A chapter presents an overview of the historical and philosophical development of the community-junior college movement in the United States and in Tennessee, along with the parallel development of music programs within these institutions. Another chapter summarizes recent studies of music programs in the two-year college. Additionally the report proposes strategies to serve a basis for upgrading music programs in Tennessee and southern public community colleges, and proposes a model music program based upon the strategies.

A disparity among Tennessee community college music programs was reported when compared to (1) southern community college music programs by their location categories, (2) music programs within the southern region as a composite, (3) the findings of Stover and the Committee on Music in the Junior College (1970), (4) M.E.N.C. recommended standards, and (5) N.A.S.M. guidelines (1972) for such programs. It was concluded that southern public community colleges are in need of upgrading their music curricula.

A survey questionnaire, designed and tested by the researcher, was sent to music department heads of 207 southern public community colleges. Usable returns were received from 113 institutions (55 percent) representing eleven states. Ten institutions (100 percent) in Tennessee submitted usable returns. Responding institutions were categorized according to their location. Data from the survey were tabulated, reported, and summarized, providing a basis for comparing music programs in the public colleges of Tennessee with those of the South by their location category and with M.E.N.C. and N.A.S.M. standards.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the music programs in the public community colleges of Tennessee and other public community colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The study sought to determine the state of music programs and instructional practices within these institutions, and to develop strategies for the improvement of music curricula based upon standards established by the Music Educators National Conference and the National Association of Schools of Music. The effectiveness to the descriptive research was determined by data analysis based upon five positive hypotheses.