Merit School of Music was founded in 1979 by Alice S. Pfaelzer and Emma Endres-Kountz in response to the elimination of music education from the Chicago Public Schools' elementary school curriculum. They had borrowed space from Roosevelt University for their tuition-free conservatory program, held on Saturday afternoons.
In 1979, Alice S. Pfaelzer and Emma Endres-Kountz founded Merit School of Music in response to the elimination of music education from Chicago Public Schools' elementary schools. They initially used Roosevelt University's space for their free conservatory program held on Saturdays.