Music Trade Review

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ever circumstances permit and to in-
stall a passenger elevator from the
first to the second floor. Story & Clark
and Knable pianos will be displayed
on the main floor of the store. On
the second floor, there will be a spe-
cial room for the display of Steinways,
and a Hammond organ studio, com-
plete with teacher. The organ teacher
will instruct all coiners free—owners,
prospective purchasers, in fact any
one who wants to learn to play.
But the all-engrossing problems at
Stephenson's now is in hanging onto
the present—trying to get the mer-
chandise, selling it, and struggling to
keep up with the myriad forms the
present day requires. Meanwhile, the
future can take care of itself.
Both C. H. Stephenson, Sr., founder
and president of the C. H. Stephenson
Music Co.. and Mrs. Stephenson re-
port daily for work although on Feb-
ruary 14th last they celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Ste-
The Combination Warerooin suit! lteoitnl Hull of the ('. H. Stephenson Itlu
phenson is vice president of the com-
educational in character. They are 3,766. Recently, Stgphenson's spon- pany, and C. H. Stephenson, Jr., is
secretary-treasurer. Another son, R.
designed to create a postwar not a sored a concert by Jose Iturbi.
present-day demand for pianos. Ste-
According to Mr. Stephenson, no C. Stephenson also works in the store.
phenson's does not do any direct-mail unusual postwar changes are contem- A third son, J. T. Stephenson, is on
adver'ising now. "The only direct- plated. Stephenson's expects to re- leave of absence serving in the U. S.
mail advertising we do is to write peo- piint th^ in'erior of the store when- Navy.
Advertising for Postwar Trade
Another item of selling exper.ss
which the war has cut is that of ad-
vertising. Ads are placed regularly
with the newspapers in order to keep
the company's name in the public eye.
but the ads themselves are chiefly
pie we haven't got the merchandise,"
Charlie Stephenson said a bit wryly.
Stephenson's still sponsors an occa-
sional concert, but not as frequently
as it did in prewar times. The con-
certs are held in Raleigh's Memorial
Audi orium. an auditorium that s e t s
MWCA Directors Study
Program; Offices Moved
A long-range program to supplement designed to hasten the complete re-
and expand the existing music pro-
gram in the Surgeon General's recon-
ditioning and convalescent programs in
Army Service Forces and Veterans Ad-
ministration hospitals is being studied
by officers and directors of the Music
War Council of America, Executive
Secretary Howard C. Fischer an-
nounced following a meeting of the
Council's board «f directors in Chicago
August 13.
Lt. Col. Howard C. Bronson, chief
music officer, Army Service Forces, told
the Council officers present at the meet-
ing that there is yet insufficient real-
ization and understanding of the great
need for music in the vitally important
resocialization program in Army hos*-
P'tals and that this field affords an
excellent opportunity to be of service to
convalescent veterans. He urged the
Ciuncl to play an active role in pro-
viding space, supplies, facilities and
competent trained personnel for carry-
ing out a program of musical activities
adjustment from the deeply ingrained
Army regimentation to civilian life.
No decision has yet been reached re-
garding how far the Council can go to-
ward complete implementation of this
project, and a proposal was made that
other organizations having musical in-
terests be invited to participate in the
program. The Council officers voted to
give study and consideration to the
problems involved, and indicated that
the Music War Council would doubt-
less assume responsibility for carying
out one or more phasese of the over-
all program proposed by Col. Bronson.
Further consideration was given to
suggestions for a new name for the
Council that will be in keeping with its
peacetime objectives announced at the
annual meeting in New York City in
July. A new name was decided upon,
but it was voted to withhold announce-
ment of it until final completion of the
Council's wartime functions, including
the awarding of wartime destinguip.hed
service citations still pending, en-
couragement of "living" musical war
memorials, and the veterans' resocial-
ization pT'ogram. The officers feel that
these and similar projects can best
be continued in the immediate future
under the Council's present name.
Meanwhile, the board of directors
prepared for expansion of the Coun-
cil's activities by aproving removal of
the headquarters office from 20 East
Jackson Blvd., Chicago, to larger space
in the Fine Arts Building at 410 South
Michigan Ave., in the same city. The
Fine Arts Building is known through-
out the country as a center of musical
activity and will give the Council an
address quite in keeping with its aims
to bring the full force of music into
play as a factor contributing to the
preservation of peace and the cultural
development of civilization. The new
quarters will be occupied on or before
September 15.
The officers present at the meeting
in Chicago included President Jay
Kraus, who presided; Treasurer How-
ard Lyons; Directors George M. Bundy,
Fred A. Holtz, Max Targ and Roy D.
Wells, and the executive secretary.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 1945