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These grade school pupils of Council Bluffs, la., have manufactured their own instruments and formed this or-
chestra after hearing talks and concerts presented for them by Joseph Littau, conductor of the Omaha, Neb.,
Symphony Orchestra. The instruments were made entirely by the students, none of whom are in high school.
Standing, left to right, Alvin Christoffersen, flute, fifth grade; Clifford Burgshum, violin, seventh grade; Wayne
Springer, violin, eighth grade; Jean Busey, xylophone, eighth grade; Korby Humlicek, violin, seventh grade;
Lloyd Mumford, violin, fifth grade; Floyd Johnson, harp, fifth grade. Seated, left to right, Ruth Pace, Hawaiian
guitar, seventh grade, and Dorothy Geiwitz, drum, fourth grade.
School Children Mak
Their Own Instruments
In Council Bluffs
By HARRY MAUCK, JR.
O
U T in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the children in the
grade schools have not only been made interested
in good music and in the personal production of
such music, but have gone a step farther and have
made, or are making, their own orchestral instruments. It
is a fascinating experiment that has proven distinctly success-
ful and should interest everyone concerned with the training
of the child in the playing of music. The music dealer
should be particularly interested because in a great majority
of cases the making of crude instruments by the youngsters
is followed by the purchase of properly manufactured instru-
ments for them by their parents.
The idea of having the school children make their instru-
ments, although launched with some misgivings, was re-
ceived enthusiastically by the youngsters themselves. Teach-
ers in the various schools in the city, situated on the banks
of the Missouri River and having a population of slightly
more than 40,000, at first thought the idea was a childhood
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
May,
1931