Justine Bayard Ward, born August 7, 1879, came into a world where music was deeply cherished and prioritized. From the very beginning, she was destined to continue her family’s contribution to music. Her father, William Bayard Cutting, was a founder of the Metropolitan Opera. Even as a child, Justine Ward was surrounded by the cultural and intellectual elite. Her family was involved in the Jekyll Island Club in Georgia, where they rubbed elbows with some of the most powerful families in America, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and the Pulitzers.

After her marriage with George Cabot Ward ended (1901-1904), she converted to Catholicism. This decision shaped the rest of her life’s works. She became passionate about sacred music within the Roman Catholic Church, particularly Gregorian chant. During this time, Pope Pius X was trying to restore sacred music’s place within Catholic liturgy. Her work aligned with the reforms that the Pope encouraged [1]. Ward believed that even young children could learn Gregorian chant, given the right method. This is how she came about creating The Ward Method, which combined vocal training, composition, music theory, and conducting. Her approach was influenced by the Solesmes school of Gregorian chant, which focused on restoring the purity, fluidity, and historical accuracy of medieval chant traditions [2]. While creating this method, she made sure it would be accessible for school children of all ages. Though she had originally created it to be taught in the United States, it eventually was adapted into Catholic sacred music education across Europe [3]. This created her reputation as a pioneer in liturgical music education.

Ward’s influence extended beyond the classroom. She helped found the Pius X School of Liturgical Music at the Catholic University of America in 1929, which helped promote the study and practice of sacred music. Her instructional books, written in collaboration with musicologists and clergy, provided a framework that was used for decades in Catholic education. She spent the later years of her life in Washington, D.C., where she remained active in Catholic music education until her passing on November 27, 1975, aged 96.

The Justine Bayard Ward collection at the Catholic University of America includes personal correspondence with clergy, educators, and musicians regarding the implementation of The Ward Method, instructional materials, photographs and newspaper clippings that document her influence on Catholic music education, LP’s, and books. Her contributions to the field of liturgical music were instrumental in shaping Catholic music education in the 20th century. For my practicum, I had the privilege of working with this collection, organizing materials that document her impact on sacred music education. As a Catholic convert myself, it was a pleasure to unravel pieces of her history and contributions to the religion.

Here’s an example of The Ward Method being taught in a classroom:

Ward Method Music Lesson, Köln, Germany (1976) [3].

Please also see our archival finding aid, or collection guide, to the Ward Collection.