Music Trade Review

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No Expense Spared in Equipping Tuner,
Technician Division of New York Trade School
T
HE tuning and technician courses
at the New York Trade School,
304 East 67th Street are now
getting into full swing and the facili-
ties of the school now rank among the
best in the country. Under the guid-
ance of George E. McLaughlin, effi-
cient superintendent as well as secre-
tary of the school, no expense has been
spared in equipping the tuning division
finishing, sound board, pin block and
veneer, while 30 hours are devoted to
stringing. Case, plate and used piano
overhaul takes another 40 hours. Then
comes the business course in which the
student is instructed in bookkeeping,
salesmanship, business law and insur-
ance.
Experienced Tuner Supervises
These practical courses are under
erick Loeser & Co., Brooklyn, managed
the Jerome Ackerly business when the
latter was ill and finally became con-
cert tuner for the American Piano Co.
In 1935 he started his own piano serv-
ice business during which time he con-
ducted two shops which he closed to
become the instructor of the new school
on recommendation of the Committee
of the National Piano Manufacturers.
The New York Trade School Tuner Techieinn Division.
Left: The Npni-ious tuning nnd technician department.
Center: One of the soundproof booth*.
Ki^hf: Enrie >I. Turner, Supervisor of the School, instructing '< student on
Krnnd action construction. The great need of the School at present is pianos to work on.
with every necessary device for the the supervision of Earle M. Turner, Association which is sponsoring the
'benefit of those who are taking up the whose experience as a practical tuner school.
"During the twenty weeks course,"
courses. Not only is a student taught and technician reach back to 1910.
how to tear down and rebuild a piano After graduating from high school in said Mr. Turner to a REVIEW repre-
tune and regulate and put an instru- Lakeville, Conn., he attended the sentative recently, "subjects will be
ment in first class shape, but is also Worcester School of Technology, grad- taught ranging from the origin of
given a business course to instruct him uating as an electrical engineer in sound, it's action and characteristics,
in the proper methods of conducting 1910. He had become a musician and the analysis of the human ear through
a tuning business of his own. Work is pianist during his school days, earning all the phases of musical tones leading
done on both grands and uprights, on his way through college playing the to that finished condition of accumu-
driect blow and drop actions, on keys, piano and trombone. He became a lated piano tones that science calla
hammers and stringing, in fact on any demonstrator at the Mason & Hamlin perfect piano tuning.
type of work which becomes necessary warerooms in Boston and was so in- "The practical work will include all
to put a piano in first class condition. terested in the piano business that procedures in construction and build-
Twenty Weeks Course
he entered the tuning school of C. P. ing of pianos of all types with especial
The subjects and school hours in- Dolan in Boston and apprenticed as a stress on regulating and repair. Fine
clude six hours devoted to registration tuner in the Chickering & Sons plant. tuning, of course, is the backbone of
and general instructions and six hours Later he became superintendent of the the entire legend of methods and pres-
devoted to the piano business and the J. & C. Fischer plant in New York ent presentation and every effort has
importance of service. 250 hours are after training in this plant through all been made to provide for the instruc-
required for chipping, rough and fine departments. Ill health overtook him tion and practice needed to create even
tuning, 100 hours for finishing, rough for awhile so he moved to Long Island more than a solid working founda-
and fine reerulating of grand piano ac- where he spent four years conducting tion."
tions and 70 hours to the various con- the service department for Jerome C.
Finely Appointed School
struction, installation, finishing and Ackerly where he says he got the most
The New York Trade School is
regulating; of upright actions both di- valuable experience on outside work.
housed in one of the finest buildings in
rect blow and drop actions. Forty
New York expressly built for its pur-
In
the
first
World
War
he
served
as
hours are devoted to refinishing in-
cluding color, cover, burning in and a warrant officer in the Air Force after pose. Garrard Winston is president,.
polishing, 42 hours are required for which he became assistant superintend- Richard L. Morris, treasurer, and Mr.
cabinet work including frame, fly- ent of the service department of Fred- McLaughlin, secretary. It was found-
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JUNE, 1945
2S