April, 1931
11
P R E S T O-T I M E S
PIANO CLASS PROGRESS
DEMONSTRATED IN CHICAGO
A. G. GULBRANSEN ACTIVITIES
Among his other duties, A. G. Gulbransen, presi-
dent of the Gulbransen Co., Chicago, is active as a
director of the Illinois Manufacturers' Mutual Casualty
Association, Inc., of Chicago, a concern that does an
extensive business in automobile insurance.
EMIL WOLFF IN FLORIDA
The third annual piano day, which program was
carried out last month at Kimball Hall, Wabash ave-
nue and Jackson boulevard, Chicago, was for the
purpose of demonstrating class piano progress in the
Chicago public schools. This demonstration brought
out the piano talent from all the important schools
of Chicago—a great crowd, a sight to behold. The
grand pianos used on this occasion were furnished
free of charge by the W. W. Kimball Co., and the
music from them was greatly enjoyed. The music
department of the Chicago public schools has been
able to carry on group piano classes since 1928,
through the efforts of Adam Schneider, executive sec-
retary of the Chicago Piano & Organ Association,
and the courtesy of the following piano firms who
have generously loaned pianos free of expense: Bald-
win Piano Co., Cable Piano Co., W. W. Kimball Co.,
Kranich &. Bach, Lyon & Healy, Meyer & Weber,
Reichardt Piano Co., P. A. Starck Piano Co., and the
Wurlitzer Co.
Piano instruction is being given on the group plan
in Chicago to about 11,000 children in 288 of the local
schools, and the local piano houses have loaned
nearly 200 pianos for use in this instruction.
Dr. J. Lewis Browns, supervisor of music in the
Chicago public schools, told the large audience of
parents and friends of the children at the Kimball
Hall Building that piano instruction,- in the opinion
of all the teachers, gave the pupils more power of
concentration in their other studies, besides broaden-
ing their cultural background. He then introduced
William J. Bogan, superintendent of the public
schools of Chicago, who told the assemblage that the
children had been greatly benefited by the instruction
they had received in piano lessons and intimated that
the work was but barely begun so far.
Altogether it was a wonderful "piano day," both for
the adults and the younger ones—an exhibition to the
world that the great and mighty city of Chicago
thinks and does other things as far from crime as
heaven is from hades.
Miss Mason in Many Cities
Miss Ella H. Mason, in charge of the piano class
division of the National Bureau for the Advancement
of Music, made trips in her line of work to several
cities east and south in March and is out now on the
road in April for further work. She addressed the
Schubert Club at Providence, the Pianoforte Teach-
ers' Society at Boston. Then she started for Mem-
phis, Tenn., by airplane but bad weather forced the
plane down at Harrisbarg, Pa., and Miss Mason had
to go the rest of the way to Memphis by rail. She
spoke to the music supervisors at Memphis and to
other music supervisors at Syracuse, N. Y. Later
she addressed the Baltimore Music Club in Baltimore.
In April her speaking engagements are in Pawtucket,
R. I., and the Music Supervisors Conference in Des
Moines, Iowa.
At New York
At the recent two-days open forum conference on
piano class instruction which was held in New York,
some practical hints to those interested in studio
classes were given by Julia Broughton, instructor in
piano class methods at New York University. Miss
Broughton offered encouragement by saying that class
principles were similar in many ways to those used
in private instruction. "Teachers should talk as little
as possible, and pupils should do and play as much
as possible in a piano class. The entire class should
be addresed when asking a question, then an indi-
vidual name should be called for the answer," said
Miss Broughton.
A concerted move, headed by Mrs. Frederick Free-
mantle, is under way at New York on behalf of the
Music Teachers and Students Advisory Council, Inc.,
of Steinway Hall, to relieve financial distress among
more than 1,000 music teachers in New York whose
pupils had been unable to continue their studies during
the past year.
THE PHONOGRAPH IN SCHOOLS
At the meeting of the Rural Teachers' Club, held
in Clinton, Iowa, last month, a demonstration was
made to show that public school music may be attrac-
tively presented to pupils by means of a phonograph
and a few well-chosen records. The teachers listened
for two hours to discussions in approved methods of
teaching music, with Mrs. Barker and Mr. Mohler
from the State Teachers' College as instructors.
Emil Wolff, president of the M. Scliulz Co., Chi-
cago, who has been spending several weeks in the
South, accompanied by Mrs. Wolff, was still in Flor-
ida at last reports. Meantime the business of the
M. Scliulz Co. at home and on the road is pegging
along at an encouraging rate.
»
DAILIES DROP RADIO PROGRAMS
Following a suggestion made at the recent conven-
tion of the New England Newspaper Publishers' As-
sociation, four Connecticut dailies have eliminated
radio programs from their columns on the ground
that free publicity should not be given in a competi-
tive medium.
THE KOHLER-BRAMBACH ELECTION
At the recent annual meeting of the Kohler-Bram-
bach Piano Co. in New York the following officers
were re-elected: Mark P. Campbell, president; Gordon
G. Campbell, vice-president; Corley Gibson, secre-
tary; Julius A. White, treasurer.
