Experiencing History Through Music (Review)

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Deanna

One of my favorite memories of elementary school is sitting in the multi-purpose room with dozens of other kids singing folk songs as my beloved 1st AND 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Gilliam, strummed along on the guitar. That’s where I learned classic American songs like “Oh, Susanna,” “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round The Mountain,” and of course, the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Singing the same songs that generations of Americans had sung before me gave me a sense of connection and belonging. I want to pass on that heritage to my own children, so I have been thrilled to be a part of the launch of the “Experiencing History Through Music” series from Diana Waring.

About Diana Waring

I was familiar the name Diana Waring from her History Revealed curriculum and her books Beyond Survival and Reaping the Harvest. The former is at the forefront of my mind for history as our children get older, and the latter have been sitting in my “to be read” pile for some time. As we’ve been preparing for the launch of this series, I’ve gotten to know more about her, and I’ve realized she is definitely a kindred spirit. (Beyond Survival may have to be my next book for “Mentoring Mondays”!) I had to go find her at the Great Homeschool Convention and introduce myself (and my sleeping Nicholas), and I immediately wished I could invite her over to dinner to spend some time soaking in some of her homeschooling wisdom.

Diana shares a passion for two of my favorite subjects: history and music. I love this story she shared with the launch team of how she started integrating the two:

Back in 1989, after I had been struggling for about three years with homeschooling (my kids and I were ALL bored!!!), a friend suggested that I attend the state homeschool convention (in Tacoma, WA). . . In those days, the main way to learn more about homeschooling was to attend a convention—oh, how times have changed!!

The problem was I couldn’t afford it. My dh was a public school band teacher, we were single income, and there simply wasn’t anything extra in the budget. When I voiced that concern, my friend said, “Oh, you should teach a workshop! That way, they pay you $50, give you some mileage to get up to the convention, and you get in FREE!!” Looking at her in amazement, I asked, “What on earth would I teach????”

She pulled out the previous year’s convention schedule, with its varied workshops, and handed it to me. Quickly glancing down the list, I noted that the ONLY music workshop was using classical music in the home and that there were NO history workshops. At that moment, an idea was born.

Why not teach American history through its folk music?

That was the start of twenty-five years as a homeschool speaker (yes, the convention wanted my workshop) and as a homeschool writer/ curriculum producer.

Never saw this coming, but, oh, what a life we have shared!!

Eventually she went on to create books of stories about historical songs and helped record music albums to go along with them. When the company that was publishing the sets went out of business, it looked like the audio masters were lost and all the work that had gone into producing the series would be fruitless from that point on. Evidently, however, God still wanted to bless people through it, because the music was found and restored, and Diana has rewritten many of the stories with even more fascinating details for a new generation of homeschoolers to enjoy. (Read the miraculous story of their restoration on Diana’s blog. It really is amazing!)

About Experiencing History Through Music

As the name of this series implies, these book and CD sets allow you to Experience History Through Music. Each title contains one book and one CD. The pages of the books hold dozens of historical pictures, bright and interesting stories connecting each of the songs to its moment in history, even sheet music and chord charts! The CDs are rousing, professional recordings that draw in all listeners.

These three book/CD sets are a wonderful supplement to any American history curriculum:

Westward Ho!–The Heart of the Old West
America–The Heart of a New Nation
Music Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Here’s a brief introduction to each one.

Westward Ho!–The Heart of the Old West

America’s westward expansion is amazingly rich in stories and songs. In Westward Ho!, you will find the pioneer spirit that stirred the hearts of thousands of Americans to leave the safety and comfort of home expressed in folk songs of or about that time. Now you can experience the pioneers’ adventures, dangers, joys, sorrows and hopes as you join in and sing along with these songs:

Apple Picker’s Reel
Boll Weevil
Missionary’s Farewell
Oh, California
Ho! For California
San Juan Pig War
Chisholm Trail
Westward Ho!
Home On The Range
Little Old Sod Shanty
Strawberry Roan
Old Settler
Gooey Duck
Little Cabin in the Cascade Mountains

We enjoyed the whole CD, but “Gooey Duck” (about giant clams in Puget Sound called geoducks) became a new favorite in our house. We’ve been caught singing it all over town, even in the grocery store!

America: The Heart of a New Nation

From the French and Indian War to the first transcontinental railroad, America is a chronological tour of American history through its music. Enjoy the songs and stories of our past that have been shared from generation to generation—songs that make you laugh, make you cry, and make your patriotic spirit soar.

