Presto

June 1, 1929
29
PREST 0-T I M E S
CONN DEALERS CONVENTION AT ELKHART u. s. PARLEY
CONSIDERS
EDUCATION BY RADIO
Secretary Wilbur Holds Conference to Dis-
cuss the Possibilities of the
New Medium.
A conference on the possibilities of education by
radio and what interest the United States Govern-
ment should have in it was called by Secretary Wil-
bur in his office for Friday, May 24. The Bureau of
Education and all members of the Radio Comm'ssion
partic'pated.
"Heretofore, there have been certain methods,"
Secretary Wilbur said at the meeting. "Pupils have
studied from the printed page. They have sat in class
and received instruction. They have followed with
the eye demonstrations at the blackboard. Now there
appears a new agency, radio, which conveys infor-
mat'on in it.; own pecr.l'ar way. How can it be used?"
CLAYPOOL CO. TO KEEP
RENSSELAER BRANCH
Decide to Make Store There a Permanent
Branch of Their Crawfordsville and
Frankfort, Ind., Stores,
The Claypool-Lacey Music Company of Crawfords-
ville, Ind , which recently conducted a sale of muscal
instruments in the Stockton Building, Rensselaer,
Ind., has decided to make the store there a permanent
branch of their Crawfordsville and Frankfort stores.
Harry Milncr will be in charge.
The firm retrenched when the post-war slump de-
veloped and closed its branch stores, maintaining only
the two larger stores mentioned. However, the own-
ers believe the time for expansion has agar'n arrived
and Rensselaer is the first town chosen for a branch
store.
Dealers in p'anos, radios and Victor Orthophonics.
WELCOME
CONN'S "BIG 3"—Left to right: J. F. Boyer, Secretary; C. D. Greenleaf, President; C. J. Falrcblld,
Chief of Sales Department.
The fifth annual convention of Conn dealers and
branch managers, a four-days' affair, has reached its
closing day today—June 1. It was a largely-attended
and very interesting convention.
A unique exhibit was shown in the lounge just off
the lobby of the Hotel Elkhart. This exhibit included
some specially built displays of instruments and also
some special displays dramatizing the sales points on
Conn instruments and on the organization of bands.
One of these displays showed the 510 individual parts
which go to make up a Conn alto saxophone. An-
other dramatized the exclusive talking points on Conn
instruments such as the. hydraulic expansion process,
drawn and rolled tone hole socket, experience and
background of the company, design, used by great
artists.
This exhibit was specially lighted. The purpose
was to enable visitors at the convention to pick up
a lot of inspiration and selling ideas through these
dramatized exhibits without having to listen to
speeches.
This convention was especially helpful to the deal-
ers, as it handled the following subjects and events:
"Forecasted sales for dealers and how this increases
sales and profits." "Band organizing plans and how
they increase business." "Is band organizing prof-
itable for the dealer?" "What about studios in con-
nection with dealer's store." "Does renting instru-
ments sell new instruments or does it only rent instru-
ments?" "Is the small musical merchandise depart-
ment as profitable for the dealer as other depart-
ments?" "How to check territory and work it effec-
tively." "What influence does styling and obsoles-
cence of band instruments have on sales?"
"A tested plan for developing Boy Scout bands."
"The market for band instruments in parochial
schools." "How to secure the cooperat : on of the
music supervisor and other school authorities." "Vari-
ous angles on problems presented by mechanical
music." "A new method of selling band sets to farm
groups." "Bad accounts—How to avoid them and
how to collect the money." "Return of instruments—
a mutual problem." 'A new finance plan for the
dealer."
"Special exhibit of new model instruments, special
demonstrations." "Special exhibit of dealer helps and
sales promot ; on pieces." "Special exhibit dramatiz-
ing the selling points on.Conn instruments" "A new
movie film for use of dealer in selling band instru-
ments to farm groups." "Banquet and special music
in grand ballroom, Hotel Elkhart."
