Music Trade Review
Issue: 1929 Vol. 88 N. 19 - Page 47
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Reach Out for Sales
Through the Children
Prominent Denver Concern
Builds Its Business Prestige
Through Interest in Little
Ones and Finds It Pays
By IRA R. ALEXANDER
All Good Customers—and For Years to Come—This Crowd of Denver Children, Shown As-
sembled at the Knight-Campbell Music Co.'s Store
HROUGH its educational department
the Knight-Campbell Music Co., Den-
ver, Colo., is making friends of the chil-
dren of its selling territory. Not only
is the firm making friends of the men and
women of to-morrow, but it is also making it
easy for those same children to obtain a musi-
cal education and thus interest them in musi-
cal instruments. •
Some few weeks ago the Denver Post, having
learned of the interest being displayed in the
children of the territory on the part of the
Knight-Campbell people, asked them to assist
in forming a children's orchestra. This Denver
newspaper has a department in its paper each
day devoted to things that will interest small
children, which department is edited by Mrs.
Florence S. Hyde. This department has been
used as a means of forming a large family of
the kiddies of Denver. The Post felt that an
orchestra was just the thing to cement this
group of young folks more closely together and
keep up interest. From time to time the Post
features radio programs using members of its
family of children to supply the talent, and
here again an orchestra would fit in very nicely,
and much more available talent could thereby
be added to the list.
The Knight-Campbell Music Co. fell in with
the plan with vim, and as a result, at the pres-
ent writing, the enrolment of the orchestra
classes numbers 350 children ranging from the
age of 5 to 13 years. Each Saturday morn-
ing these children meet at the Knight-Camp-
bell store and are instructed by competent in-
structors provided by the musical instrument
firm. At the head of these instructors is Gale
Brower—one of the leaders in his field in Den-
ver. There is a class for the beginners and
those in this class are making remarkable
progress Under the leadership of Mr. Brower
and it will not be long until "beginners" will
no longer be associated with the members of
T
this class. There are classes for the advanced
students, and also a banjo class. When the
time is ripe these 350 youngsters will form one
large orchestra, and it is planned to have them
give a concert in the city municipal auditorium
some time in June.
The orchestra is being looked after at the
Knight-Campbell store by (.'. O. Bohon, man-
ager of the band instrument department, and
A Forceful Preachment
"AND
A Little Child Shall Lead Them"
-*-* is the, text of this timely sermon from
the pit!pit of business common sense. In
the accompanying article the Knight-Camp-
bell Co.'s highly successful method of de-
veloping its business through the broad
channel of arousing and maintaining the
interest of children is clearly explained. It
should prove a most valuable suggestion to
many deckers the country over who today
are overlooking one of their best sales bets
that lies within such easy reach—the chil-
dren of the community. Read the article
mid then think this over!—EDITOR'S NOTK.
Jimmie Hoar, assistant manager, and in charge
of the educational department of the store.
These men have worked hard on the proposi-
tion and deserve credit for the very good work
they have done.
The Denver Post has given the matter a lot
of good publicity in its children's department.
An article on this page, and which describes
what is being done, read in part as follows:
"Are there any boys or girls in Denver or
vicinity who play, and would like to learn to
play the oboe, bassoon, cello, viola, alto horn
or trombone in the Just Kids orchestra? Play-
ers of these instruments are still lacking in
both the beginners and advanced groups, and
47
special consideration will be given to applicants
who wish to learn to play them. Gale Brower,
director of the orchestra, states that parents
would do well to consider this opportunity, as
the very fact that players of these instruments
are lacking in the Just Kids orchestra shows
that children who learn to play them will not
only have a place in the orchestra, but will be
fitting themselves to fill places musically that
are never overcrowded.
"Any boy or girl interested in this opportu-
nity should report at the Knight-Campbell
music store Saturday forenoon. If six months
or more training has been had, the applicant
should report for the advanced orchestra re-
hearsal at 11.30. If no training has been re-
ceived, and information is desired with a view
to taking instruction on one of these instru-
ments, applicant should report at 9 a. m., for
consultation with Jimmie Hoar, of the Knight-
Campbell educational department."
Children to become members of the orchestra
are not required to purchase their instrument
at the Knight-Campbell store. Of course, the
Knight-Campbell people are ready to serve
them in any way possible, and many instru-
ments have been sold as a direct result of the
forming of the orchestra, and much future busi-
ness will come as a natural course of events.
"The idea is working out very satisfactorily
to all concerned," said Mr. Bohon in speaking
of the orchestra. "The children are immensely
interested in their music and pay strict atten-
tion all during the time they are in classes.
They are very serious about the matter and
we feel that the undertaking is one well worth
while."
The educational department of the Knight-
Campbell Music Co. does not confine itself to
Denver alone. It has bands in a large number
of towns and cities of the State, with two in
Nebraska. These bands and orchestras are
made up of children and most of them are
members of schools in small towns.
