Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 73 N. 11 - Page 3
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
VOL. LXXIII. No. 11
RMffl
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Sept. 10, 1921
sln e
*' $2.00
»•
2 £<>£<"•
Per Year
Governmental Endorsement of Music
E
XCEPT when considering the question of raising revenue the Federal Government, through its various
departments and bureaus, has indicated a strong appreciation of music and its value. Not only are
there schools maintained for the instruction of musicians by both the Army and the Navy, but other
departments of the Government have occasion to use or support music in one way or another.
The most direct "boost" that has been given to music by any one Government department, however,
was that offered recently in the weekly news letter issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In a box
in the middle of the title page of the August 24 issue there appeared under the heading "Music Is a Blessing"
the following statement:
"Have you music in your home? Are you making any effort to supplement the splendid offerings of
player rolls and talking machine records with home-produced vocal and instrumental melody?
"Will there be a singing school in your community this Fall?
" 'Good music in the farmhouse will contribute much toward a wholesome contentment and a happy
family life,' Secretary Wallace recently wrote in response to a request for an expression on the subject. 'Music
is one of the'good things of our present civilization, which, in common with other blessings, is as readily
available to those who live in the open country as to those who dwell in the cities. In the old days music
was an important factor in rural community life. Many of us remember the old-fashioned singing school.
Community singing should be revived generally. The township music teacher should be working in every
community.' "
Since the weekly news letter is issued as the official publication of the Department of Agriculture, and
is sent free as a news service to the press of the United States, it is believed that the influence wielded by the
publication of the statement with Secretary Wallace's opinion concerning music will be enormous. It is
expected that the article on music will be reprinted in a great many newspapers of the country, and especially
in the rural press. This should cause a general awakening of the farm population to the benefits of music and
be reflected in the commercial side of music, which has been suffering to some extent in the past year by reason
of slack demand from farmers.
There are already indications in the leading farm sections of the country that the agriculturists are
inclined this year to sell the crops they have been holding, together with the new crops, and take a loss rather
than to hold out indefinitely for the return of war prices. In many cases the farmers realize that there is
little basis for hoping for war prices, and that cash in hand is worth more to them than wheat or corn in the
elevator.
The rural trade promises to prove a most important factor in the business of the present Fall, and is
looked to by merchants in and out of the music trade to fill up the gap caused by depression in industrial
circles. Any propaganda that will influence the farmer to buy musical instruments is therefore doubly welcome,
particularly when it bears the official stamp of the Government.
This new attitude toward music in official and semi-official circles should prove most welcome to mem-
bers of the music industry and unquestionably should have a definite effect upon the business. Within the last
two or three years the propaganda for music has been widespread and sufficiently varied in character to appeal
to all classes of prospective purchasers. An endorsement of music such as that offered by the Department of
Agriculture, having an official status, as it were, is calculated to prove more helpful to the music trade proper
than many pages of straight display advertising.
If all the statements in support of music issued by the various Government departments could be
gathered together and presented before the House and Senate Committees having to do with the new Revenue
Bill perhaps the arguments against the excise taxes might gain added weight.
THE
VOL. LXXIII. No. 11
RMffl
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Sept. 10, 1921
sln e
*' $2.00
»•
2 £<>£<"•
Per Year
Governmental Endorsement of Music
E
XCEPT when considering the question of raising revenue the Federal Government, through its various
departments and bureaus, has indicated a strong appreciation of music and its value. Not only are
there schools maintained for the instruction of musicians by both the Army and the Navy, but other
departments of the Government have occasion to use or support music in one way or another.
The most direct "boost" that has been given to music by any one Government department, however,
was that offered recently in the weekly news letter issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In a box
in the middle of the title page of the August 24 issue there appeared under the heading "Music Is a Blessing"
the following statement:
"Have you music in your home? Are you making any effort to supplement the splendid offerings of
player rolls and talking machine records with home-produced vocal and instrumental melody?
"Will there be a singing school in your community this Fall?
" 'Good music in the farmhouse will contribute much toward a wholesome contentment and a happy
family life,' Secretary Wallace recently wrote in response to a request for an expression on the subject. 'Music
is one of the'good things of our present civilization, which, in common with other blessings, is as readily
available to those who live in the open country as to those who dwell in the cities. In the old days music
was an important factor in rural community life. Many of us remember the old-fashioned singing school.
Community singing should be revived generally. The township music teacher should be working in every
community.' "
Since the weekly news letter is issued as the official publication of the Department of Agriculture, and
is sent free as a news service to the press of the United States, it is believed that the influence wielded by the
publication of the statement with Secretary Wallace's opinion concerning music will be enormous. It is
expected that the article on music will be reprinted in a great many newspapers of the country, and especially
in the rural press. This should cause a general awakening of the farm population to the benefits of music and
be reflected in the commercial side of music, which has been suffering to some extent in the past year by reason
of slack demand from farmers.
There are already indications in the leading farm sections of the country that the agriculturists are
inclined this year to sell the crops they have been holding, together with the new crops, and take a loss rather
than to hold out indefinitely for the return of war prices. In many cases the farmers realize that there is
little basis for hoping for war prices, and that cash in hand is worth more to them than wheat or corn in the
elevator.
The rural trade promises to prove a most important factor in the business of the present Fall, and is
looked to by merchants in and out of the music trade to fill up the gap caused by depression in industrial
circles. Any propaganda that will influence the farmer to buy musical instruments is therefore doubly welcome,
particularly when it bears the official stamp of the Government.
This new attitude toward music in official and semi-official circles should prove most welcome to mem-
bers of the music industry and unquestionably should have a definite effect upon the business. Within the last
two or three years the propaganda for music has been widespread and sufficiently varied in character to appeal
to all classes of prospective purchasers. An endorsement of music such as that offered by the Department of
Agriculture, having an official status, as it were, is calculated to prove more helpful to the music trade proper
than many pages of straight display advertising.
If all the statements in support of music issued by the various Government departments could be
gathered together and presented before the House and Senate Committees having to do with the new Revenue
Bill perhaps the arguments against the excise taxes might gain added weight.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).