Yankee Doodle
Star-Spangled Banner
Erie Canal
Oh! Susanna
Sweet Betsy From Pike
All Night, All Day
Old Dan Tucker
Wade in the Water
Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Shenandoah
Get Along L’il Dogies
Drill Ye Tarriers
Polly Wolly Doodle
She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain
Old Joe Clark

Musical Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder

This was the title that first captured my attention when I learned about this series. I read the first two “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder to Ian a few months ago, and as we came to song after song I wished I knew the melodies to sing along. It seemed like so many of these historical treasures had faded away into the past.

I was thrilled to get this book and CD to help make those songs more real to our family. Elijah adored “Pop Goes the Weasel,” and it reminded me of the scene in Little House in the Big Woods when Laura and Mary are enjoying Pa playing that one on his fiddle, trying to catch the “pop!” as he plucked the string. I imagine their giggles sounded a lot like my little ones’ as they enjoyed the silly song.

This is the only book in the series not written by Diana Waring. Written by William Anderson, noted Laura Ingalls Wilder biographer, the book also includes beautiful photos by internationally known Little House photographer, Leslie A. Kelly. The loved stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder will come to life all over again as you listen to the songs that were a part of life for the Ingalls and thousands of other pioneering families.

This book takes readers back through songs referenced in almost all books in the Little House series:

Wait for the Wagon (On the Banks of Plum Creek)
Green Grows the Laurel (Little House On the Prairie)
The Old Chariot (The Long Winter)
Buy a Broom (By the Shores of Silver Lake)
Sweet By and By (The Long Winter)
Rock Me to Sleep (Little Town on the Prairie)
Buffalo Gals (Little House in the Big Woods)
A Railroad Man for Me (By the Shores of Silver Lake)
Beware (By the Shores of Silver Lake)
Pop! Goes the Weasel (Little House in the Big Woods)
Oft in the Stilly Night (By the Shores of Silver Lake)
The Girl I Left Behind Me (On the Banks of Plum Creek)
My Sabbath Home (On the Banks of Plum Creek, These Happy Golden Years)

How We Used It

Because my children are all young, I didn’t use this series to its fullest potential (yet!) We listened to all the CDs many times, to the point that all my children ages 2 and up were singing along to their favorites (and requesting them over and over again). I read the stories on my own and then retold certain ones as we drove along in the car.

With my oldest, I sat and looked at the pictures as I told him some of the stories. He also really enjoyed having the book as we listened and sang. He followed along in the sheet music so he could learn the words more quickly as we drove.

I know when we study American history in the future we will be getting out these albums and digging deeper into the stories to enrich our understanding of the various time periods represented.

What We Liked

First and foremost, we loved the music. These are BEAUTIFUL recordings of the songs. I loved that many familiar tunes included less familiar verses. Even without the books, the CDs would be a great addition to any American family music library.

Thankfully, you get the books too! America was probably my favorite of the three. Not only were the songs the most familiar, but the stories struck a deep emotional chord with me.

I love the story of “Yankee Doodle.” What a wonderful lesson for children that they don’t have to be beaten down when people call them unkind names! The British made fun of the rough American soldiers during the French and Indian War, calling them “doodles” because they seemed so foolish compared to the polished British soldiers. The Americans didn’t hang their heads in shame. Rather, when the Revolution came about and they found themselves fighting against the British, they made up new lyrics for the originally insulting song and showed that they were anything but foolish.

Imagine what it must have felt like for the British when, during the surrender ceremony at Yorktown, “Yankee Doodle” was played once again–this time to celebrate the American victory. Turns out the Americans weren’t such “doodles” after all, were they?

I hope my children can learn to see that other people’s insults don’t have to define them. After all, God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the “wise.”

The most moving story was definitely “The Star-Spangled Banner.” I love that it is now more than just a song the children hear at baseball games. Even though I already knew the story, it still gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes as I passed it on to them.

If I Could Make Any Changes…

I wish the illustrations could have been in color. Many of the pictures were originally black and white, so it wasn’t necessary for those, but others looked like they were of paintings, and I would have loved to see them in full color.

I also would love a sequel to the Laura Ingalls Wilder book. There are so many more songs in the pages of the Little House books that I would love to bring to life for our family!

Just the Facts

Suitable for all ages
Each book/CD set sells for $18.99
For the month of July, collection of all 3 sets is on sale for $50!

One Final Word

We loved these sets, and I highly recommend them as part of any family’s study of American history. I’m looking forward to seeing Diana’s next project (after she completes something currently in progress), which will be a full curriculum for American history. She told us, “It will be focused on elementary grades, and will be a LOT like my world history curriculum — fascinating fun, great opportunities to choose what looks most interesting, and an integrated unit-study style/Charlotte mason approach to history.” Our family can’t wait to see it!