Schumann
PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS
GRANDS and UPRIGHTS
Have no superiors in appearance, ton*
power or other essentials of strictly
leaders in the trade.
Warning to Infringers
WIDER KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC
Commenting upon the present-day musical educa-
tion of children, Burt S. Swingle, of the Swingle Music
Store in the Arcade at Newark, Ohio, said to a Presto-
Times correspondent a few days ago: "The piano has
been and is the most popular of all home instruments,
and to be able to play is a necessary part of one's
education. As our people absorb and understand
the better things in music they demand more
music from the masters in their programs, which they
enjoy as never before."
> JPtano. rv
Thla Trade Mark la out
In th« plate and aUo ap-
paara upon the fall board
of all genuine Bckumaan
Planoa, and all lnfrlng«ra
will be proa«out«d. Bewar*
of Imitation! auca aa Bcau-
mamn A Company, Schu-
mann Jfc BOB, and alao
Bbuman, aa all ataaoll
aaopa, dealers and uaera of
planoa bearing a name In
Imitation of the name
Schumann with the Inten-
tion of deceiving the public
will fee «raae*t**.*£ _i rm.%
fulleat extent of the law.
Mew Catalegae «• Be^ueet.
WHISTLES PROCLAIM INCREASED MATHUSHEK NEW JERSEY
FORCE AT STORY & CLARK'S
STORE MOVES NORTHWARD
Story & Clark this month speeded up business at
the big factories in Grand Haven, Mich., by putting
on an additional force of employes, and the whistles
of the plants proclaimed the fact with blasts of joy—
pealing forth the return of old-time prosperity. Gen-
eral manager J. W. Eaton, of the factories, and the
citizens of Grand Haven generally were delighted at
the renewed activity.
Big orders are being filed at the factory for a
"grandfather's clock," a novelty which is in reality
a very fine radio housed in the cabinet comprising the
body of the 6-foot clock.
In fact, this radio clock is going to be this season's
piece de resistance for the radio division of Story &
Clark—the thing on which they are banking for a big
trade and a novelty which will take greatly.
Michigan towns were very badly hit during the
winter by the depression, but Grand Haven is one
Michigan town that is among the first to recover and
the people of that city are rejoicing over the resump-
tion of former-time activities at the factory of Story
& Clark.
TUNER AND PIANO SALESMAN
Frank S. Hameister of 280 National street, Elgin,
111., factory representative for the Story & Clark
pianos, is circularizing that part of the country with
.novel advertising slips with return postal cards at-
tached. In this way he no doubt is getting in touch
with a number of customers for the Story & Clark
pianos as well as increasing his tuning business. Mr.
Hameister's message is: "Have your piano tuned
regularly. It doesn't cost much and not only pre-
serves the piano but preserves the musical ear of those
who listen to it. Frank S. Hameister; tuning pianos
since 1906."
Mathushek Piano Co. have maintained a store at
Jersey City for many years, their headquarters being
37 Newark avenue. The company is removing this
store from its present address to 972 Bergenline ave-
nue, North Bergen, N. J. (Wood Cliff section), oppo-
site the North Bergen Trust Co.
This is a fine growing residential section of
suburban New York, and the Mathushek is of high
repute in that neighborhood.
George Vandegrift is manager of the store and has
been with the company for many years.
FRANK HOOD SEEING THE WORLD
Frank M. Hood, for many years general traveler
for the Schiller Piano Co.. and late vice-president of
the organization, recently visited Bermuda, accom-
panied by his wife, and they have been enjoying a
vacation and sightseeing trip. Just what his plans
are after returning to Chicago he has not made
known. But that he will again become active after
he has looked over a goodly part of the world on
this "long vacation" trip is the expectation and wish
of his numerous friends.
"SMILES" WILL NOT DOWN
The song, "Smiles," which has continued popular
for several years and is more often used than perhaps
any other at social gatherings and heard over the
radio oftener than any other of the popular hits, now
has a namesake in the "Smiles" cigarette. Now the
friends of Lee S. Roberts, composer of the song and
former favorite of Chicago's famous "Piano Row,"
are wondering if Lee takes part of his royalties in
these petite "smokers." If he does, they are willing
to extend their hands for a few cartons.
Schumann Piano Co.
W. N. VAN MATRE, President
Rockford, I1L
SCHILLER
A GREAT NAME—A GREAT PIANO
THE SCHILLER
Makes Friends, Makes Customers, Makes
Money, for the Dealer
Super-Grands, Medium Grands, Small
Grands. Full Plate Uprights; Medium
Uprights; Small (3:7) Uprights.
Reproducing Grands, Uprights and
Players
Grands with the Famous Bauer
Patented Construction
The SCHILLER PIANO challenges
superiority in tone quality as in construc-
tion, workmanship, finish and appearance.
For Agency Proposition and All
Particulars, address
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Officei:
OREGON, ILLINOIS
CHICAGO OFFICB:
State and Adams 8te.
•82 B«pabU« Blig.
NEW YORK OFFICE:
ISO W. 42nd St.
Bnah Terminal Bids.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/