to sing traditional hymns at secular schools, what are these national and local events at which they'd install a terrific sense of community and wellbeing?

There are lots of events going on which have brilliant community spirit, people pulling together to create and provide connection and none of them require traditional hymns to be involved.

Back to your Sunday afternoon TV and cooking wine you go.

I enjoy a good hymn/carol as much as anybody. To listen to, not sing.

Singing them is surely an act of worship? As an atheist I don’t sing them or say prayers as in my opinion it’s disrespectful to the Christian faith to do so as a non believer. I’d imagine people of other faiths wouldn’t be able to sing them in any case. Hardly unifying.

So how many communal singing events do you take your children to?

Is this a real question?
The same way anyone might learn something new. By asking, being told or by looking it up. Dear God.

Most events will have a timetable or order of service etc.

What's more bizarre is that you think they may be able to learn every hymn there is, just incase.

And these demonstrates nicely why it's pointless.

I learned hymns at school. Church of Scotland ones. Has not helped me sing in a cathedral as not the same songs.

the remembrance service locally is held at the united reform church - different again to what I learned growing up.

DH and I know all the hymns. We attend Rememberance events and don’t sing them. Same with any event requiring the English national anthem.

I don’t sing Bach’s Toccata and Fugue every time I see a pipe organ either………..

This is possibly the best ever example of the rush of communal singing and how, people can, en masse, enjoy learning something wonderful rather than having it forced on them.

Forcing anything on people sucks the joy right out of it.