Settlement Music School is a community music education organization with branches in and around Philadelphia. Founded in 1908 by Jeannette Selig and Blanche Wolf, it is the largest community school of the arts in the United States serving 15,000 students each year, regardless of age, race, or financial means through outreach and at six branches in PA and NJ. Settlement brings together an enormous diversity of students and helps them to not only to develop musical and artistic talents, but also build self-confidence and readiness for academic and other achievements. Among its many programs are a nationally recognized, award winning pre-school program called Kaleidoscope that prepares Head Start-qualified young children for kindergarten through a unique arts-integrated curriculum. Settlement is one of the most generous community schools of the arts in the nation as it awards $2 million in financial aid and scholarships every year. Its six branches are in South, West and Northeast Philadelphia, Germantown, Jenkintown which will soon move to a brand new facility in Willow Grove and Camden. Settlement is the largest employer of musicians in the region, with more than 250 dedicated and degree-holding faculty members, most of whom have advanced degrees and many who have performed in major symphony orchestras. Among its alumni are Albert Einstein, Michael and Kevin Bacon, Stanley Clarke, Chubby Checker, Former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo and Kevin Eubanks.
Mary Louise Curtis Bok, only child of Cyrus H. K. Curtis, a wealthy magazine publisher, became involved with the Settlement School at the age of 48. At the time the school was focused on provided musical training to young immigrants. Mrs. Bok made a gift to the school of $150,000 for a Settlement Music House. The music house's goal was "Americanization among the foreign population of Philadelphia." A close friend of the Bok family, pianist Josef Hofmann, played a recital at the school's dedication. Today this facility on Queen Street in Philadelphia is known as the Mary Louise Curtis Branch.
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