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BIG
SELLING J O B
WITH
ICAL
INSTRUMENTS
the harmonica, and after two or three lessons the children ing school in the rural districts of Minnesota at the age of
are playing tunes.
17, where he introduced community singing as a feature of
"A group consists of twenty boys and girls, and the the opening exercises—said to be the first of its kind in the
average age is from 7 to 14. The course runs for ten weeks State. His father was a Baptist minister who retired after
and there are two lessons a week—meeting just after school, preaching over 60 years.
at 4:15 p. m., and in the evening at 7:30 o'clock for the
Mr. Reeves is a confirmed optimist, which perhaps explains
more advanced students. Three groups are continuously his success under existing conditions. The situation does not
maintained, known as the Beginners' Group, Advanced Group worry him, for, as he says:
and Special Advanced Group. When money was more plen-
"These times seem depressing to many people, but those
tiful groups were larger. Some groups have only boys and who can recall the Indian scares in the early settlement of
some only girls.
Minnesota, as I can, when the hair on my head stood straight
"It is no problem
up with fright many
to teach the children
a night; or watched
the language of mu-
the c h i n c h bugs,
sic by the group
a r m y worms or
method, as almost
grasshoppers m o w
any musician can do
down hundreds of
that. The problem
fields of grain for a
of holding the atten-
period of years in
tion of the young-
succession; or lived
sters of various ages
in the D a k o t a s
for a period of one
when the hot winds
hour, however, is
withered the crops
a real one, and
and all vegetation
this has been over-
for a number of sea-
come in the new
sons without let-up,
way to such an ex-
should not now feel
tent that the chil-
panicky or discour-
dren often beg to re-
aged. Those old pio-
main over the regu-
neers kept on work-
lar hour of practice,
ing and finally be-
which is more or
came prosperous and
less a mystery to
b u i l t up h a p p y
educators. It is pos-
homes.
THE HARMONICA BAND OF THE MONTANA DEACONESS SCHOOL, TRAINED BY
sible that this meth-
"In 1928 light-
MR. REEVES (AT LEFT)—NOTE THE UNIFORMITY OF POSTURE
od of instruction
ning struck my mu-
may soon be put into print and made available for the graded sic store and completely wiped out the results of thirty-four
schools and others interested.
years of labor. A lot of people were bumped in 1929. In
"From time to time the children of these groups give con- 1930 I fell and broke two ribs and in 1931 I fell again
certs and very often appear on programs at lodges, schools and carried a broken arm for three months. Such things
should never make one down-hearted. For me, I prefer to
and service clubs."
Mr. Reeves has always been active in civic affairs and the be like the singed cat and let the fur grow out again.
promotion of music in all its forms. He was song leader
"I believe in the old philosophy that a winner never quits,
during the late World War and is now song leader for the and while I am temporarily deprived of money to invest in
Helena Kiwanis Club; for fifteen years was president of the the more expensive instruments, I am devoting my efforts to
Helena Retail Merchants Exchange; is a 32d degree Mason; the promotion of harmonica, ukulele and guitar sales and
been through the chairs in the Elks' Lodge where he has teaching the youngsters how to play them by my original
been official Santa Claus for over thirty years; acted as pilot group method. It keeps me so busy that I have no time to
for twenty-nine annual picnics with the Helena newsboys; give much thought to the complicated and uncertain thing
was a printer's devil in his more tender years and was teach- they call economic instability."
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
January,
1933