12
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
March 15, 1929
National Association Gains in Prestige and Membershi
Annual Conventions of the National As-
sociations of the Music Trades and
Exhibition of Music Goods, Drake Hotel,
Chicago, Week of June 3.
The attitude of the music trade throughout the
country promises well for the state, local and na-
tional associations, both as to the promotion of new
bodies and the growth of influence of the established
ones. The interest in the promotional schemes for
musical instruments is well expressed in a wide sec-
tion and the result is an increased faith in the pur-
poses of the promotional plans and a disposition to
lend the largest possible share of encouragement to
the propositions. A more optimistic feeling has been
engendered in the trade generally by dependence on
the practical schemes now generally in operation to
increase sales.
Cheering Prospects.
This satisfactory condition was noted by Delbert
L. Loomis in a very successful observation of the
trade in a recent trip in which he had enlightening
face-to-face interviews with association and individual
dealers in a stretch of country, including Ohio, Ken-
tucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. His trip
even included a visit to Havana, Cuba. The executive
secretary of the National Association of Music Mer-
chants explained the purposes of the National Asso-
ciation at special meetings of the trade in Columbus
and Cincinnati, Ohio; Lexington, Ky.; Knoxville and
Chattanooga, Tenn; Atlanta, Macon and Columbus,
Ga.; Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Tampa, St. Peters-
burg, West Palm Beach and Miami, Fla., and in
Havana, Cuba.
Interest in Promotional Work.
Throughout the trip in large and small cities, great
interest was taken in the sales promotional work of
the association and in the service it offers its mem-
bers. The executive secretary explained in detail the
work being done by the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music in cooperation with the Music
Supervisors' National Conference, looking toward
music instruction in the public schools. The dealers
were particularly impressed by the publicity work
being done by the Piano Manufacturers' Promotion
Committee, in which there is an important tieup with
the plan of class piano instruction in public schools.
An effort was made to give all of the music men
complete information as to the work being done
by the Merchants' Association, by the National Bu-
reau for the Advancement of Music and by the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce.
Large Numbers Join.
The most cheering result of the meetings was that
the merchants backed up their interest and words of
encouragement by becoming members of the asso-
ciation in very gratifying numbers. More than 65
per cent of those visited signed application cards. A
reason for the percentage being lower than it should
was the large number of calls made in the larger
cities on very small radio and music shops. In some
Interest in Sales Promotional
Schemes and Constructive Pur-
poses Generally. Sponsored by
the National Body, Encourages
Increased Faith in Results and
Evokes a Clearly Expressed Feel-
ing of Optimism.
of the smaller cities the calls resulted in 100 per cent
membership, just as they did during the west coast
trip last fall. Although in several cities visited Mr.
Loomis found no members, but not a city visited is
now without members of the National Association.
New Cuban Members.
Mr. Loomis visited Cuba at the special invitation
of J. Giralt of S. A. Giralt, who has been the live
member of the association from Cuba for several
years. The Cuban dealers were found to be very
receptive of the association idea and the following
five new members were added to the list: Abelardo
Valdes, manager Universal Music & Commercial
Company; Jose Gonzales, president Excelsior Music
Company; Carlos Zimmerman, general manager the
University Society, Inc.; John L. Stowers, owner of
the concern of that name, and Rafael Carreras of
Vda. de Carreras & Co.
The business of S. A. Giralt was founded in 1899
by the father of Jose, the present head, who came
into the business twenty-three years ago. It is the
oldest piano house in Cuba and has been the Stein-
way representative in Cuba since 1902.
In St. Augustine.
The old historic city of St. Augustine, Fla.. con-
tributed an interesting feature of the trip. There
were two "prospects" in the city. One of them is
R. L. Parks, the oldest piano merchant in the city,
whose line includes Gulbransen and O. W. Wuertz,
and who also handles Victor talking machines. He
expressed himself immediately as very much inter-
ested in the association activities and was very glad
to become a member.
Fred V. Willis, secretary-treasurer of the St. Au-
gustine Music & Furniture Company, was proud to
join the National Association of Music Merchants.
He is a very active association man. Mr. Willis is
president of the Florida Furniture & Storage Associa-
tion, a very active trade association in that field,
which is affiliated with the National Furniture Asso-
ciation, and he is also president of the Retail Mer-
chants' Association of St. Augustine. Mr. Willis
operates the largest furniture store on St. George
street. Mr. Willis said the furniture association has
been very active in preventing the passage of con-
ditional sales contract and lease legislation in the
state legislature. As it stands today, it is not neces-
sary in Florida to record conditional sale contracts.
The success of Mr. Loomis' trip justifies the opin-
ion expressed by President Roberts and several of
the members of the board of control at various times
that one of the most important activities for the
Annual Conventions of National Organi-
zations in Radio Industry and Exhibits
of Products, Stevens Hotel, Chicago,
Week of June 3.
time being should be extending the scope of the
membership in the association to all parts of the
country
S. Ernest Philpitt Active.
S. Ernest Philpitt of Miami, who operates nine
stores in Florida and who was recently appointed
State Commissioner, was very helpful and added two
new members, Charles R. Putnam, manager of the
Tampa store, and Howard Crawford, manager in
Jacksonville. Mr. Putnam was for six years secre-
tary of the Merchants' Association during the time
he was manager of the Estey Organ Company's
Boston wareroom.
JOINT CONVENTION PLANS
Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary of the Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants, was present
at a meeting of the board of directors of the Radio
Manufacturers' Association at The Homestead, Hot
Springs, Virginia, this week, at the invitation of
Major Herbert H. Frost, president of the association,
and by Executive Vice-President Geddes. The invi-
tation was extended first to President Roberts of the
National Music Merchants Association, who on ac-
count of other business engagements, was unable to
attend.
Mr. Loomis appeared before the directors at one
of the business sessions and extended greetings from
President Roberts and also from President Irion of
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce. Mr.
Loomis told of the close cooperation which exists be-
tween the officers of the Merchants' Association, the
Chamber of Commerce, and the Radio Manufactur-
ers' Association, and assured the members of the
Radio Board that nothing would be left undone to
make the coming conventions the largest attended and
most successful in the history of the Association.
A number of important details in connection with
the coming conventions were worked out during Mr.
Loomis' stay.
There were about fifty-five members of the Radio
Board and guests present at the meetings, which
occupied two days.
SYRACUSE DEALER HONORED.
Dale Greenleaf, well-known Syracuse, N. Y., music
dealer, has been named by President Lewis of the
Chamber of Commerce to a membership on the com-
mittee to study the possibilities of a "Made in Syra-
cuse" display week next spring. The appointment
of Mr. Greenleaf means that the music trades of Syra-
cuse will be amply cared for by this energetic mem-
ber of the music store crafts of the Central City.
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