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CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
, v . Frank W. Kirk, Manager, 333 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
R. J. Cook President of
Chicago P. & O. Ass'n
Stock, conductor of the Chicago Symphony Or-
chestra, is chairman. Many other local organ-
izations have taken an active part in the Schu-
bert Centennial movement sponsored by the
Columbia Phonograph Co. These activities have
led to an appreciation of Schubert music and
dealers report a good demand for it in various
forms including records of the Columbia Mas-
tcrworks series.
J. V. Sill, of Kimball Co., First Vice-President; Henry Hewitt,
of M. Schulz Co., Second Vice-President; Walter Kiehn,
Chicago Manufacturers' Ass'n
Holds Annual Election
Secretary; and Adam Schneider, Treasurer
R
J. COOK, vice-president and general manager of the Cable Piano Co., was elected
president of the Chicago Piano & Organ Association at the annual meeting held Thurs-
* day, November 8, at the Great Northern Hotel. He succeeds Roger O'Connor, of Kra-
nich & Bach. The other officers, who were unanimously elected, were J. V. Sill, W. W. Kim-
ball Co., first vice-president; Henry Hewitt, M. Schulz Co., second vice-president; Walter Kiehn,
Gulbransen Co., secretary, and Adam Schneider, treasurer.
The retiring president, Roger O'Connor,
called the meeting to order after luncheon with the Daily News series of ads on the piano and
the reading of the reports of the various officers announcement of Radio station WGN'S third
and committees. The reports of President year of piano lessons on the air in the Chicago
Roger O'Connor, Secretary J. V. Sill, Eugene Sunday Tribune of October 28. These major
Whelan, of the Piano Promotion Publicity Com- stories in the papers mentioned and a few
mittee, and Walter Kiehn, of the Committee minor mediums have had circulation in excess
on Music Promotion, all emphasized the active of 9,000,000.
part the Chicago Piano & Organ Association
"Aside from the promotion given the piano
had taken during 1928 in launching and com- in the daily press the school teachers are en-
pleting an extensive music promotion cam- couraging piano study in every school where
paign.
class instruction has been initiated. Some won-
Among the outstanding accomplishments was derful messages are being given to the children
included the installation of group-piano instruc- on the value that piano playing will have to
them now and in their later life. This is also
tion in the Chicago public schools. Details of
the activities were given in the following re- having its effect on the reaction that boys have
toward taking up the study of the piano.
port by Walter Kiehn:
"The teaching fraternity in Chicago has been
"From the standpoint of music promotion
the year 1928 has been the greatest period in practically unanimous in its endorsement of the
the history of the Chicago Piano & Organ As- plans worked out by Superintendent Bogan and
sociation. It was during the present year that Music Supervisor Dr. Browne. Small groups
the Chicago public schools made two very im- of principals have been told of the work and
portant moves—first the adoption of the class- have shown their sincere interest in it. They
instruction idea, and second the appointment of have carried the message on to the teachers.
one of the most capable supervisors of music The work is spreading in the schools as quickly
as the classes can be formed. Eventually it
in the country, Dr. J. Lewis Browne.
"B. B. Ayres has functioned as chairman of is the hope of your committee that there will be
the Committee on Music Promotion and in the no charge at all in the schools, not even a nomi-
committee's work has had the whole-hearted co- nal one, for the piano instruction. This is a
operation of the balance of the membership. matter which might well be watched by the
Contacts have been had at various times, too succeeding committee, for only in that way will
numerous to mention, with the school officials. piano class work in Chicago be brought to its
Every effort has been made to impress upon fullest development.
educators the importance of piano education in
"Another interesting point is that hundreds
the public schools.
of grade teachers are taking up the study of
"In order to have every possible contingency class teaching in the music schools. One school
taken care of, your committee, prior to the ac- alone reports 160 public school teachers en-
ceptance of the principle of class instruction by rolled in its classes devoted to this work."
