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The Music Trade Review
A P R I L 23, 1927
Registrations for the Wisconsin Melody
Way Club Are Averaging Over 500 Daily
formation of the Milwaukee section, which
is expected to include Madison and Mani-
towoc in its territory. A petition is being
prepared for the approval of the national coun-
cil of the institute.
Milwaukee Music Dealers Already Reporting Tangible Returns on Plan—Dealers
A strong demand for popular sheet music has
Using Display Advertising Space to Link up With the Campaign
been felt at Gimbel Bros, music department,
according to Miss M. M. Paulsen, who is in
V 4 I L W A U K E E , April 19.—Local dealers who naturally results in new members among the charge of that section. Miss Paulsen says that
are behind the Melody Way club, being school children.
"In a Little Spanish Town" continues to be very
sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal and the
In a recent advertisement appearing in the popular and that the "Song of the Wanderer"
Wisconsin Association of Music Merchants, are Milwaukee Journal and inserted by the Kessel- is selling extremely well. "Moonbeam, Kiss
enthusiastic over the possibilities of the proposi- man-O'Driscoll Co., that organization linked it- Her For Me," and "Four Leaf Clover," which
tion and over the results which have so far been self whole-heartedly with the Melody Way cam- have been featured at the Palace Orpheum Thea-
obtained. Registrations of club members have paign by heading its advertisement, "Is Your tre here by Nick Lucas, are enjoying a heavy
been coming in at the rate of 500 a day and Child Taking the Journal's 'Melody Way' Free run also, according to Miss Paulsen.
more than 3,500 members were entered in the Piano Lesson Course?" and then suggesting that
Janet Kesselman, daughter of L. M. Kessel-
Melody Way club at the end of the first week those who are taking the lessons use W. Otto man, president of the Music Arts Corp., recently
of the membership campaign.
Miessner's Ampico recordings as an aid in their attended the National Music Supervisors' Con-
William Riordan, of the Mason & Hamlin study. Kesselman-O'Driscoll is one of the first ference of the North Central section in Spring-
Studios, says that in his opinion the most in- Milwaukee merchants to link its store adver- field, 111., together with other members of the
spiring thing about the Melody Way club and tising with the Melody Way campaign, although Riverside High School Glee Club of Milwaukee.
the thing that makes him confident that the it is expected that many other dealers will do The Glee Club took part in a radio program at
plan will be a great success and result in addi- it as the plan gets under way.
that city.
tional sales of pianos is the fact that it has
An initial class of fifteen pupils will receive
G. K. Purdy, formerly with the Yahr-Lange
proved conclusively that people are still inter- free piano lessons at the Menasha, Wis., high Co. as sales manager, has assumed the position
ested in the piano and that they still desire to school, according to word received here. The of manager of the Milwaukee branch of the
learn to play one.
instruction will be under the direction of Miss George C. Beckwith Co., 341 Broadway, dis-
"We have already realized on the Melody Irene Schmidt, head of the music department. tributor of Federal and Mohawk radios. Mr.
Way plan in sales," said Edward Herzog, sales The class piano instruction method has been Purdy has been connected with the music in-
manager of Edmund Gram, Inc., "and I believe adopted. Only children who have not had any dustry for eight years and has been a pioneer
that it is going to be the biggest thing ever piano lessons are eligible for the class.
in the radio field.
put over in the State or in Milwaukee. How-
James M. Gaines, manager of the piano de-
D. W. W. Kelly, of the Allen-Bradley Co.,
ever I look on the results we have already had has been elected temporary chairman of a pro- partment of Edmund Gram, Inc., married Mrs.
as only a small beginning of the excellent re- posed Milwaukee section of the Institute of Marie Goehring of Denver, on April 4. The
sults we are going to get."
Radio Engineers, and Sam Snead, of the Snead couple will be at home in the Cudahy apart-
Henry M. Steussy, manager of the Kessel- Radio Service, has been elected acting secre- ments in Milwaukee some time after the middle
man-O'Driscoll Co., also proclaimed the plan a tary. It has been voted to begin work on the of May.
success. "We already have gotten several sales
which we can trace directly to this source," he
said. "If dealers continue to co-operate as they
have been doing I believe that it will be the sal-
vation of the small piano merchant who for the
past few months has been watching his business
dwindle."
