Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
E. Clay Venable, administrator of
noticeable. To Jenkins' executives it
the Children's Convalescent Home at
had a more important aspect. It
Bethany, Oklahoma, said he knew of
spurred the interest in music and that
no special effort on its behalf. "We
has been for seventy-live years its
must have more friends than we re-
stock in trade.
alized,' he said.
Sister M. Kegina, superintendent of
Big Brothers, Inc., of Joplin oper-
the Monte Cassino School for Girls at
ates a 40-acre farm to serve the pur-
Tulsa, winner of one of the ten pianos
pose signified by its name of helping
allocated through that Jenkins store,
boys who need a hand. It was organ-
summed it up when she said: "It has
ized in 1949. It had one piano, so
been a splendid idea and it certainly
out of condition it was retired to a
has made this community music con-
store room. To the Rev. Thurman D.
scious."
Kelley, superintendent of the farm,
Jenkins executives were happy at
news of the gift piano meant more
that thought. More so, it seemed, than
than just a fine new piano for the
at the dollar volume represented by
home.
26,300,000 votes.
Big Brothers, Inc., ran up a rousing
In Kansas City, where eighteen
200,000-plus votes.
pianos were presented to as many
There weer many sidelights to the
winners, Children's Mercy Hospital
competition, all to warm the cockles
ran up the amazing total of almost
of the heart. In Topeka two of the
500,000 votes, far and away the high-
three churches which won pianos had
est vote-getter in any city.
just two such instruments in their
It was the second piano to be won
buildings. Those pianos had been ob-
by the hospital in a Jenkins anniver-
tained second hand.
sary program. Twenty-five years ago
Kansas Wesleyan University at Sa-
they were given a piano that is still
lina won a piano.
in use.
A spokesman for the Ponca City
In Oklahoma City, where twelve
Camp Fire Girls said the organiza-
pianos were presented, the Crippled
Children's Hospital was first. Two or- tion had never been able to afford a
new piano: "We certainly do appre-
phanages, the Y.W.C.A., the Y.M.C.A.,
ciate this and on behalf of all the girls
a nonprofit home and the Children's
and adults in the Ponca City Council
Convalescent home at Bethany were
of Camp Fire Girls, thanks a million
among the winners.
from the bottom of our hearts."
At Tulsa the Junior League Crip-
Said Mrs. Frank C. Ferguson of
pled Children's hospital, the Mohawk
the First Baptist church of Iberia,
boys home, the Monte Cassino school
Mo.: "All of our congregation is so
and the Francis E. Willard home for
happy because we needed a new piano
girls were among the ten winners.
for our main auditorium so badly."
At Joplin, Mo., the Big Brother
Throughout February, Jenkins ex-
home far outpaced the other three win-
ecutives were on the go. After the first
ners while at nearby Springfield the
"birthday party" in Kansas City's
Negro Youth Center drew the most
Hotel Muehlebach where the winners
votes. Three schools at Salina, Kansas,
received their pianos, they travelled
won those three pianos while at Fort
more than 4,000 miles to be on hand
Smith, Arkansas, all four pianos went
personally when the rest of the sev-
to public schools in the area.
enty-five
pianos were presented in the
At Jefferson City, Mo. a music circle
other
store
cities.
was high and two churches in small
nearby towns won the others. At To-
peka, Kansas, two of the five pianos
went to the State Hospital and Winter
Veterans Administration hospital. Sev-
eral of the Kansas City pianos went
• The only piano chosen for exhibi-
to organizations aiding children.
tion at the Craftsman's Show at the
At Ponca City the Salvation Army
Art Institute in Chicago was the Story
and Camp Fire Girls were among the
& Clark Corner piano and in a letter
three winners.
to Robert Bull, Joe Palma designer
The Salvation Army turned out to stated:
be the sweepstakes winner, if there
"The Show opened on the 16th and
was one agency which could be so continues through April 26. It is
called. It won pianos in Tulsa, Okla-
mainly a show of the work of crafts-
homa City, Ponca City and Kansas
men and not of production pieces;
City and in none of those cities did it
however, the piano was of such inter-
make a concerted effort.
est to them that they included it in the
Slory & Clark Corner Piano
Exhibited at Craftsmen's Show
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1954
exhibit.
""There were more than 600 entries,
and the jury selected 116 pieces. The
jury selected the pieces on a basis of
sound craftsmanship, good taste and
imagination.
"Your piano is the only musical in-
strument on display, and I think we
should feel extremely gratified over
its inclusion; especially, since to in-
clude it meant waiving the rule con-
cerning production pieces."
Kimball Grand Donated to
Church in Honor of Singer
Ralph Edwards, whose NBC tele-
vision show "This Is Your Life"
reaches an audience of 47 million, in-
vited many great stars to the program
honoring Connie Haines, popular
singing star.
Miss Haines attended the show with
Peter Potter and his wife, Beryl Davis,
who recently purchased a Kimball
Conslette piano for their Hollywood
home.
CONNIE HAINES AND THE
KIMBALL GRAND
Others who appeared were Tommy
Dorsey, Harry James, Jane Russell and
Fred Allen.
Ralph Edwards then informed Con-
nie that, because of her musical in-
terest and her activity in church choir
work, a Kimball Grand Piano, Style
D, Colonial, would be presented in
her name to the church of her choice.
She asked it be given to the St.
Michael and All Angels Church, in
Studio City, California.
At the conclusion of the program,
Ralph Edwards gave a fine endorse-
ment to the piano's manufacturer and
said, "This magnificent grand piano
will be presented to the church of
Miss Haines' choice by its maker, the
97-year old W. W. Kimball Company
of Chicago."
II