An overview of early country school music and music education in the Mountain Plains region of America provides impresssions gained from texts, journals, official records, and personal interviews. Music is portrayed as a socializer to engender community spirit, an enhancement of patriotism, a means to enculturate to the "American way of life," a symbol of validation, and an accompaniment for rhythmic activities. Covered are: school community activities; scholastic aspects of music in country schools; teacher and student roles in the instructional process; instrumental music; technology (grammophone, victrola, radio); and music texts and song literature employed in schools during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An examination of music functions, via an analysis of verbal and music content of 55 songs, shows that song texts can be categorized according to "six key word factors" (joy, kindness/love, nature, religion, school, and work/diligence). Analytical statements concerning each song are concluded with the initial letters of the key word factors which applied. Conclusions show songs were consistently employed for inculcating and enculturating students with the dominant society; song values centered on factors identified; song materials were the equivalents of McGuffey's readers; and musical qualities reinforced basic simple values. (AH)