May 1, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
ANNOUNCES PIANO
PLAYING CONTEST
teachers in their own schools, but for the sectional
contests (silver cups) three judges from neighboring
sections will be present. In the final recitals on
June 1 the judges will be prominent artists.
Widely Advertised Event in Which Pupils of
Parochial Schools in Chicago Diocese
Are Participants Set for
May 5 to 12.
An advertisement in this issue by the Marr & Col-
ton Company, Inc., Warsaw, N. Y., organ builders,
is an invitation to ambitious music dealers to avail
themselves of an obvious opportunity. The company
designs and builds a fine line of organs for church,
auditorium, lodge and residence, as well as a complete
line of reproducing organs, and in its ad invites
applications for exclusive territory from established
dealers in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Ohio.
The offer conveyed in the ad reflects the satisfac-
tory condition apparent in the organ phase of the
music business. For several years the field for the
sale of organs has been expanding. Theaters, halls,
clubs and residences, as well as churches, are pros-
pects for organs and the opportunities are everywhere.
Cities, towns, villages and urban communities provide
the organ dealers' customers.
A piano contest opened to the 20(),0C() pupils of
Catholic schools in the city and suhurbs to stimulate
interest in the study of music during music week,
May 5-11, has been announced by Rev. Daniel Cun-
ningham, superintendent of parochial schools in the
Chicago diocese.
Chickering First Prize.
The first prize is a Chickering grand piano; second
prize, Brewster Studio upright, and the third a wrist
watch. Cups, medals and ribbons will also be
awarded to successful contestants. The prizes, in-
cluding medals, cups and insignia have been donated
by Ainpico Hall, Chicago, and are now displayed
in the windows. L. Schoenewald, manager of Ampico
Hall, and B. Payton of the sales staff, are active in
the promotion of the contest.
School Heads Active.
In announcing the rules of the county-wide con-
test, Father Cunningham reviewed the progress in
musical education made by Catholic schools during
the last year. With "The richest child is poor with-
out musical training" as a slogan, teachers in the
more than 400 schools under the jurisdiction of the
diocesan board have been conducting a campaign to
bring every child in the schools in touch with some
form of music.
The Catholic schools have adopted the plan of
class instruction in piano which was inaugurated in
the public school system last September. Encour-
aged by Superintendent Bogan, Dr. J. Lewis Browne,
music supervisor, has met with unusual success with
this new form of instruction, and his success has been
paralleled in the Catholic schools.
Class Teaching Is New.
Individual piano teaching has always been carried
on in Catholic schools on a large scale, but the new
class-teaching method has been eagerly taken up by
music supervisors. Although it is an extra curricular
study, thousands of pupils have enrolled for the
classes. Practically all of the religious orders have
directed their music teachers to study one of the three
leading methods of class instruction in order to teach
it during the coming year.
Bands Grow in Schools.
Encouraged by the success of De La Salle Insti-
tute in winning a state-wide band contest, greater
attention is being paid to school bands and orches-
tras. According to Father Cunningham, the number
has increased and now eighteen Catholic high and
elementary schools are represented by bands, while
scores more have orchestras.
The Contest Period.
Contest officials have named May 5 to 12 as the
contest period. During this period, preliminary elim-
ination recitals will take place in each school, high
school or academy, when music teachers will group
and judge the pupils of their own schools. Gold,
silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the
winners of these preliminary recitals. The gold
medal winners in each school will then compete in a
sectional contest for silver cups which the lucky
pupils will bring back to his or her own school. The
date of the sectional contest will be Saturday, May 25.
All silver cup winners will then have the privilege
of showing their musical knowledge and appreciation
by playing in a final recital, when the young pianist
who gains first prize will lie presented with a magnifi-
cent Chickering grand piano. The second prize win-
ner will receive an elegant Brewster Studio upright;
the third a wrist watch. All contestants will wear a
button inscribed, "Archdiocesan Competitive Piano
Recital." The prizes, including medals, cups, the
Brewster and the Chickering grand, have been donated
by Ainpico Hall, and are now attracting much atten-
tion as a window display there.