Months of preparation have preceded the an- Radio, Special Advertising and Concerts to Be Given by the Local Dealers— Scruggs,
Vandervoort & Barney Eighty-fifth Anniversary
nouncement of this contest and Wisconsin deal-
ers were therefore ready with their financial and
promotional co-operation in putting the contest C T . LOUIS, MO., April 21.—National Music would begin equipping its salesmen with mov-
over. Enterprising dealers in practically every ^ Week, to be held May 2 to 7, promises to ing picture machines and films to be used in
town in Wisconsin will be represented in the be an outstanding event insofar as St. Louis is demonstrating the piano in the home.
contest and several towns bordering the State concerned, if advance indications can be con-
Much interest is being manifested in local
have also become interested in the club and sidered a criterion. Nearly all piano dealers music circles in the recent announcement that
have announced their intention of hooking up and others in the trade are planning special Frank J. Hunleth, of the Hunleth Music Co.,
with it.
here, has purchased a tract of ground at the
events in observance of the week.
Milwaukee merchants who will offer piano
The radio, advertising mediums, special southeast corner of Enright and Hodiamont
practice rooms to club members, together with stunts and other facilities and events are being avenues from Mrs. Frances Tate. While the
instructors, are the Flanner-Hafsoos Music enlisted by the local houses in their plans for consideration involved in the transfer was not
House, Inc., which will offer quarters to ac- the week in an effort to focus public attention made public, it was understood to be a sub-
commodate 150 members twice a week, when in- upon the finer art and to stimulate sales. Illus- stantial sum. In addition, Mr. Hunleth agreed
struction will also be offered; the Mason & trative of this is the action of the Lehman to transfer to Mrs. Tate a four-story building
Hamlin Studios, who will offer practice rooms Piano Co., distributor of the Knabe and Am- at the southeast corner of Fourth street and
in their studios and in a branch at 229 Center pico pianos, which is preparing a series of Clark avenue here. The tract of ground is
street; Kesselman-O'Driscoll who, in addition special concerts and stunts to be broadcast irregular in shape and faces 166 feet on Enright
to their store practice rooms, will conduct over radio WIL. This house has announced avenue and 202 feet on Hodiamont avenue.
branches in every part of the city and all the that it is arranging a series of special adver- What Mr. Hunleth intends to do with the tract
suburbs, and the Edmund Gram Co., which has tising displays to be run in all the leading is a source of much speculation.
made elaborate plans for accommodations for papers of the city during the week.
Another event of interest during the week
the Melody Way club members.
The Baldwin Piano Co., which recently ac- was the failure of the Horras Piano Co., which
The Milwaukee Journal has made it plain quired toll rights over radio station KFVE, has filed voluntary petitions in bankruptcy, listing
to inquirers that special privileges will be ac- announced its intention of using the radio and assets of $7,165 and liabilities of $31,670. The
corded members of the club. Some questions ether special advertising stunts during the rapid rise of the radio as a means of musical
were sent in to the directors of the club asking week, while the Aeolian Co. of Missouri, entertainment was ascribed by John L. Horras,
why it was necessary to join the Melody Way Kieselhorst's, Conroy and other dealers in the president, as the cause of the company's dif-
organization when it was possible to get the city are planning special features for the week. ficulties.
lessons over the air (the lessons are being broad-
To Scruggs-Vandervoort & Barneys' depart-
cast over WHAD) or in the paper. The journal ment store, distributor of the Chickering piano,
replied in its news columns, giving the various music week will have more than ordinary sig-
advantages of being a member of the club, and nificance, since the week coincides with the
PINE BLUFF, ARK., April 21.—A. G. Kahn and
urging that its readers join and that they take store's seventy-seventh anniversary, in recog- George F. Kahn have opened a new music
part in the contest which will be held later.
nition of which it is arranging an extensive store at 514 Main street, this city, handling the
Members who have already joined the club advertising display and sale.
complete line of Baldwin pianos and other musi-
range in age from five-and-one-half to sixty
This event also will amplify present sales cal instruments. The latter has been Baldwin
years. Each member is sent a button, which policies, including the Chickering sales promo- representative for this district for several years
in most cases is worn proudly, even by the older tion plan, which it recently instituted and which and A. G. Kahn, his brother, has been a success-
people. Children wear the buttons to school includes special activity on the part of its ful jeweler here. The quarters have been ex-
and in exhibiting them to other children create salesmen. The company also has announced tensively remodeled and renovated for the music
a great deal of interest in the club which that during the latter part of this month it business.
St. Louis Music Merchants Preparing
Wide Co-operation in Music Week
New Store in Pine Bluff