22
THE SCHOOLS AS BUYERS
Musical Uplift Means Sales Stimulation and
the Part of the Music Dealer Therein
Is Plain.
A great many music dealers testify to the influ-
ence of the grammar and high schools in stimulating
the sales of musical instruments.
Many dealers
frankly admit the schools create a demand for music
goods. There was a time when parents did not con-
sider anything but the piano and the violin when the
-question of a musical education for their children
came up. Now it is different and the children have
a big share of the considering and deciding.
The school orchestras have made this come to pass.
And that is why the alert dealer takes a leading part
in the formation of bands and orchestras in the
schools of his town and the surrounding districts.
He is wise when he gets into co-operation with an-
other keenly interested party—the school principal.
The school principal and the music dealer may be
altruistic and still animated by a selfish purpose, that
of helping themselves. When instrumental music
has not been given a chance in the school district,
the music dealer can be an able aid to the music
supervisor in convincing the school board that it
should be given its proper place in the curriculum.
A great many music dealers are selling more musi-
cal instruments of all kinds, more music supplies
and more sheet music today than they did one or two
years ago because they have brought about the forma-
tion of bands and orchestras in the schools. But
many of the lucky dealers have not limited them-
selves to efforts in the schools. They have organized
musical groups into orchestras and thereby stimu-
lated the taste for music in the community and in-
cidentally helped their own music goods sales.
The music dealers in many places should awake
to the fact that the school board members themselves
are in need of education on a certain point. In the
American public school the pupils get free text books,
free gymnasium equipment for physical training, free
tools in technical training, free footballs, free base-
balls and bats and sometimes even free milk. But
why doesn't the free giving extend to musical instru-
ments? It does now in many enlightened places, but
the need to convert blind school boards to the neces-
sity of encouraging music by providing free aids to
learning it is still an open job for the dealers.
Ingenious music dealers have overcome the finan-
cial objections of hesitant school commissioners in
pointing out the way to recouping preliminary ex-
penditures for instruments and sheet music. The
school concerts, on a money for admission basis, al-
ways fill the houses. The earlier programs may be
disappointing to the musical highbrows, but the folks
always flock to hear the kids perform and are glad
to pay the price of admission.
ACTIVE IN NASHVILLE.
The Castner-Knott Dry Goods Co., Nashville,
Term., has a talking machine department which is
daily made more familiar to newspaper readers by
Dividends
Declared!
Dealers, E V E R Y -
W H E R E , declare
that Clark Orchestra
Rolls produce bigger
dividends from electric
pianos than other
makes of electric rolls.
A Safe Investment
I
December 30, 1922.
PRESTO
CLARK ORCHESTRA ROLL CO.
the effective use of advertising space. Some feature
of the department is impressed on the public each
week. Last week a tempting offering of record al-
bums suitable for Christmas presents was played up
in strong displays.
NEWS OF SMALL GOODS FIELD
INVENTS N E W J E W S H A R P .
Patent rights on a new jewsharp have been re-
ceived by the Glenora Harmonica Company, Elmira,
N. Y. The patents cover the invention of George B.
Dusenberre, who has produced an instrument stamped
from sheet metal and which is claimed to be lighter
than the jewsharps already in existence.
The H. A. Meldrum Co., Buffalo, N. Y., which
operated a large talking machine department, has
fitted up a special suite for demonstration of the
various makes of health records which it sells.
L. J. O'Brien, manager of the record department
of the J. L. Hudson Co.'s Music Store, Buffalo, re-
ports a very good business in records.
This
house handles the Victor and the Brunswick records
and machines.
Walter C. Reinhardt, of Reinhardt's Music Shop,
Memphis, Tenn., is in a new location, 23 South Main
street. They feature Columbia goods.
Armstrong Furniture Co. on Main street near
Jefferson street, Memphis, Tenn., is featuring musical
merchandise and phonographs. This firm recently
acquired the Edison Shop at 103 Court street.
The Rhodes Furniture Co., Memphis, Tenn., at its
store at N. Main and Jefferson avenue, feature a big
phonographic music section. Their display is on the
first floor and they have attractive window trims.
There is a good market for phonographs in
Mexico, according to the Bureau of Commerce,
Washington. Mexicans are a music-loving people,
and the only limitation to this market is the fact that
80 per cent of the people are too poor to afford a
phonograph.
Nevertheless, a great many phono-
graphs have been sold there and most of the standard
American makes are on sale.
