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JAN
r u n 19. 1918
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
ANNUAL MEETING OF BOSTON MUSIC TRADE ASSOCIATION
Reports of Officers Show Achievements of Very Successful Year—Committee Appointed to Pro-
vide for Uniform Trade Practices—Ava W. Poole Elected President
BOSTON, MASS., January 12.—The Boston Music
Trade Association held its annual meeting; at the
Loinbardy Inn to-day, the business session be-
ing preceded by luncheon, which has been the
custom for several years past.
President E. A. Cressey's Report
President Ernest A. Cressey presided and in
his annual report, which was the first item of
business at the close of the repast, he made
reference to the past year as one in which some-
thing really constructive had been accomplished.
There had been a marked interest on the part
of the members, and the present membership was
mentioned as ninety-eight, which number he
hoped would considerably pass the one hundred
mark during the coming year. Reference was
made to the fund which had been assembled
during the year to provide for an ambulance ai
the French front; and he told his fellow mem-
bers something which not all of them had known
—that in addition to the money to purchase and
maintain an ambulance for seven months, a gen-
erous member of the organization had contrib-
uted an additional $1,000, which enabled the as-
sociation to provide two ambulances at the front.
During the year, too, the association had given
$881 to the Y. M. C. A. drive. Mention was
also made by President Cressey to the overtures
from the Boston Chamber of Commerce that
this association lend its co-operation in the work
of developing Boston, a work which will be
continued through the coming year.
The Secretary and Treasurer's Report
Secretary William F. Merrill followed with
his report, which touched in a general way upon
some of the same topics. As treasurer Mr. Mer-
rill reported that the receipts during the year
had been $1,313, the expenses $1,265, leaving a
balance of $48. Edward S. Payson, speaking
for the State Board of Trade, to which the
P.oston Music Trade Association sends a dele-
gate, said that much had been done during the
year by way of advancing the interests of the
city, and he expressed the belief that everything
that might be done toward promoting the busi-
ness interests of the city would be felt by the
piano industry, which made it quite worth while
for the association to lend its co-operation in
every way possible.
A communication was read from the Boston
3 Great Pianos
With 3 sounding boards
in each (Patented) have the
greatest talking points in
the trade.
We fix " o n e p r i c e " —
wholesale and retail.
The Heppe Piano Co.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Music Publishers' Association relative to Ameri-
can composers, suggesting that this association
lend its assistance toward seeing that more at-
tention was paid to the cause of music in the
newspapers, the claim being made in the com-
munication that every department in a daily
paper is expertly handled except the cause of
music. On motion of Mr. Payson this was laid
on the table.
Limitation and Valuation of Exchanges
It was next in order for the association to
discuss various topics touching the welfare of
the piano industry. One of the first things
taken up was the matter of limitations put on
quest of Fuel Administrator James J. Storrow.
President Cressey stated that the opening hour
would be 9 o'clock, and the closing hour 5
o'clock for six days in the week.
Election of Officers
The business meeting was brought to a close
with the election of officers which resulted as
follows:
President, Ava W. Poole; first vice-president,
A. M. Hume; second vice-president, Stanwood
Miller; secretary and treasurer, W. F. Merri'l.
Executive committee: Edward S. Payson,
Harry Stevens, \Y. VV. Radcliffe and Ernest A.
Cressey.
Kirkland 11. Gibson was named as a delegate
to the State Board of Trade, succeeding Burton
!\. Miller, who is now in the navy.
Mr. Poole, in accepting the office of president,
^aid that he hoped that lie would be as able to
do as much for the association as did Mr. Cres-
sey. Mr. Cressey was given a rising vote of
thanks for bis good work during the past year;
and a similar mark of appreciation was tendered
Mr. Merrill for his work as secretary.
Ava W. Poole, the new president of the Bos-
ton Music Trade Association, is a native of
Weymouth, but has lived in Belmont for the
past twenty-one years. He is the son of the
late William H. Poole, founder, and for a long
time president of the Poole Piano Co. until his
death, several years ago. The son was edu-
cated at Harvard, and was graduated in the class
of '14, going immediately into his father's fac-
tory in Sydney street, Cambridge. He spent
considerable time in the various departments in
order to get a practical, working knowledge of
piano manufacturing. Since the death of his
honored father heavier duties naturally fell
upon his shoulders, and these he has discharged
with credit to himself and profit to the com-
pany, of which he is now the head. Mr. Poole
is a member of the Harvard Club and a mem-
ber of the State Guard of his home town, Bel-
mont. He is married and last fall moved into a
handsome new house which he had built.
NEW INCORPORATION
Ava W. Poole, the New President
exchanges. This brought forth a discussion as
to the possibility of placing a standard of valua-
tion on second-hand instruments. Kirkland II.
Gibson, who thought that it might be feasible
for competitors to follow some schedule, also
suggested that there should be some limitation
of the amount of goods a house may give away
with a piano, that there should lie a limitation
to the number of rolls to be given with a player;
that there should be some limit to commissions,
and a more reasonable curtailment of the num-
ber of free tunings for a piano. It was Mr.
Payson's contention, touching the matter of the
valuation of exchanges, that the name, age and
condition of an instrument all play an impor-
tant part, and that this was a point every dealer
should settle for himself. Stanwood Miller,
Charles S. Norris and Edwin N. Kimball of-
fered some valuable contributions to the dis-
cussion.
No Cutting of Prices
President Cressey, speaking of the cutting of
prices, said that during the past year there had
been a sort of gentlemen's agreement among
many of the best dealers in the city and that
this had been splendidly lived up to; that not
a single case of price-cutting by a competitor
had been called to his attention. He thought
there might be some such an agreement as to
free tunings. On motion of Herman Baker it
was voted that the association adhere to a stand-
ard of practice that free tunings be limited to
one year. It was also voted by the associa-
tion, on motion of Mr. Gibson, that a commit-
tee be appointed to see that there was a more
uniform understanding as to certain practices
in the trade and that this committee report to
the association from time to time.
Closing Time for Piano Warerooms
An inquiry arose as to the closing time for
the piano warerooms in pursuance of the re-
The J. L. Riehm Piano Co., of Louisville,
Ky., has been incorporated with a capitaliza-
tion of $25,000 by J. L. Riehm, M. F. Kernan
and W. M. Viser.
A. \V. Milligan has joined the sales force of
the E. M. Bonnell Music Co., of Bellaire, O.
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
and
Strohber Co.
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, 111.