Music Trade Review

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Some of the Children Who Completed the Group Instruction Course in Dallas
Group Piano Instruction
Is Successful in Summer
Response of Over 400 Children of Dallas to Offer of Free Group Instruc-
tion During Past Vacation Season Proves That It Can Be Done — Experi-
ences in Various Cities With Summer Campaign Substantiates the Verdict
1" S it possible to interest any considerable
I number of children in a locality in group
piano instruction during the Suminei
months, while they are on vacation from school
and when ostensibly they desire to enjoy a
more or less protracted period free from study?
The arguments on this question have been
long and varied in the trade and many dealers
and groups of dealers have hesitated about
launching a group instruction campaign until
after schools had reopened and youngsters
were more likely to spend the evenings at
home, either through choice or parental duress.
On the contrary, there are those who have
felt that with an abundance of leisure during
the Summer months youngsters were just as
liable to be interested in group piano instruc-
tion at that time as they would be in the Win-
ter with their regular school work to contend
with.
As a matter of fact, a number of group in-
struction courses that have been conducted
during July and August, both this year and
last, have proven almost conclusively that it is
as good a season as any to carry on such a
campaign, with the additional advantage that
the course is not so likely to interfere with
the regular business routine during the Summer
as it is during the Fall, when sales are cal-
culated to show activity. So far as the children
are concerned, group instruction appears to be
regarded as a form of recreation rather than
a burden in any sense, and it is a recognized
fact that after the first week or two of vacation
the enthusiasm over idleness wears off with the
normal child and anything that will break the
monotony for an hour or two a day is often
welcome.
In Milwaukee the group instruction campaign
ESTABLISHED 1862
with well over 9,(J00 entrants has been carried
on successfully right through the Summer. In
Philadelphia, too, the Melody Way campaign
has been continued through the mid-Summer
months without lack of interest, and in other
cities where the dealers have had the courage
to launch a group instruction campaign in the
late Spring or early Summer rather than mark
time until Fall. The success attending the
venture so far as attendance and public interest
is concerned has been most satisfying.
Particularly impressive were the results of
group instruction classes held in Dallas, Tex.,
this Summer under the auspices of the Will
A. Watkin Co. in co-operation with the Dallas
Times-Herald. The classes began on June 13
after considerable preliminary publicity and ar-
rangements were made to take care of 300
students, which, in view of past experiences,
was looked upon as the maximum figure. As
a matter of fact, over 400 children applied for
instruction and all were accommodated, with
the great majority completing the entire course
of ten lessons.
The classes were open to all children in
Dallas from six to fourteen years of age, who
had never had an opportunity of studying the
piano before. One lesson was given each week
to each class for a period of ten weeks, but
as the classes were limited in size, it was found
necessary for the instructors, Miss Dorothy
Witcher and Miss Frances Mae Long, to take
care of several classes each day. The children
were expected to practice at least one-half hour
each day, preferably at home if they had pianos.
Where there were no piano in the home the
students were privileged to practice on pianos
provided for their use in the music salon of
the Will A. Watkin Co. store, where the classes
themselves were held. In order to encourage
effort, certificates were presented to the chil-
dren who completed the course, and quite a
lot of unusual talent was developed, with the
result that at the end of the course several
score of youngsters stated that arrangements
had been, or would be made, so that they might
continue instruction with individual teachers.
The parents were also interested in the work
and many of them accompanied their children
to the Watkin store for each lesson to observe
the progress made.
On account of the unusual size of the classes
and the enthusiasm that seemed to pervade in
the students, the course aroused state-wide, and
in fact, nation-wide, interest. Many music
dealers and music teachers from surrounding
towns came to sec for themselves how the
course was conducted, and it is likely that
similar courses will be instituted throughout
Texas in the future. The Will A. Watkin Co.
was so well satisfied with the venture that
there is a strong probability of the course
being repeated next Summer.
Judging from actual experience, there would
seem to be no question of the feasibility of all
these group instruction classes during the Sum-
mer school-vacation period. If group instruc-
tion has the power of promoting future piano
business that is attributed to it, then it should
be made a year-around movement, to be carried
on in Summer as well as in Winter. Certainly
the group of Dallas youngsters who took the
course this Summer, and are shown posed be-
fore the Scottish Rite Cathedral in that city,
should answer effectively any question as to
whether piano instruction holds interest for
youngsters during the hot months when they
have plenty of leisure.
L^UTER
ONE OF AMERICA'S
NEWARK N. J.
FIME PIANDS
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA