[Magdalen] End of an Era.

[Jim Guthrie]

>Literacy is one of the crowning achievements of the modern era.
>It pleases me to know most of us *can* follow by reading along.

(why bells are unnecessary and merely an a local affectation <g>]

I for one, learned to read at a much higher than Kindergarten/1st grade level by 
the time I was  years old because I **did** follow along the the BCP.

It should be noted that the popularity of hymnbooks came along because it was 
not only imperative for children  to learn to read, but music became necessary 
so children could follow and sing the hymns and chants. A wonderful book titled 
"Abide With Me" -- a history of hymns -- the author points out that the 
anticipation of a new hymnal might mean a line outside the bookstore in the 
middle of the night.

Nowadays, that's for Steven King and Harry Potter, and schools and churches don’t 
bother to teach music because it's a "frill." Especially in the couch-potato 
evangelical churches where aside from Just As I Am at the Altar Call and maybe 
Amazing Grace now and then, music is something that entertains and requires no 
audience participation.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie