MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1884
Established
1881
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE JOURNAL
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MUSIC TEACHERS
EXCHANGE IDEAS
Two Hundred Persons Representing Music
Departments in Chicago Public Schools
Met and Reported Plans and
Much Progress.
Pursuant to a good beginning made a year or more
ago, some 200 persons assembled on the night of
October 11 at the Medinah Club, Chicago, as repre-
sentatives of the music departments of the Chicago
public schools to dine and talk over the advancements,
problems and prospects of things musical in their de-
partmental work.
Initiators of Music.
These were people who produce music, who initiate
the musical idea in the young and watch it bud and
grow—educators and teachers whose purpose is to
play music and teach it and to whom the manufacture
and sale of musical instruments is secondary. But
these are the very people the music trade should look
to for the continuance of their manufacturing and
selling.
For they teach the piano, the violin, and
orchestral instruments.
Lessons Being Taken by 12,000.
Prominent among those in attendance was Dr.
Lewis J. Browne, director of musical education in
the public schools of -Chicago, who spoke of the
growth of the movement to teach piano lessons in
classes. He reminded his auditors that one year ago
he had said, "You stand by me and I'll stand by you
in this effort." Now, w T hile this was the second
annual dinner, it was really the first anniversary of
the movement. Today, upwards of 12,000 pupils were
taking these music lessons in the schools of Chicago,
with the probability that twice that number would
be enrolled in the classes before the end of the
school year.
Teachers Give Experiences.
Many teachers present gave their experiences in the
music work in the schools—all successful. When Dr.
Browne made reference to a certain teacher and said
that more than one-half of the pupils who were in her
classes in a public school were continuing piano
lessons now under private teachers, Miss Ryan, who
conducts the piano classes in the Pierce School,
related that out of 62 piano pupils she had at the
close of the last school year, 27 were now taking
private lessons, while of the remaining 35 the num-
ber of drop-outs of those who were obliged to dis-
continue for various reasons was practically nil.
There were a few music trade paper representa-
tives present at the meeting—fewer than there should
have been, because the things brought out were
vitally important to the trade.
Supt. Bogan Enthusiastic.
Supt. William J. Bogan of the Chicago public
schools was equally enthusiastic with Dr. Brown and
the teachers. He said the continuation and expansion
of the class lessons was only limited by the possibili-
ties of financial strictures. More teachers were
needed and many more pianos. However, the num-
ber of pianos loaned the schools by piano men had
increased from 105 at the beginning of the school
year to 150 now.
A feature of the night's entertainment was the
playing of a band made up of teachers of the high
schools of Chicago—20 players in all.
Others who took part in the program were Robert
Sommers, chairman; Willis E. Tower, district super-
intendent in charge of senior high schools; Rose Luti-
ger Gannon, contralto; Mabelle Glenn, president of
the National Music Supervisors' conference, and
Henry Sopkin, violinist.
Plan Is Sweeping the Country.
The idea of class piano instruction is sweeping the
country. It is so successful in its methods of opera-
tion that today almost 400 cities in this country have
deemed it wise to make piano study by the class
CHICAGO, ILL., NOVEMBER 1, 1929
Issued Semi-Monthly
First and Third Saturdays
method, an integral part of their system of public
education.
Teaching children to play the piano in classes is
both educationally and psychologically sound. Many
of the great minds of the world were developed in
classes that would have otherwise remained undis-
covered, if they had depended for their education upon
expensive private tutoring.
PROMOTES CAUSE
OF SCHOOL MUSIC
PIANO CLASS PROMOTION.
As a reward for the endeavors of the Chicago
Board of Education to promote musical appreciation
among Chicago public school children by means of
group piano class instruction, comes the cheering
news that 911 pupils have already begun individual
instruction with private teachers. It is estimated that
of the 10,000 or so who are now being trained an
even larger number will have progressed sufficiently
during the coming year to warrant their entering con-
servatories and private piano classes.
The check-up of Chicago schools to determine the
results of the promotional activities of Dr. J. Lewis
Browne, director of music in the Chicago public
schools, has not been completed, owing to the fail-
ure of many principals to respond to a circularized
questionnaire.
Of 375 schools, only 191 have thus far replied to
that questionnaire, by means of which an effort is
being made to learn the present status of group class
work. However, from the answers already received,
it is established that in 165 of the 191 schools re-
porting, 4605 pupils are participating in 236 classes.
That represents an average of 28 pupils to the school
and 19% to the class. The remaining 26 of the 191
schools have no classes.
Standardizing of equipment, fees, materials, the
maximum size of classes, duration and occurrence of
class periods, and the adoption of approved training
systems, have aided Dr. Browne in this work.
The prescribed standards are set forth in a circular
of instruction prepared by Lillian A. Willoughby, as-
sistant supervisor of class piano instruction, under the
direction of Dr. J. Lewis Browne and William J.
Bogan, superintendent of schools.
The choice of a system is optional with the princi-
pal of every school; but the following are approved:
Columbia Piano Course, Curtis Piano Course, Maier
Piano Course, Melody Way, and the Oxford Piano
Course.
Material for these systems may be ordered directly
by the principals from the publishers.
Inasmuch as class piano instruction is not included
in the regular general curriculum, classes are held
outside of the regular school hours, and expenses
are paid by a fee system. The maximum number
of pupils in a class is set at 20, to insure adequate
personal attention for all. The universal fee is $3.50
covering all material, book, keyboard and ten lessons
at 25 cents each. Only teachers whose experience and
training meet the requirements of the Director of
Music are permitted to conduct classes.
Interest in class musical instrument instruction was
originally aroused in Chicago by a series of form
letters circulated among principals of all grade and
high schools there. Demonstrations were arranged
to convince all concerned of the advantages to be
gained by this modern method of primary instruction
in musical expression.
Leaflets addressed to parents were distributed to
children who felt a desire to participate. The various
Parent-Teacher organizations were then called upon
to urge their respective principals to organize group
piano classes in their schools.
This was followed by a personal letter from Dr.
J. Lewis Browne, director of music, delivered in per-
son by a member of Dr. Browne's staff.
MUSICIANS PUBLISH PROTEST.
The American Federation of Musicians ran an ad.
in the dailies of Chicago this week protesting against
"the robot as an entertainer." Part of this ad. reads:
"However perfect reproduced music may be made, it
must always fall short of establishing a spiritual con-
tact between performer and listener."
Nothing can be for a man's interest in the long run
which is not founded on his character.
C. G. Conn, Ltd., Reports Largest Period Since
1925, and General Sales Manager Says
Increase Is Due to the
Public Schools.
C. G. Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., reports its 10th
period for 1929 as being the largest, in respect to
shipments made, which the company has enjoyed
since 1925. R. C. Poyser, general salesmanager of the
company, attributes the big gain to the great interest
in bands, orchestras, and other forms of instrumental
music now being displayed by public schools through-
out the country.
This large shipment period of the Conn Company
should come as cheering news to the band instru-
ment field generally since it, no doubt, presages
greater prosperity to come, and besides, furnishes an
excellent index of the tremendous possibilities of the
school band instrument market. C. G. Conn, Ltd.,
has been very active in the promotion of school
bands during the past several years. More than this,
it has taken advantage of every opportunity to co-
operate with and contribute to the cause of school
music generally.
In spite of its activity in the school band field,
however, the company has not failed to co-operate
with professional musicians and other users of band
instruments. It has continued to build instruments of
the highest quality and has never allowed its main-
tenance of this standard to be affected by price con^
siderations. The present prosperity and activity of
C. G. Conn, Ltd., is ample proot that the course which
it has pursued during the past several years is the
right one.
Speaking of the professional musician in the light
of the school music field, J. F. Boyer, secretary of
the company, said: "We feel that in promoting the
cause of public school music, we have also had at
heart the best interests of the professional musician.
For, in our opinion, the finest future for the profes-
sional musician lies in that direction."
BALDWIN DEALERS CALL
ON MUSIC TEACHERS
They Show Teachers How Baldwin Programs
Help Them to Get New
Pupils.
Baldwin dealers make personal calls on the teachers
to find out how they like the "At the Baldwin" pro-
grams. This gives the opportunity of pointing out to
the teachers how these programs are creating new
pupils for them by inspiring parents to give their chil-
dren piano lessons and instilling in the children them-
selves the earnest desire to play.
The dealers who have used this method of approach
find teachers everywhere who invite friends and
pupils to hear these programs. And because of the
interest, they have very little trouble in obtaining lists
of the teachers' pupils who are their livest prospects.
AMERICA'S MUSICAL LEADERSHIP.
"Piano dealers," says A. G. Gulbransen, "attribute
an increasing demand for pianos to the unconscious
influence which radio has in arousing this desire
among children to study and create music. Because
of radio there is today no need for musical neglect
even in the most isolated and remote parts of the
country. I predict that within the next decade, we
will have attained a national musical consciousness
similar to that of European countries; that new talent
will cease to look to Italy and Germany and France
as the sole source of inspiration, and that American
musicians will be receiving their entire musical train-
ing in America."
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