Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER, 1930
Well, Trade, Here's That "Mystery" Piano
Above is an illustration of the latest product of the American Piano Corp. regarding which
there has been so much conjecture in the trade. It is a Haines Bros. GG grand, 4 ft. 8 in. long,
overstrung scale and full standard keyboard. In mahogany or walnut with lacquer finish. The
retail price is $345
Defends Piano Group Instruction
Before Kentucky Music Teachers
««*T*H'E piano-class movement is a passing
-•• fad of which I do not approve. ' Witli
these words the director of a Southern college
attacked group piano instruction at the recent
conference of the Kentucky Music Teachers'
Association, held at the Hotel I'rown, l.ouis-
\ille, Ky., November 6, 7 and X.
Fortunately, Miss Ella H. Mason, piano-class
specialist of the National I'.ureau for the Ad-
vancement of Music, was on hand at the
conference and immediately following the
spokesman of the derogatory opinion, took the
1-latform and launched into a refutation of the
charge that the piano-class movement is a
"passing fad."
In doing this, she explained that piano classes
are not a new thing, since they were intro-
duced into some public schools more than
twenty years ago. She cited figures showing
their steady growth and explained that the
development had been especially rapid in the
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The Music Trade Review
past few years, due to a particular concentra-
tion of public attention upon it. This was
illustrated by the Bureau's statistics, which
show an increase from May, 1929, to May, 1930,
of 1,121 persons reporting classes in operation.
In the same year, added Miss Mason, the num-
ber of requests for piano-class information
received by the Bureau had grown from 6,226
to 11,863, while the number of cities reporting
classes in operation had advanced from 489 to
873.
Moreover/ she pointed out the greater ad-
vantages of group teaching, namely, that it
brings about a democracy in piano education,
since the fee is so nominal as to bring it within
the reach of every child. Another outstanding
advantage is the fact that children enjoy work-
ing together, and that the piano class attracts
a larger number of pupils than are likely to
become interested in individual lessons.
Not only do more children study in classes,
but also the progress is accelerated, due to the.
spirit of friendly rivalry and competition which
exists in a well-conducted class.
Following this, Miss Mason showed what has
been done in different cities, such as Cleveland,
where five years ago piano classes were offered
in three of the city's schools with an entire
enrolment of forty pupils, whereas, through a
steady growth, the figures now total 1,040
pupils, and the instruction is given in all of
the school buildings. She told the audience
that Chicago last year had 12,000 children en-
rolled in the public school classes, and at the
end of the year 3,600 children left the school
classes in order to continue their instruction
with private teachers. Thus Miss Mason
showed that public schools and private teachers
could work together to stimulate a greater in-
terest in piano playing and to share in the
advantages to be found in group instruction.
SCHULZ
A
CRITERION
AMONG FINER
PIANOS
SINCE 1869
The Schulz catalog depicts a pleas-
ing assortment of quick-selling—
good-will-creating pianos.
Write for it.
M. SCHULZ GO.
711 Milwaukee Ave.
CHICAGO
Miss Ella H. Mason