MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1927
$2 The Year
NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS IN CONVENTION
Remarkable Enthusiasm Marks Proceedings When Nine Organizations
Representing Every Phase of Music Trade Hold Annual
Meetings and Elections in Chicago
W. E. GUYLEE HEADS
MANUFACTURERS
Popular Chicago Member Chosen as President
for New Term this Week by National
Piano Manufacturers Association at
Annual Convention at Stevens.
VITAL TOPICS DISCUSSED
What the Sales Promotion Plan Has Accomplished
Told in Gratifying Statement by the Director
at Closing Session Wednesday.
The opening session of the annual convention of
the National Piano Manufacturers' Association held
at the Stevens Hotel, Chicago, convened at ten-thirty.
Tuesday, June 7, with M. J. de Rochemont, president
of the association, presiding. The firs! order of busi-
ness was the approval of the minutes as read, the
president's report being deferred until the Wednes-
day session.
Assistant Secretary Herbert W. Hill then presented
the treasurer's report, which showed a balance June
8, 1926, of $12,858.44. The total receipts for the year
were $30,027.06, making a total of $42,885.50. The
disbursements for the year amounted to $33,148.75,
which left a balance June 4, 1927, of $9,736.75.
Secretary's Report.
Assistant Secretary Hill reported that during the
year the resignations of three members were ac-
cepted, the Adler Manufacturing Company, James &
Holstrom Piano Company, and Mansfield Piano Com-
pany, and four new members were elected to mem-
bership, the Schumann Piano Company, Goldsmith
Piano Company, Weiser & Sons, and P. T. Starck
Piano Company. The total membership at this time
is seventy-seven.
The only special committee to report was the Sales
Promotion Plan Committee.
New Officers.
The election of officers resulted as follows:
President, W. E. Guylee.
First vice-president, C. D. Bond.
Second vice-president, F. P. Bassett.
Secretary, Herbert Simpson.
Treasurer, Charles Jacob.
The new Membership Committee is composed of
Ava W. Poole, Walter Lane, E. B. Bogart, F. P.
Bassett and Gordon Campbell.
The following were chosen as directors for the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce: M. J. de
Rochemont, C. D. Bond and C. Alfred Wagner.
As the delegates to the Chamber of Commerce
meeting held on Thursday the following were chosen:
M. J. de Rochemont, W. E. Guylee, C. D. Bond, Her-
bert Simpson, E. R. Jacobson, F. P. Bassett, M. P.
Campbell, Lawrence Miller, Geo. J. Dowling, Otto
Schulz, Jr., Gordon C. Campbell, John H. Parnham.
The convention approved of the appointment of
somebody from the Chamber's Credit Department to
sit on manufacturers' credit committees for concerns
that get into difficulty, and it was ordered that notice
be sent from the association to the Chamber notifying
them of that action.
C. D. Bond said the Technicians' Association would
like to have the endorsement of the manufacturers'
association.
"I think if we foster the technical end of it we will
be helping them and ourselves because there is a tre-
mendous amount of that work that can be done by
the 'technical men in the different factories that we
can benefit by. I can't see any objection in the world
to our endorsing them," said Mr. Bond.
President de Rochemont asked whether the en-
dorsement was to be for the association or any par-
ticular activity that they happen to be engaged in.
Mr, Bond replied it was as an association they
would like to have the endorsement of the manufac-
turers' body.
President de Rochemont suggested "that we put
ourselves on record as being in sympathy with what
they are doing and pledging them our co-operation.
I think you are taking in a pretty broad scope if you
by resolution endorse their association in whatever
they might do. I think it might possibly be a good
idea, as I say, to express our feeling for them and our
willingness to co-operate in any way that we possibly
can."
Mr. C. D. Bond put his request in the form of a
motion, which was seconded, put to a vote and
carried.
PROMOTION PLAN REPORT.
At the Wednesday morning session, President de
Rochemont, presiding, said the morning would be
devoted to the Sales Promotion Plan Committee's re-
port from Mr. Boykin, which is reproduced in part.
Mr. Boykin, from notes, read: "The determining
factors of the sales promotion plan: Aside from all
other considerations, the determining factors in the
success of this campaign are. first, the manufacturers
who are financing it, and, secondly, the piano dealers
who are using its services on the firing line," said
Mr. Boykin.