ORGANIZING THE OPERA-MINDED.
with the Victor company for making a group of six
double-face records of numbers played by the orches-
tra. The records will be made some t : me during
August.
"Create a Permanent Organization of Opera-Minded
People" is the slogan that has developed into an
assured national institution, the movement of the
American Opera Company. Not just opera in Eng-
l:\sh, but also our own American operas. Under the
management of Arthur Judson, Inc., Chicago and
New York, an itinerary of some thirty odd American
metropolitan cities has already been arranged, with
Chicago opening the season this October.
SCHOOL MUSIC FOR MILLIONS
The whole nation will hear the National H'gh
School Orchestra or Band in concert at Interlochen
Bowl if negotiations now under way with the Na-
tional Broadcasting Company for putting these weekly
concerts "on the air" through a network of stations,
turn out successfully. Announcement is also made
by National High School Orchestra and Band Camp
officers that arrangements have been entered into
THE LONG DRIVE OF EMIL WOLFF
• Emil W. Wolff, vice-president of the M. Schulz
Company, 711 Milwaukee avenue, Chicago, has just
returned from one of his longest drives in his own
machine. Mrs. Wolff is also an ardent motorist and
she accompanied him on the latest adventure. They
went South last fall and spent all winter in California.
On the recent trip they left Los Angeles, driving to
and making stops at Phoenix, Ariz., El Paso, San
Antonio and Houston, Tex., New Orleans La., and
West Baden, Ind. Needless to say, Mr. Wloff sold a
number of pianos while covering this long route.
Charles Milton Newcomb, who is to speak at the
big banquet on the night of June 6. is noted for a
facultv of satire that is both virile and trenchant.
MEN WHO GO AFTER
BUSINESS GET IT
Just as They Did Thirty-five Years Ago Is Observa-
tion of E. A. Francis.
E. A. Francis, head of the Francis Piano Company,
244 East Simmons street, Galesburg, 111., in com-
paring the difference in the trade 35 years ago and
now, said to a Presto-Times representative last week
that some things had not changed a particle. "The
man who went after business then got it. as he can
today," said Mr Francis.
Mr. Francis deplores the bad practice of some man-
ufacturers of sending out cut prices to men who could
not buy a bench or pay for supplies for repairs—
such as ex-dealers, tuners, etc. He presumed that
Galesburg was not "sui generis" in this respect, but
declares himself fortunate in having the franchise of
some straight-shooting manufacturers, naming the
Haddorff, Lester and M. Schulz Co-rpany. and says
"the business we give them is proof that it pays to
protect your dealer." Within a comparatively short
time the Francis Piano Company has sold 25 grand
pianos in Galesburg and vicinity.
AWARD CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS.
One-half scholarships of $150 each to the National
High School Orchestra and Band Camp at Inter-
lochen, Mich., wh'ch opens June 23, have been
awarded to 23 outstanding musicians in the All-South-
ern High School Orchestra and the Southwestern
High School Orchestra by J. E. Maddy, musical
director of the camp, who conducted both orchestras
which played before the music supervisors of their
respective sections at Asheville, N. C, and at Wich-
ita, Kan. Ten of the scholarships went to the best
musicians in the Southern orchestra and 13 to those
in the Southwestern, the donors being the Carnegie
Corporation, the Julliard Foundation, Carl Fischer.
Inc., and Irving Berlin, all of New York city. The
understanding was that the $150 balance on each
scholarship would be raised by parents, schools, busi-
ness men or clubs of the community of the young-
ster awarded the scholarship.
THOUGHTS FOR SPEAKERS
Was it apropos of a coming convention that James
Russell Lowell wrote, many years ago, the follow
ing lines?
I honor the man who is ready to sink
Half h:s present repute for the freedom to think;
And when he has thought, be his cause strong or
weak,
Will sink t'other half for the freedom to speak.
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