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Charles A. Deutschmann Again Heads
the Tuners' Association
Other Officers Are Edgar L. Seagrave, First Vice-President; A. W. Minifie, Second Vice-President; W. F.
McClellan, Secretary, and Lester Singer, Treasurer — M. Garwood, of New York, Is
Vice-President of Eastern Division and M. Sparrow, Los Angeles, of Western
HICAGO, ILL., August 14.—The fourth
and final day's session of the annual
convention of the National Association
of Piano Tuners' held at the Hotel Sherman,
this city, on Thursday, saw the cleaning up of
the various matters requiring the attention of
the delegates.
President Deutschmann read a telegram from
the Music Merchants' Association of Ohio in-
viting the tuners' association to attend the an-
nual convention of the Ohio body, in Columbus,
on September 13, 14 and 15, and also a message
from the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce inviting the tuners to go to New York
for their next convention.
Committee to Confer With Manufacturers
A committee consisting of W. F. Reinhardt
and T. J. O'Meara was appointed to confer with
piano manufacturers on the suggestion of H. T.
Rawson offered at the Tuesday session to the
effect that a letter of instruction regarding the
care and maintenance of the piano be sent
out with each instrument so that the purchaser
might be guided properly.
The Value of Publicity
George C. Johnston, chairman of the Publicity
Committee, submitted a lengthy report em-
phasizing the importance of proper publicity in
forwarding the interests of the tuners and
pointing out the success that attended that sort
of work in Peoria. He praised the trade papers
and the various house organs for the manner
in which they had supported the 'campaign re-
lating to the care of the piano. Particular
praise was given to the Gulbransen Co. for its
extensive campaign carried on through national
C
magazines and newspapers, and extended ref-
erence was made to the publicity developed by
the travels and talks of President Deutschmann.
The silver cup given the Peoria division last
Charles A. Deutschmann
year was turned over to the Dallas-Fort Worth
Division for doing the most constructive ad-
vertising publicity work during the past year.
R. P. Patterson, of Dallas, responded with
thanks and outlined the work done, which in-
cluded Tuners' Week prizes for essays on tun-
ing and other means for arousing public in-
terest.
Curtis System Demonstrated
An interesting demonstration and outline of
the Curtis System of Class Piano Instruction
was given by Miss Helen Curtis, founder of the
system, assisted by four pupils. Miss Curtis
told how group instruction brings out the
natural inborn ability of the child and also
explained how it helps the entire industry by
interesting thousands of children in music, be-
cause of the spirit of competition incited and
the nominal charge for lessons.
The work carried on in Kansas City with
3,000 school children learning how to play the
piano by this method was explained, and the
tuners were much impressed with the actual
demonstration offered by the four children
present who played together scales, melodies,
and even transposed after only four weeks'
work of two lessons per week.
William
Lincoln Bush, now manager of the Curtis Sys-
tem, spoke in his inimitable manner in further
explanation of the system, bringing down the
house with a parody on jazz playing.
In the absence of Allen E. Pollard, of Hous-
ton, T. J. O'Meara read the paper prepared by
him.
"This Business of Piano Tuning"
In a lengthy address on "This Business of
Piano Tuning," the writer of this interesting
paper stressed the necessity of tuners hav-
ing a thorough knowledge of their profession
(Continued on page 7)