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Future Plans for Piano Lesson Promotion
Revealed at New York Year End Luncheon
HE 39th annual luncheon of the
New York Piano Trade took place
on December 27th at the Hotel
McAlpin. It was held in the Colonial
Room and over 100 members of the
piano trade in the metropolitan area
were present. Unlike previous years,
the master of ceremonies was able to
address the audience as "Ladies and
Gentlemen" because there were 3 ladies
present, in addition to the predominant
number of men who have been accus-
tomed to attend this annual affair. One
of the former was Mrs. Fay Templeton
Frisch, who was recently appointed the
National Chairman of the Piano In-
struction Division of the Music Edu-
cators National Conference, succeeding
Dr. Raymond Burrows, who for five
years held this position and was instru-
mental in promoting the piano lessons
in public and parochial schools to the
extent that school administrators are
now seeking information as to how the
group piano classes may be conducted
in their systems. Dr. Burrows is at pres-
ent acting as Advisory Counsel to the
Committee of what Mrs. Frisch is now
chairman.
T
Mrs. Frisch Tells Problems
During the course of the luncheon,
Mrs. Frisch explained some of the
problems which confront her commit-
tee, and told of some of the methods
which will be pursued to overcome
these problems. Dr. Burrows also spoke
briefly. At the speakers' table also was
A. Dalrymple who for many years be-
fore he retired from the business was
secretary and treasurer of the Estey
Piano Co. Mr. Dalrymple had not at-
tended a Year-end Luncheon for many
years, although he was one of those
who attended several of the first lunch-
eons over thirty years ago. Now in his
85th year, he briefly told about the
number who attended the luncheons in
the early days. Next to him sat Gustave
Behning, Vice-President and Sales Man-
ager of Kohler & Campbell, Inc., who
had just passed his 83rd birthday.
The others at the speakers' table in-
cluded Clarence M. Pettit, Vice-Presi-
dent of the American Piano Corp., who
with a few words of welcome also read
some of the statistics regarding the
large number of babies that have been
born in the country during the last
year, which he felt was important due
to the fact that a large percentage of
them will probably play pianos and
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purchase them in the future. W. R.
Steinway, Vice-President of Steinway
& Sons, well-known throughout the in-
dustry as "Uncle Billy", spoke a few
words of welcome and encouragement
as did Henry Ziegler Steinway, a mem-
ber of the Piano Manufacturers Advis-
ory Committee, and Thomas Pritchett,
senior vice president of the Na-
tional Piano Travelers Association.
Webster E. Janssen, the former Presi-
dent of the National Piano Manufac-
turers Association, called for a toast to
James V. Sill, the present President of
the association for the splendid work
which he has done since he has assumed
that office. Charles Kohler White, son
of Julius A. White, President of Kohler
& Campbell, Inc., and grandson of the
late Charles Kohler, also said a few
words of welcome.
Those Who Have Gone Beyond
Before those at the head table gave
their opinions of present-day prob-
lems, Carleton Chace, Master of Cere-
monies, read the following list of trade
members who passed away during the
last year, while the guests rose and
stood silently in tribute to them. W. S.
Bond, President of the Weaver Piano
Co.. York, Pa., 87; W. W. Radcliffe,
retired piano traveler, 75; William J.
Dougherty, Editor of the "Music Deal-
er", 60; Fred Phannstiehl, former Su-
perintendent of Kohler & Campbell,
Inc., 72; Carl H. Wohlberg, formerly
Treasurer of Kohler & Campbell, Inc.;
Miss Jane Morgan, with Wanamaker's
Piano Dept. 51 years; Paul H. Ken-
nedy, Interchemical Corp., Newark,
N. J., 6 1 ; Henry Hoffman, Hardman,
Peck & Co., 65; George M. Bundy,
President of H. & A. Selmer, Inc., 65;
George L. Wheeler, Griffith Piano Co.,
Newark, 72; Charles L. Brady, Wm.
Knabe & Co. for 53 years, 70; Ralph
Tapp, Steinway & Sons, 80; F. Ram-
melkamp, formerly Office Manager of
Kohler & Campbell, Inc., 68; Hugo F.
Ricca, formerly President of Ricca &
Sons, 72; George A. Scoffield of Scars-
dale, N. Y., piano dealer, 78; Herman
F. Stubbe, Roosevelt, L. I., 77;
Anthony Doll, Jr., formerly President of
Wasle & Co., 7 1 ; Arthur Hahn, Presi-
dent of Krakauer Bros., 58; Charles
Ellis Hunter, John Wanamaker Piano
Dept., 78; Philip Gordon, Business
Manager of the 'Music Trades', 57;
Francis J. Ryback, Yonkers, N. Y., 51;
Thomas F. English, President of the
Chandler Piano Co., Brooklyn, 74;
Harry Clark, Griffith Piano Co., 44.
Mr. Clark attended the Year-End
Luncheon in 1950 and played the
piano for the singing. He had planned
to attend the luncheon this year, but
died suddenly on Christmas Day of a
heart attack.
Another member of the piano indus-
try has attended practically every
luncheon and who had intended to at-
tend but was prevented from doing so
by a serious accident was Otto M.
Heintzman. Mr. Heintzman fell from
the top of the stairs in the 8th Ave.
Subway and rolled down to the bot-
tom before he could be stopped. He
suffered severe bruises and much pain
and was unable to attend the luncheon.
Following these announcements, Mr.
Chace read a telegram from Henry
Wickham, President of the Wickham
Piano Plate Co., which was sent from
Mexico City, in which he said: "Sorry
to miss Year-End Luncheon. Saw bull-
fight last Sunday. It is very similar to
bull-throwing as we know it in the
piano business, except that the bull
dies. Will teach Spanish for small fee
when I return. Kindly organize Spanish
Club and let exceptionally bright boys
like Web Janssen, Bill Hessmer, Pete
Comstock and Jake Schiller in at half-
price cash on barrel head. Give my
best wishes for a Happy New Year to
all."
At the termination of the greetings
from those who sat at the speakers'
table, Herman Distler kept the audience
in good humor for the next half-hour
with his unusual discourse on current
problems.
Those Present
The luncheon terminated with the
singing of "Auld Lang Syne". Among
those present were Willard R. Foster,
and Harry Spinner, Aeolian Co.;
Thomas Prichett, Aeolian American
Corp.; Clarence M. Pettit, American
Piano Corp.; Perk Bowers and Frank
J. Apel, Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., Martin
B. Colwin, and Harold Hagameyer,
Hardman, Peck & Co.; WebsterE.Jans-
sen, Janssen Piano Co.; R. W. Stevens,
Ivers & Pond Piano Co.; Gustave
Behning, Gerard Thompson, and
Charles K. White, Kohler & Campbell,
Inc.; Maurice Bretzfelder, and A. L.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1952