An Interesting Rule.
Attention is drawn to the fact in the list of rules
that as the winners of the first group are not of the
same age or grade in music, they will not be playing
the same selection. Therefore this recital is not to
decide who plays a certain selection most perfectly
but to find the best pianist—all things considered.
This is an important feature of the competition. In
all contests the player will be judged on points of
technique as well as the length of time he or she
has studied the piano. They have already created
much interest and friendly rivalry in the schools of
the Archdiocese.
In the primary recitals the judges will be the music
ORGAN SALE OPPORTUNITIES
GUST AD. ANDERSON
DIES AT VAN WERT, 0.
Popular Piano Man, for Many Years Promi-
nent in Industry, Had Been in Failing
Health for Some Time.
Gust. Ad. Anderson, widely known in the piano
industry and prominent Van Wert, Ohio, business
man, died this week at the family home on South
Washington street, after being long in failing health.
Mr. Anderson was born in Sweden, in 1856, came
to the United States a little over forty years ago
A
,T some point in almost every piano
sale, the customer hesitates; some little
thing often chills carefully developed
desire and a promising, profitable deal
slips through the salesman's fingers.
Many piano salesmen consider the piano
bench as a mere incidental but experience has
shown that practically every prospective
buyer, whether he or she says so or not, has
the thought in mind of the bench, as an addi-
tional piece of beautiful furniture for the
home.
If the proper bench is shown with every piano
a most important question in every buyer's
mind is automatically answered; a possible
negative thought is checkmated.
That's why we make our grand benches so
carefully and offer such a wide variety of
styles, woods, colors and finishes.
We've been cooperating with thousands of
piano manufacturers and merchants for more
than half a century, helping them sell more
pianos by providing benches that belong with
the pianos they sell.
We again extend this cooperation to you. We
urge you to place the proper bench with every
piano on your floor; to offer a complete en-
semble to every prospect.
GUST. AD. ANDERSON.
and was employed by Stein way & Sons of New York.
He removed to Van Wert in 1893 and served as super-
intendent and general manager of the Anderson Piano
Company.
Mr. Anderson was a piano expert and a highly
skilled mechaic and enjoyed the reputation of being
one of the foremost piano-makers in this country.
He was a charter member of the National Piano Man-
ufacturers' Association and held membership in all
other national piano associations. He served as chair-
man of the committee on conservation of natural re-
sources of the National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation.
Mr. Anderson was a member of Van Wert Lodge.
Free and Accepted Masons, Van Wert Chapter Royal
Arch Masons and Ivanhoe Commandery Knights
Templar, and Van Wert Lodge B. P. O. Elks. He
was long a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church.
He was possessed of a pleasing manner, being noted
for his courtesy and affability, and his death is deeply
mourned by friends and acquaintances.
His direct survivors are two daughters. Miss Mer-
cedes Anderson, at home, and rMs. A. W. Hayward
of Chicago, two brothers, Johannes Anderson of Chi-
cago and John Anderson of Boston, five sisters,
Misses Hilma, Louise and Anna Anderson and Mrs.
Gust. Daleen of Chicago, and Mrs. Peter Swanson of
Kewanee, 111., and two granddaughters, Margaret
Louise and Ann Hayward of Chicago. The funeral
was private.
Tonkbench No. 617O'/2, illustrated
above, is but one of a score or more
carefully constructed, correctly styled,
beautifully finished models in The
Tonkbench Line.
It is 18 Inches High. The Top Size is
36 Inches by 15 Inches. It has a Music
Compartment and is offered in Ma-
hogany, American Walnut and Burl
Walnut and may be had with a
Beveled Edge Top if desired.
T(
Mant|||pnng
Company
1912 Lewis St.
•
CHICAGO
Pacific Coast Factory
4627 E. 50th St., Los Angeles, Calif.
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