"Our policy in forming these bands and or-
chestra," said Mr. Hoar, "is to go to the school
board of a town and lay our proposition before
it. In most cases the school board is willing
to pay half the cost of instruction, while the
children pay the other half. This gives the
children an opportunity for a musical education
at very small cost to their parents. The idea
has proved a big success. For example, take
the little town of Sedalia, Colo. This town
has a school in which are 29 pupils, and 27 of
the 29 are enrolled in the school band. At the
present time we have 31 bands organized and
{Continued on page 48)
Reach Out for Sales
Through the Children
Prominent Denver Concern
Builds Its Business Prestige
Through Interest in Little
Ones and Finds It Pays
By IRA R. ALEXANDER
All Good Customers—and For Years to Come—This Crowd of Denver Children, Shown As-
sembled at the Knight-Campbell Music Co.'s Store
HROUGH its educational department
the Knight-Campbell Music Co., Den-
ver, Colo., is making friends of the chil-
dren of its selling territory. Not only
is the firm making friends of the men and
women of to-morrow, but it is also making it
easy for those same children to obtain a musi-
cal education and thus interest them in musi-
cal instruments. •
Some few weeks ago the Denver Post, having
learned of the interest being displayed in the
children of the territory on the part of the
Knight-Campbell people, asked them to assist
in forming a children's orchestra. This Denver
newspaper has a department in its paper each
day devoted to things that will interest small
children, which department is edited by Mrs.
Florence S. Hyde. This department has been
used as a means of forming a large family of
the kiddies of Denver. The Post felt that an
orchestra was just the thing to cement this
group of young folks more closely together and
keep up interest. From time to time the Post
features radio programs using members of its
family of children to supply the talent, and
here again an orchestra would fit in very nicely,
and much more available talent could thereby
be added to the list.
The Knight-Campbell Music Co. fell in with
the plan with vim, and as a result, at the pres-
ent writing, the enrolment of the orchestra
classes numbers 350 children ranging from the
age of 5 to 13 years. Each Saturday morn-
ing these children meet at the Knight-Camp-
bell store and are instructed by competent in-
structors provided by the musical instrument
firm. At the head of these instructors is Gale
Brower—one of the leaders in his field in Den-
ver. There is a class for the beginners and
those in this class are making remarkable
progress Under the leadership of Mr. Brower
and it will not be long until "beginners" will
no longer be associated with the members of
T
this class. There are classes for the advanced
students, and also a banjo class. When the
time is ripe these 350 youngsters will form one
large orchestra, and it is planned to have them
give a concert in the city municipal auditorium
some time in June.
The orchestra is being looked after at the
Knight-Campbell store by (.'. O. Bohon, man-
ager of the band instrument department, and
A Forceful Preachment
"AND
A Little Child Shall Lead Them"
-*-* is the, text of this timely sermon from
the pit!pit of business common sense. In
the accompanying article the Knight-Camp-
bell Co.'s highly successful method of de-
veloping its business through the broad
channel of arousing and maintaining the
interest of children is clearly explained. It
should prove a most valuable suggestion to
many deckers the country over who today
are overlooking one of their best sales bets
that lies within such easy reach—the chil-
dren of the community. Read the article
mid then think this over!—EDITOR'S NOTK.
Jimmie Hoar, assistant manager, and in charge
of the educational department of the store.
These men have worked hard on the proposi-
tion and deserve credit for the very good work
they have done.
The Denver Post has given the matter a lot
of good publicity in its children's department.
An article on this page, and which describes
what is being done, read in part as follows:
"Are there any boys or girls in Denver or
vicinity who play, and would like to learn to
play the oboe, bassoon, cello, viola, alto horn
or trombone in the Just Kids orchestra? Play-
ers of these instruments are still lacking in
both the beginners and advanced groups, and
47
special consideration will be given to applicants
who wish to learn to play them. Gale Brower,
director of the orchestra, states that parents
would do well to consider this opportunity, as
the very fact that players of these instruments
are lacking in the Just Kids orchestra shows
that children who learn to play them will not
only have a place in the orchestra, but will be
fitting themselves to fill places musically that
are never overcrowded.
"Any boy or girl interested in this opportu-
nity should report at the Knight-Campbell
music store Saturday forenoon. If six months
or more training has been had, the applicant
should report for the advanced orchestra re-
hearsal at 11.30. If no training has been re-
ceived, and information is desired with a view
to taking instruction on one of these instru-
ments, applicant should report at 9 a. m., for
consultation with Jimmie Hoar, of the Knight-
Campbell educational department."
Children to become members of the orchestra
are not required to purchase their instrument
at the Knight-Campbell store. Of course, the
Knight-Campbell people are ready to serve
them in any way possible, and many instru-
ments have been sold as a direct result of the
forming of the orchestra, and much future busi-
ness will come as a natural course of events.
"The idea is working out very satisfactorily
to all concerned," said Mr. Bohon in speaking
of the orchestra. "The children are immensely
interested in their music and pay strict atten-
tion all during the time they are in classes.
They are very serious about the matter and
we feel that the undertaking is one well worth
while."
The educational department of the Knight-
Campbell Music Co. does not confine itself to
Denver alone. It has bands in a large number
of towns and cities of the State, with two in
Nebraska. These bands and orchestras are
made up of children and most of them are
members of schools in small towns.
"Our policy in forming these bands and or-
chestra," said Mr. Hoar, "is to go to the school
board of a town and lay our proposition before
it. In most cases the school board is willing
to pay half the cost of instruction, while the
children pay the other half. This gives the
children an opportunity for a musical education
at very small cost to their parents. The idea
has proved a big success. For example, take
the little town of Sedalia, Colo. This town
has a school in which are 29 pupils, and 27 of
the 29 are enrolled in the school band. At the
present time we have 31 bands organized and
{Continued on page 48)
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