Applications to join the Association were ac-
the School Board, sought pledges from manu-
facturers and merchants .that t.hey would sup- cepted from Louis Schoenwald, of. Ampico Hall,
ply pianos to the schools on a loan basis, if that and R. A. Burke, of the Story & Clark Piano
were necessary. It was our desire to be pro- Co. Deep regret was expressed at the loss of
tected in case the School Board was favorable two members during the past year, J. O.
Twichell and F. S. Spofford.
to the idea but might make a contention that
enough pianos were not available for the work.
In taking the gavel R. J. Cook, the newly
"As a result the local trade was canvassed elected president, made a,plea for co-operation
for pledges of such instruments and a total of among the members in continuing the work on
150 were promised. Individual pledges were music promotion on as great a scale during
from three to twenty instruments, and not one 1929 as has been accomplished during the past
'
••:
: • • • , • " ' .
man approached rejected the plea for this co- year. ,
operation. While it has not been necessary for
us to ask that these pledges be made good, nor
will it; be, it is pleasing to record the fact that
co-operation has been so whole-heartedly given.
"The news of the adoption of class piano les-
Chicago paid homage to Franz Schubert at a
sons in the local schools was widely heralded
by the News, Tribune, Journal, Examiner, centennial memorial meeting of the German
American, and several of the papers had three Club held Sunday, November 11, at the Mor-
to five items on the subject at various times. rison Hotel. Plans were made for a cycle of
Schubert festivals under auspices of the Schu-
Other outstanding publicity in the interest of
music promotion during the past year includes bert Centennial Committee, of which Frederick
Schubert Celebration Is
Widespread in Chicago
15
Officers Include G. B. Luflin, President; F. S
Bassett, Vice-President; J. G. Gorman, Sec-
retary and Adam Schneider, Treasurer
At the annual meeting of the Chicago Piano
Manufacturers' Association held recently at the
Great Northern Hotel, Geo. B. Luflin, factory
superintendent of the W. W. Kimball Co. was
elected president. Fred S. Bassett of the M.
Schulz Co., was chosen vice-president; John
S. Gorman of the Gulbransen Co., secretary,
Ed Leveille, assistant secretary and Adam
Schneider, treasurer. The executive committee
consists of the following: George J. DowlingJ
the Cable Co.; C. N. Kimball, the W. W. Kim-
ball Co., John H. Parnham, the Everett Piano
Co.; Frank F. Story, Story & Clark Piano Co.,
and E. R. Jacobson, Straube Piano Co.
John J. Buttell Joins
the Jones Piano Co.
Becomes Vice-President and General Manager
of Des Moines Concern—E. S. Sears Heads
Company's Wholesale Department
DKS MOJNICS, I A., November 12.—John J. lint-
tell has joined the Jones Piano Co., 915 Walnut
street, as vice-president and general manager.
The president of the company is DeWitt Jones,
son of the founder of the business, Edward H.
Jones, with whom Mr. Buttell was connected
some twenty-eight years ago before traveling
for an Indiana piano manufacturer.
E. S. Sears, of Omaha, has also joined the com-
pany's staff as manager of the wholesale di-
vision, the company wholesaling musical in-
struments to a large part of Iowa. E. Paul
I ones is secretary and treasurer of the com-
pany.
Marks Hoover's Election
With Straube Piano Sale
Whether Fred Haller, piano dealer of Water-
town, N. Y., voted for Hoover or not, he evi-
dently had enough faith in the promised pros-
perity resulting from that gentleman's election
to go out on Election Day and sell a Style L
Straube piano. He plans to keep right on
selling Straube's through the entire new ad-
ministration.
Buys Bay Equipment
The factory assets of the H. C. Bay Co.,
bankrupt, of Bluffton, Jnd., were sold recently
to Theodore Friedeberg, of the Manhattan
Machinery Exchange of New York City, for
the sum of $95,000. These included lumber,
machinery and other equipment. Another nieet^
ing for the sale of the real estate will be held
early in December at the offices of Referee in
Bankruptcy Parkin, at 137 South LaSalle street,
Chicago.
{Continued on page 16)