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MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
Conducted By Thomas W. Bresnahan
C. G. Conn Holds Annual Dealers'
Convention at Factory in Elkhart, Ind.
Four-Day Program Given Before Representative Gathering of Conn Retailers Who
Came From Entire Country—Band Organization Leading Topic
p
,
IND., August 30.—To-day saw
*~* the close of the fourth annual convention
of Conn dealers and branch managers held at
the factories of C. G. Conn, Ltd., during the
past four days. There was a large attendance
of representatives from Boston to San Fran-
cisco, all of them in an optimistic frame of
mind and predicting an excellent business for
Fall based upon general prospects.
The convention proper opened on Monday
noon with a luncheon at the Conn cafeteria,
where the keynote address was made by C. D.
Greenleaf, president. Mr. Greenleaf outlined
general conditions at some length, told of the
company's pla,ns for the coming months, and
particularly urged that the dealers make an in-
tensive effort to back the manufacturers of band
instruments in their promotion work which was
putting the public in the frame of mind to pur-
chase. This, he said, was the final answer to
the problem of increasing sales. On Monday
evening there was an informal dinner for
branch managers at the Hotel Elkhart and spe-
cial entertainment for all delegates.
The first business session opened on Tuesday
morning when Mr. Greenleaf also spoke. He
welcomed the many visitors and outlined the
program briefly. Officers to act during the
convention were elected a,nd - then the general
round of talks and discussions started. Daniel
Miller, of San Francisco; A. J. Niemiec, Mil-
waukee; and Maxwell Meyers, Boston, told how
they handled sub-agents. Harry Meyers, of
New York, told how to get new dealer accounts;
George Byerly, of Peoria, outlined methods for
obtaining the co-operation of music super-
visors; Ed. Paton, of Omaha, explained the
handling of prospects; and W. E. Jones, of
Mansfield, O., told in detail how the road man
can assist the dealer.
After luncheon, during which the visitors
were entertained by the Conn Saxophone Quar-
tet and soloists, Maxwell Meyers, F. D. Streep,
Kansas City, and Harry Meyers, explained the
methods of obtaining more business in larger
cities. Harry N. Chesebrough, of Idaho, told
how he organized bands; N. E. Hager, of Grand
Rapids, explained how he supplied them with
instruments, and E. A. Hartman, of Chicago,
described the organization of bands in parochial
schools.
The Wednesday session opened with a ta,lk
by E. G. Ugger, of Grand Forks, on how to
organize bands in rural districts; Ben L. Loven-
thal, of Louisville, explained how the support
of the authorities could be enlisted in band
organization; A. M. Belsher, of Dallas, told
how the support of Chambers of Commerce
could be obtained; Verl J. Sheffer, of Dayton,
outlined methods of obtaining music super-
visors' support; Geo. B. Wiswell, of Joliet, told
how to obtain the co-operation of the public
for the support of local bands, and H. B. Mc-
Clellan, of Buffalo, explained the organization
of bands through the rental plan.
On Wednesday afternoon Ben L. Leventhal
and Leslie Stewart, of Columbus, talked on the
value of factory demonstrators; Robert Gilli-
land, Warren, O., stressed the importance of
the dealer's tieup with the band teachers; and
Richard Stross, of Chicago, gave a talk on sell-
ing. The session wound up with a general dis-
cussion of advertising in its various phases.
The final sessions on Thursday were given
over to general discussions on a number of im-
portant subjects, such as the best means for
presenting new models to the trade, how the
factory can help the dealer, the effect of the
movietone on business, how co-opera/tion can be
given the sub-dealer, how to cope with com-
and a majority of them took advantage of the
opportunity to talk over various business
matters.
Among those who attended the convention,
in addition to the speakers already listed, were
Will Levis, Rochester, N. Y.; John Luellen,
Chicago; Fred Bayers, Bridgeport, Conn.;
James Svehla, Grand Forks, N. D.; M. E.
Williams, Birmingham, Ala,.; B. A. Rose, Min-
neapolis; Bob Gilliland, Warren, O.; Glenn
Lyman and Lee Hiltbrunner, Cedar Rapids, la.;
A. W. Silverstein, Akron, O.; Ralph Troutt,
Conn Co., Atlanta; Lyle Markham, Erie; C. R.
Miller, Washington; H. G. Byerly, Conn Co.,
Peoria; E. W. Teed, Conn Co., New Orleans;
Cott Dawson, Conn Co., Baltimore; Henry A.
Mulholland, Conn Co., Vancouver; H. P. Mul-
holland, Conn Co., Seattle; Paul Kirby, Conn
Co., Detroit; Daniel Miller, Conn Co., San Fran-
cisco; Paul E. Nickey, Tipton, Ind.; G. C. Col-
lum, Whittle Music Co., Dallas; D. C. Burk-
holder, Madison, Wis., and C. W. Kuehn,
Schenectady, N. Y.
York Issues Pocket
Transposition Chart
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., August 27.—The York
Band Instrument Co. has recently published a
handy pocket transposition chart to determine
quickly equivalent tones on the various instru-
ments of the band and orchestra. The chart
•has been copyrighted by the House of York and
is supplied free on request.
J. G. Freeman Returns
J. C. Freeman, director of the Wurlitzer
collection of old violins and other musical
instruments, recently returned from Europe
with a Stradivarius 'cello said to be one of the
most valuable instruments made by that noted
violin maker.
C. D. Greenleaf
petition, how to work a territory effectively,
various means for increasing business, and a
number of factors of credit and finance.
The annual banquet was held at the Hotel
Elkhart on Wednesday evening and proved a
most successful affair, the entertainment being
furnished by celebrated Conn artists. There
were also informal entertainment programs
each evening during the convention for the
benefit of the delegates.
Throughout the four days of the convention
special hours were set aside during which deal-
ers could interview the various company offi-
cials and department heads for the discussion
of such subjects as they considered pertinent,
Buys Kaufman Interest
Paul Graham has bought out the interests of
his partner, Devere Kaufman, in the Music
Shoppe, East Liberty street, Worcester, O.,
Buys Conn Equipment
Issy Friedman, the new reed instrument man
in Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, has purchased a
complete set of gold Conn instruments from the
New York Conn Co. store.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
BRETSCH
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