Presto

r
October 16, 1920.
PRESTO
Piano Company's plant from whence issues the declaration that "if
there is no harmony in the factory there will be none in the piano."
For that is precisely the keynote of the applied psychology of
Dr. Miller. He does not quote the Packard slogan, but he tells stories
to which the identical theory of cause and effect is given expression.
"Take a chair," he says; "here it is, made of sawed wood. If it is made
by a man who works solely for his daily wage, watches the clock
for time to quit, and slams his work aside to flee the moment his
time is up, he implants the spirit of unrest and discord in the object
of his work. That's why you pay a hundred dollars for some fine
old upholstering from the hands of ancient workers who did their
work for love of it, and not for the pay that was in it. This fine o 1 d
chair was fashioned for the love of it, and finished in the pride and
love of it. Sit in it! Easy, restful, satisfying, harmonious. It gives
expression of the best that was in the man who made it!"
The thought is, of course, that only the reward of self-expression
is worth having. That nothing that is made solely for the highest
wage, with no thought of creating it as a part of the worker's soul,
can be approximately perfect. And wasn't that the thought of the
head of the Packard Piano Co., when he brought about the condi-
tion suggested by the now famous slogan that "if there is no har-
mony in the factory there will be none in the piano" ?
Can applied psychology be made to influence the piano? Why
not? Can beauty within the worker's domain, and beauty outside
the factory walls, and fellowship among the workers themselves,
lend themselves to the finished product and to every part of the in-
strument as it passes from department to department, and to the
wareroom and store? Why not? Is it difficult to see that a piano
made in a dingy, dirty loft, in a large city, can not be so filled with
the spirit of music as the instrument erected in the clean and health-
ful rooms of a factory perfectly equipped and flooded with the new
and pure air of a "daylight factory," where cheerfulness inspires
and the harmony of happiness gives color and tone to the musical
scale and the refinement of everything that delights the eye and ear
of the "ultimate consumer"?
This is not a dream. It is not a mere theory. The psychology
of work is as much a reality as the psychology of thought. It is a
phase of modern research that will eventually change our working
conditions and bring about still better results in the already best
systems of piano making in the world. And Mr. A. S. Bond, whether
he realizes it fully or not, has "started something" in the subtle, but
powerful suggestion in the slogan he has already succeeded in iden-
tifying with the Packard piano.
There are still a few business men—even piano manufacturers—
who consider advertising as an expense instead of an investment.
Such men want to know in advance just how many instruments the
advertisement will sell. It's a good deal like going out into the
REPUBLIC PLAYER ROLL
FANS DISAGREE IN CHOICE
Evanston, 111., Admirer of Victor Lane's Key-
board Art Firmly Insists on His Selec-
tion of Inaugural Roll.
Three riot calls in as many hours to a cottage in
Rvanston, 111., last Sunday resulted from the tem-
peramental upheaval in three families following the
purchase of a playerpiano. Only last week they
lived together in harmony—the inter-related families
of John Chocoloski and his wife Lily. Frank Kuza-
winski and his wife Anna, Mrs. Sophia Kocaneckiki
and a score or less of children.
For several years the communal family had an
old but dependable reed organ which droned sooth-
ing Polish melodies at the hands of Lily, Sophie,
Anna and some of the children. Last Saturday the
organ was traded as part payment for a player piano,
And on Sunday at daybreak the thirty-odd members
of the household got up to try the wonder out. It
was a good player and the choice of records is said
to be evidence of musical taste in the joint owners.
All of which gave promise of a continuance of the
soothing influences of music.
But instead of the joint families sitting down to
enjoy the first roll, they staged a mix-up to decide
whether the choice should be "Who Watches the
Watchman's Wife," "Pretty Kitty Kelly," or
"Pearls;" all Republic rolls. The first was the nom-
ination of the Chocoloskis, who are Victor Lane fans
when, it comes to roll reproducing. But from lis-
tening to the player in a neighboring cottage the
orchard in apple blossom time and counting the ripened fruit which
may hang on the boughs when fall comes. A piano well known to-
day, if permitted to drag along upon the momentum of its past attain-
ments, will be forgotten before three years can pass away. And a
great piano name forgotten is of little more value than a last year's
bird's nest.
* * *
The San Francisco "Business,'' for October 1st, v/as very largely
devoted to musical affairs in the Pacific Coast metropolis. The paper
carried a great many advertisements of the enterprising business
houses of Frisco, but among them there was not a single one of the
piano or other music stores. Usually the music houses of Frisco are
as wideawake as any, and often more so than most of them. In any
event, the Golden Gate has made a good musical record and San Fran-
cisco "Business" tells much about it.