"Before giving you the details of what the commit-
tee is doing and plans to do, let me outline for a
moment some of the things that you, the men who
are financing this campaign, can do to make it a
success.
"You can begin with the simple means of giving
the plan publicity in your advertising in the trade
press. Several of the largest contributors (The Cable
Company, The Aeolian Company, The Baldwin Com-
pany and The Kohler Industries) to the plan are
already doing this and I can think of no better way
to use your space in the trade press than employing
some of it to urge piano dealers to ally themselves
with this plan in which you are so vitally interested.
"Again, you can call the attention of your dealers
systematically to the various services that are being
inaugurated by the Sales Promotion Committee.
"Here you are investing thousands of dollars in
this effort, and yet, how few of you are really hook-
ing it up with your own particular activities.
"What has been accomplished? As the individual
who has had in hand the actual operation of the com-
mittee's plans, I am here to give you the gist of
what has taken place since the inception of this plan
last June. Seven different phases of activity were
contemplated: National advertising; dealer selling
helps; group piano instruction; piano playing con-
tests; general publicity; co-operation with piano
tuners; co-operation with women's clubs, music
teachers, etc.
The Publicity Mediums.
"Nine magazines were adopted, Good Housekeep-
ing, Better Homes and Gardens. The Etude, Children,
Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Scribner's, World's
Work, Golden Book, and Review of Reviews. This
being done, it was necessary to frame a message.
The story we tried to tell in the copy was a general
one.
Again, in these advertisements we wished to
test out the pulling power of the new idea of group
piano instruction. On reaching our third and the now
current advertisement, we decided to eliminate the
keyboard from our magazine advertising, although
(Continued on Page 10)
WEEK OPENS WITH
PIANO CLUB LUNCH
Two-Part Affair at the Stevens Hotel on Mon-
day Included Program of Features by
Clever Group of Professional and
Amateur Entertainers.
THE CHAMBER MEETS
Second Part of Opening Luncheon-Meeting Was
First Official Session of Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce Presided Over by E. R. Jacobson.
The noon luncheon of the Piano Club of Chicago
held in the Grand Ballroom of the Stevens Hotel,
on Monday, June 6, was the first official meeting of
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce and
thereat the spirit of the music industry and trade was
expressed and their ambitions and plans told in
forcible form by well known men in the industry.
It was a big meeting and the eagerness of men from
all the associated bodies making up the Chamber
proved an understanding of the purposes of the cen-
tral organization and their own enthusiasm for co-
operative action.
Gordon Laughead, president of the Piano Club of
Chicago, presided at the first part of the luncheon-
meeting at which fourteen hundred attended and he
injected into the occasion the hospitable spirit which
distinguishes the club. In words he expressed a wel-
come to visitors which was apparent in every incident.
At the Speaker's Table.
There were thirty-five seated at the speaker's table
and their identities were remarkable even for a great
national gathering of the music trade. At either side
of Mr. Laughead were seven men, every one of whom
had at one time tilled the office of president or vice-
president of some of the foremost associations com-
posing the Chamber.
Several entertainment features diversified the
events. Miss Johnson, a youthful harpist. Lee Sims,
pianist; the Harmonica Band of New York and
Sophie Tucker of the "Gay Paree" company playing
at the Garrick, provided an enjoyable bill.
The Chamber Meeting.
The more staid second part of the luncheon-meet-
ing was presided over by E. R. Jacobson, president
of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, who
in his characteristic clear way reviewed the activities
and achievements of the Chamber since the last con-
vention. The keynote of the Chamber is co-operation
and the fact was impressed by Mr. Jacobson upon
his hearers.
Mr. Jacobson Takes Chair.
On being introduced by Mr. Laughead, E. R.
Jacobson, president of the Music Industries Cham-
ber of Commerce, said: I want to take this oppor-
tunity of thanking Mr. Gordon Laughead, the presi-
dent of the Piano Club of Chicago, and the members
of the Piano Club, for the wonderful arrangements
that have been made for this convention of ours. This
has entailed a great deal of work, and I am sure that
the events are going to prove that the work has been
well done.
In his annual report President Jacobson said, in
part:
''The convention which is officially opened by this
meeting today marks the passing of another mile-
(Continued on page 4)
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