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OCTOBER 9,
1920
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MUSIC CAMPAIGN IN ARKANSAS STARTS AUSPICIOUSLY
Robert Lawrence Starts Work in Little Rock, Ark., to Establish Community Singing and Is Suc-
cessful From the Start—Col. Hollenberg Guarantees Financial Support
Success marked the first period of the cam-
paign for the establishment of community sing-
ing on a broad scale throughout Arkansas which
Robert Lawrence, song leader of national promi-
nence and a member of the advisory staff of the
Col. F. B. T. Hollenberg
National Bureau for the Advancement of Music
of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce,
opened last week, under the auspices of the Lit-
tle Rock Music Commission, of which F. B. T.
Hollenberg is chairman.
More than 10,000 persons attended twenty-one
sings, which Mr. Lawrence conducted during
the first week of the campaign in schools, clubs,
industrial plants, department stores and thea-
tres, and the result far surpassed his most san-
guine expectations. The campaign to put music
into the home of every citizen of Arkansas, sug-
gested by Colonel Hollenberg, who offered to
underwrite the expense regardless of the amount,
and carefully worked out in the offices of the
Chamber's National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music, covers a period of four weeks.
In accordance with the program formulated in
mid-Summer, the first period, from September
27 to October 2, inclusive, was devoted to pre-
liminary work, including interviews with repre-
sentatives of industries, department stores, edu-
cational institutions, churches, clubs, lodges
and other organizations desiring to promote
community singing and the holding of demon-
stration "sings."
The second period, from October 18 to 30, in-
clusive, will be the training period. Mr. Law-
rence personally will conduct classes for train-
ing song leaders. By dividing the classes into
two groups, one to be put through strenuous
paces in the afternoon, the other at night, it is
believed that 100 students can be accommodated.
The third period, beginning November 22 and
ending on Thanksgiving Day, will be called
"Community Sing Week." During this time the
leaders whom Mr. Lawrence trained in the sec-
ond period will give practical demonstrations, of
what they have been able to accomplish in their
individual fields, and a monster sing, the crown-
ing feature of the campaign, will be held on
Thanksgiving Day. .
At Colonel Hollenberg's suggestion Benjamin
D. Brickhouse, mayor of Little Rock, appointed
a music commission, which is handling the de-
tails of Mr. Lawrence's campaign. Of this
commission Mr. Hollenberg himself was made
chairman. The other members are George B.
Rose, a well-known attorney and a patron of
arts; Gordon M. Peay, president of the W. E.
THE BEST KNOWN
MUSICAL
NAME
/N THE WORLD.
Worthen Co. Bank; L. C. Herrington, president
of the Typographical Union; Mrs. H. H. Foster,
perhaps the leading patron of music in Arkan-
sas; Mrs. Will Henninger, teacher of singing;
Saul Harris, who controls all the theatres and.
picture shows in Little Rock; J. L. Bond, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and
Mayor Brickhouse.
Colonel Hollenberg had guaranted the entire
cost of the campaign, but all of the music deal-
ers in Little Rock and a great many others
insisted upon sharing the expenses, with the re-
sult that the total cost of the campaign, amount-
ing approximately to $1,700, will be so dis-
tributed that it will be a burden to no one per-
son or concern.
The first gun of the preliminary campaign
was fired early in September, when the Little
Rock newspapers printed several columns of
the story announcing the enterprise, together
with the news of the appointment of the music
commission. By some mysterious means, Colo-
nel Hollenberg kept his own name out of these
stories. From that time until Mr. Lawrence's
arrival the news of what he was to do was kept
constantly before the citizens of the city and
State.
"The work here has been unusually success-
ful," says Mr. Lawrence in a report to the Cham-
ber, written just before his first week was fin-
ished. "In fact, I personally find it has far
surpassed my expectations. We have held the
followings sings: Junior High School, 1,500 per-
sons; Draughton's Business College, 200; Rob-
son-Roders Co., 60; general meeting at the high
school, 400; Blass' Department Store, 200; Senior
High School, 1,500; Miller Mfg. Co., 100; Lions
Club (business men), 60; Telephone Co., 100;
Colored High School, 400; Business Women's
Club, 75; Rotary Club, 100.
"The following sings are scheduled to occur:
Three picture shows, Pfeifer's Department
Store, Argenta High School, W. E. L. Bruce
Com., Catholic School, Missouri Railroad Shops.
"The prospects for a class to begin October
18 are so promising that we shall have to turn
many people away, or at least discriminate very
carefully on the applications. The department
stores, industrial plants, business men's clubs,
high schools, churches and other organizations
Robert Lawrence
are planning to send their representatives to the
school.
"Our plans for the Music Week at Thanksgiv-
ing time are under way and promise to be some-
thing unique in this regard, and I am sure you
will have some very valuable material after its
termination."
From Little Rock Mr. Lawrence went to the
Culver Military Institute, Culver, Ind., for the
second of his two weeks' campaign in com-
munity singing among the students of that in-
stitution. He will return to New York for one
week before going to Little Rock to take up the
work of the second period of his campaign there.
AMPICO CONCERTS ATTRACT MANY
NEW FACTORY FOR AEOLIAN
John Wanamaker Holds Special Recitals in
Which This Instrument Is Featured
Company Purchases Modern Large New Fac-
tory Building in New York City
Ampico recitals in the auditorium of the John
Wanamaker store in New York are again at-
tracting many music lovers of the city and vi-
cinity. This large hall, which has been turned
into a display salon for all kinds of musical
instruments, now has seats to accommodate a
good-sized crowd and considerable interest has
been shown this week. In addition to the con-
certs in the remodeled auditorium there are also
Ampico demonstrations in the piano department
and daily these are listened to by many inter-
ested patrons.
'
The Aeolian Co. has purchased the modern
five-story reinforced concrete factory building
at the corner of Willow avenue and East 138th
street, New York, and expects within a limited
time to have the new building operating as an
adjunct to the present plant of the company,
with a consequent increase in production. The
new factory building, in the heart of the Bronx
manufacturing district, measures 225x100 feet,
has an abundance of daylight, and is altogether
a most desirable property.
WITH WANAMAKER ROLL DEPT.
W. F. LAMB ON BUYING TRIP
Well-known Pottstown, Pa., Dealer Leaves
Orders in New York for Several Lines
A visitor to the New York trade last week
was Wm. F. Lamb, of Pottstown, Pa., who is
considered one of the live dealers in his section
of the country. He made a thorough canvass of
the piano market while in the metropolis, and
before leaving placed substantial orders for sev-
eral makes of instruments, including the
Premier grand, the Janssen and Langdon
pianos and player-pianos and Stultz & Bauer
pianos and player-pianos.
Lee S. Roberts, vice-president of the Q R S
Music Co., and manager of the New York plant,
spent the greater part of this week in Chicago.
During his stay in that city he was in confer-
ence with the management of the Q R S Co.'s
plant located there.
PIANO
Miss May C. Anderson Will Look After This
Section of the John Wanamaker Store
Miss May C. Anderson, of Brooklyn, has been
placed in charge of the music roll section of the
John Wanamaker piano department in New
York, under the general supervision of Morris
R. Lamb. Miss Anderson has had extensive
experience in the merchandising of music rolls
which will aid her in her new position in the
Wanamaker department.
MRS. B. H. JANSSEN PASSES AWAY
Mrs. Gertrude Janssen,. wife of Bernard H.
Janssen, the New York piano manufacturer, died
suddenly on September 24 at the Janssen Sum-
mer home at Henderson Harbor, N. Y. Funeral
services were held in New York City on Sep-
tember 26, followed later by interment in
Kensico Cemetery.
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