The H. J. Stone Furniture Co. of Niagara Falls,
N. Y., recently purchased property on Pine avenue
adjoining the City Market, with a 90 foot frontage.
This property is now occupied by eight business
concerns.
The Kirkland Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo., gives a
Brunswick tone test Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day at the Planters Hotel at the meeting of the St.
Louis manufacturers and merchants, under the
auspices of the Ladies' Chamber of Commerce.
O P E N S IN BROOKLYN.
E. A. Schweiger, Inc., has opened a new store re-
cently at 1525 Broadway, Brooklyn, N. Y. There
are 18 demonstrating booths on the first floor and
two other floors are devoted to the Victor business.
In all, the company is well equipped to take the
proper care of the public.
NEW VICTOR DIVIDENDS.
Directors of the Victor Talking Machine Company
last week declared the first dividend on the common
stock since the capital of the company was in-
creased recently. The dividend amounts to $2 a
share quarterly and is payable Jan. 15 to stock of
record Dec. 30. The regular dividend on the pre-
ferred was also declared payable as of the same
dates. The dividend of $2 a share declared on the
common stock is equal to $14 a share paid on the old
stock before the stock dividend was distributed.
PROTECTING PEROSI COMPOSITIONS.
The friends of Abbe Lorenzo Perosi, noted Italian
composer of church music, have been granted an in-
junction of the courts, restraining him from disposing
of his property. This was done to protect his com-
positions, considered unsafe owing to his mental con-
dition. Rome dispatches last May announced Abbe
Perosi had been ordered to rest by physicians who
had found him subject to wandering ideas.
WANT HIGHLY FIGURED VENEERS.
The Williamson Veneer Co., Baltimore, Md., is an
industry long favored by the piano manufacturers.
The growth of the phonograph business extended its
connection in the music field. R. W. Williamson,
one of the officials of the company, commented last
week on the big demand for highly figured veneer
for console phonographs.
Many New Names Appear in Musical Instrument
Business and Old Ones Continue in Activities.
If It'
Musical Merchandise
H E L P S GOOD ENGLISH.
The talking machine helps towards making good
English general, according to Dr. Frank H. Vizetelly,
editor of the Practical Standard Dictionary. To the
phonograph companies and the telephone companies
Dr. Vizetelly gives praise for and towards achieving
uniformity of vocal sounds, the standardization of
human voice sounds.
CALL FOR VAPOR KILNS.
The calls by the piano industry for vapor kilns is
an indication of a renewal of high activity in manu-
facturing, according to George P. Eddy, secretary
of the Grand Rapids Vapor Kiln Co., Grand Rapids,
Mich. The last month or two has brought much
business from piano manufacturers, he said.
N E W RECORDING INDUSTRY.
The Independent Recording Laboratory has been
incorporated with headquarters in Manhattan to pro-
duce musical instruments, $5,000; A. J. Baum, B. A.
McGuire, B. Strauss. (Attorney, A. O. Lewis, 55
Court St.. Brooklyn.)
PROGRESSIVE WASHINGTON STORE.
The Hecht Co., a large department store in Wash-
ington, D. C, has added a talking machine depart-
ment. The big store at 628 F street, N. W., uses its
fine show windows for effective displays of the ma-
chines and records.
We've Got It"
x
26 years of faithful service in the
interests of our dealers have
placed Tonk Bros. Co. high in the
estimation of the musical mer-
chandise trade throughout the
country* If you are not a mem-
ber of the Tonk family, an initial
order will convince you of the
integrity and sales-producing
value of Tonk service. :
:
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TONK BROS. CO.
323 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, 111,
C. G. CONN, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.
C. D. GREENLEAF, Pres.
J- E. BOYER, Sec'y
World's largest manufketuran of High Grade Band and Orchestra Instruments. Employs 1,000
expert workmen.
All of the most celebrated Artists use and endorse Conn Instruments.
Famous Bandmasters and Orchestra Directors highly endorse and recommend the use off tke
Conn Instruments in their organizations.
Conn Instruments are noted for their ease of playing, light and reliable rmbrm^ or h»y action)
quick response, rich tonal quality, perfect intonation, tone carrying quality, artisticness of deeign,
beautiful finish and reliable construction.
Conn Instruments are sent to may point in t i n U. S. subject to ten «5ays free trial. Branch store
or agencies will be found in all large cities. Writ e for catalogues, prices, etc.
C. a CONN, Ltd.
DEPT. MS.
ELKHART, IND.
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