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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
HOW VIOLINS ARE MADE IN AUSTRIA
Che Small Goods trade
THE GRAPHOPHONE AS A TEACHER.
An unique innovation recently introduced
in the Sumner Avenue Baptist Church,
Brooklyn, of which Madison C. Peters is
the pastor, is just now attracting much atten-
tion. It is a system of teaching languages
by the graphophone, which for the time it
has already been in practice, has not only
proven successful, but has met with the ap-
proval of all those who have seen it managed.
The father of this system, which promises
in time, judging from results that it has at-
tained so far, to surpass the present method
of oral teaching in large classes, is Wallace
P. Groom, the senior deacon of the church—
a linguist of exceptional ability, who speaks
French, German and Spanish fluently.
It was a year ago that Mr. Groom started
his language class, drawn principally from
the members of the Sunday-school. The lan-
guages taught were French, German and
Spanish, and at first the ordinary methods
of teaching were adopted, but, owing to ill
health, he was about to give it up when he
thought of the plan of the teaching through
the medium of the graphophone.
He secured an instrument of sufficiently
capacious size for his purpose, and recited
into it lessons in the language that he was
to teach his pupils. After some experiments
he found that the scheme worked to perfec-
tion, and he formally installed the teaching
graphophone in the class room, much to the
surprise of his pupils when they first saw it.
But when the efficiency of the plan was dem-
onstrated peradventure their surprise quickly
gave way to delight. The machine rolls off
without the least difficulty the longest Ger-
man words, the smooth dulcet French sounds
and recites the liquid tones of the Spanish
with the most surprising ease.
The students follow their text books as the
phonograph reels off the lessons under study,
and can interpret the meaning of the words
from the sound of the phonograph equally
as well as they can from the human voice.
Nor are the functions of the phonograph
as a language teacher confined alone to the
orthography, etymology, syntax and prosody
of the tongues studied. One of the best fea-
tures that Mr. Groom has introduced in con-
nection with the teaching phonograph is that
of making the machine sing.
Night after night, while the classes are in
progress, the strains of the "Marseillaise,"
"Die Wacht Am Rhein," and the favorite
Awarded Gold
riedal at Pan-
American E x -
position.
JOHN C. HAYNES & Co.
451 Washington St.
BOSTON,
3JASS.
Importers and ^Manufacturers
That excellent violins can be sold at $10
a dozen seems at first blush rather startling.
Yet the statement is an official one, made
anthems of the Spanish nation can be heard in the report on the Hungarian Section of
coming from the phonograph, and the stu- the Paris Exhibition of last year. Among
dents are as familiar with those airs now the Austrian exhibits was a selection of vio-
almost as they are with "America," or the lins produced by the Communal "Hausar-
"Star Spangled Banner." It is the purpose beit," and they were made especially upon
of Mr. Groom to instruct his pupils in every the Communal principle, the whole of the
branch of the languages which he teaches, village—men, women and children—practi-
and he is of the belief that being French cally taking part in their manufacture. Some
for the time they must sing as the French, households are devoted, it seems, to the carv-
and what the French sing and the same with ing of scrolls and necks, others to the manu-
facture of backs and bellies, others to the
the other two.
making
of sides, ribs, sound posts, bridges,
The officers of the Sumner Avenue Baptist
pegs,
and
so forth. All the violins, of course,
Church are enthusiastic over the scheme and
are
on
one
model, imitated from the old
the success of the graphophone as a teacher,
Italian
violins,
and the various parts are col-
and of the class which is under its instruc-
lected
and
put
together by contractors, and
tion now—or under the instruction of Mr.
sold on the market at ten dollars a dozen.
Groom.
The contractors get their profit, and the
CLAIMS HARP IS RUINED.
money paid to the Commune is divided
among the families in proportion to the num-
[Special to The Review.]
ber of each family engaged in the task.
Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 21, 1901.
O. F. Dwight is the owner of a harp which
AN OSCAR SCHMIDT WINNER.
some of the experts who have testified in
Judge Williams' court this week said was
The No. 5 guitar-zither is proving to be
worth $25 or so, but which the owner be- one of Oscar Schmidt's successful lead-
lieved to be correctly valued at $200. It ers. It is selling well in the United States
was slightly out of order last winter and he and in Europe, where Mr. Schmidt has es-
engaged John Koehler to repair it.
tablished a network of agencies for his spe-
According to his testimony and his wit- cialties. The other current styles and sizes
nesses, the repairer went to work with a saw are also in good demand, notably Nos. 3
and hammer, as if he were going to mend and 4.
an ice wagon instead of handling the in-
Oscar Schmidt's latest invention, the Gui-
strument with tenderness and care. He tarophone, recently described in The Review,
claims that the job of repairing the instru- is nearly ready for the market. A perfected
ment was done in such a way as to make example is now on exhibition at the factory,
the harp valueless and asks to recover $200 Ferry street, Jersey City Heights.
damages.
Oscar Schmidt's Notaphone, intended as
Koehler, on the other hand, says he knows a musical educator, is gradually securing a
all about harps, and calls to mind the times firm footing in the schools, where it is found
he repaired the great Wilhelmj's fiddle, worth to be invaluable as an aid to the cultivation
$3,000.
of musical talent.
The harp in question is being turned and
Another of Oscar Schmidt's specialties,
twisted and hammered and handled in the the O. S. mandolin, is now selling well. The
court room to explain to the jurors the fine strong attractive features of the O. S. man-
points of the case. The plaintiff lost his dolin are durability, style, finish and price.
case in a justice court and in Judge Lud- Mr. Schmidt declares it to be the best value
wig's court last spring, but was granted a in the market, and the number of orders re-
ceived confirms his declaration.
new trial, and seems bound to fight it out
The full force at the factory, in every
to the bitter end. There are a host of expert department, have been working overtime
witnesses on either side.
on current orders since the beginning of the
month.
TIME FOR HOLIDAY STOCK, ISN'T IT?
"BAY STATE" LITERATURE.
This week's report from the Eastern head-
quarters of the Phonoharp Co. shows a high- Several Interesting Publications Bearing on the Enter-
prise of J. C. Haynes & Co.
ly satisfactory condition of affairs. The
Columbia zither is selling well all along the
Several new and interesting publications
line. For the holiday trade it will be one of have just been issued by John C. Haynes
the leaders in musical instruments.
The Phonoharp is also gaining ground as
an entertainer for the home. It has been
popular ever since its introduction, but the
present year's record up to date shows a
distinct gain, as does the Columbia zither,
over all previous corresponding periods.
VICTOR~CO. INCORPORATES.
The articles of incorporation of the Victor
Talking Machine Co. were filed last week
in Camden, N. J. The directors are: Al-
bert C. Middleton, Chas. K. Hadden and
L. F. Douglass. The main office is at 114
North Front street, Camden.