*
*
*
Only the veterans in the trade can remember the volcano of crit-
icism and abuse that followed the advent of the late Joseph P. Hale
and his "stencil" pianos. And isn't it strange that some of those
old instruments, so heartily abused at their birth, are still being sold,
now and then—just as if they had been good ones designed to last
fifty years? The Benedict Music House, of Galesburg, 111., only last
week announced, among its "attractive bargains," a "Hale piano at
$75."
The announcement of Lyon & Healy that piano prices had been
reduced created a mild sensation. It was the second thrill of the kind,
fcr the Steger & Sons Piano Co. had said something similar. But
no third utterance has yet come in and the general opinion is that
there will be no decline, of anything like a general nature, for many
months, even years, to come.
Every farmer's son is familiar with that piece of harness called
a "holdback," particularly if the farm is in a hilly country. Well,
that's what the banks are just now to the piano trade—holdbacks.
In fact, they do more than check up trade; they represent inertia to
a degree.
* * *
Another player roll factory for Chicago. This time the Mel-O-
Dee. With the Q R S, the U. S., the Operators, the Imperial and
several more, and the Clark Orchestra near by, at De Kalb, the middle
west music roll industries loom up with special importance.
* * *
There are more live prospects for the holidays this year than in
many years past. It will be a matter of having the instruments to
show and sell, and getting out after the best places to sell them. And
delays will be dangerous to results.
other families also had developed predilections in
that respect.
The Kuzawinskis were clear-cut in splitting their
votes between Adam Carroll and Adrian Rollini.
With equal determination Mrs. Kocaneckiki and her
brood backed Nan Foster as the Republic Music
Roll Corporation's most charming reproducer.
From the beginning there was no talk of compro-
mise and when John Chocoloski straddled the piano
bench and refused to budge until he had vindicated
his taste by playing the Victor Lane roll, a new
Polish war was enunciated. Between that time and
5 o'clock there were three engagements. The cli-
mactic affair was at the hour named, when the police
hauled three wagonloads of co-operative playerpiano
owners to the station.
TUNERS WORK FOR REFORMS.
At a meeting of the Chicago branch of the Na-
tional Tuners' Association at 339 Wabash avenue,
Chicago, last Friday, President Deutschman of the
national association presiding, there were discussions
of ways and means of bettering conditions for the
tuners and the public. Mr. McClellan, of Chicago,
spoke of work being done in the spreading of prop-
aganda and the need of keeping pianos in tune. Re-
forms of the kind that will help to maintain correct
methods of tuning and the elimination of fakers were
also discussed.
CHICAGO RETAIL TRADE GOOD.
Piano Dealer J. O. Twichell, 330 South Wabash
avenue, Chicago, when asked on Monday of this
week, "How is trade?" replied: "Up to October 1
our trade has been as good as it was last year for
the similar period. This we regard as very satisfac-
tory, as last year's trade was large."
CHICAGO GOLFERS ARE GUESTS
OF GEORGE B. GROSVENOR
Pleasures of October Tournament Increased by
Courtesies Extended by Piano Man.
The Chicago Piano Golf Asociatiou's October
tournament was held on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the
Flossmoor Country Club, about twenty miles south
of the loop. George B. Grosvenor, of Grosvenor,
Lapham & Co., who, while he is not a member of
the golfing organization of piano men, graciously
extended the courtesies of his club to the players.
The Flossmoor Country Club is one of the finest
clubs in the West. The members have long wanted
to perform over the wonderful Flossmoor links and
deeply appreciated Mr. Grosvenor's kindness.
Perfect weather brought out a large attendance
and the matches were exciting. In the morning
handicap medal play first prize was won by E. F.
Lapham, who shot his best game of the season and
achieved a nei score of 66. Second prize was won
by Roy B. Waite with a net score of 70. The day
was most costly for T. M. Pletcher, who was some-
what off his game in his side match with Hal Han-
son, and therefore had to dig deeply into his roll.
The afternoon event consisted of. match play
against par, the regular handicaps prevailing. Mr.
Hanson won first prize in this event, undoubtedly
spurred on by his desire to beat Mr. Pletcher. He
finished one up on par. Second prize was won joint-
ly by Emil Wolff and C. C. Chickering, each of
whom was three down to par. They will probably
play off the tie at the next tournament, which may
be held later in the month, in order to beat Jack
Frost to the links.
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