Music Trade Review

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Piano »« Child
Linked ««• Radio
over
by
A. B. Clinton Go.
Sterling V. Couch
A RE the radio listeners sufficiently interested
in the broadcasting by children at regular
intervals to make such a feature a desirable and
profitable one? Can the sponsoring of broad-
cast programs by youthful musicians be capital-
ized by music merchants to the development of
a greater interest in the training of children in
musical instrument playing and the increased
sales of instruments resulting therefrom?
According to the experience of the A. B. Clin-
ton Co., the prominent music merchant of New
Haven, Conn., extending over a period of two
years, broadcasting can be used to excellent ad-
vantage in that very important promotion move-
ment for the training of youth in music and its
creation.
The results of broadcasting can be tested in
two ways, first indirectly by an increased de-
mand for the products advertised through radio
programs, and secondly by the direct contacts
with radio .listeners that are developed as a re-
sult of the program. Judged by both standards
the Clinton Co. work is successful, for business
has improved particularly in the sale of instru-
ments for the use of youngsters, and it is no
unusual thing to receive numerous telephone
messages both during and after the programs
indicative of more than usual interest. For
instance, not long ago the studio telephone
brought in a wee voice inquiring "Was that little
yirl who just played really only six years old?
liecause, if she is, Mother says I can take music
lessons. I'm six, too." And again, "Please,
could that little girl play again? I take music
lesso-ns and have that piece, too." or, "Please,
may I come up to the studio next Saturday
to see the children broadcast?" These are the
sort of messages that indicate more than pass-
ing interest.
The hour is sponsored by the A. B. Clinton
Co. for the purpose of giving very young music
students an opportunity to appear on the air,
and was mapped out in co-operation with Sterl-
ing V. Couch, musical director of broadcasting
station WDRC, of New Haven, by Ormus E.
Kellogg, of the Clinton Co.
When Mr. Couch assumed the musical direc-
torship of WDRC, he was impressed with the
effect on adult musicians of the city of New
Haven when appearing before the microphone,
there being, invariably, an apparent stimulation
to greater effort in music study.
Mr.
Couch came to the conclusion that if it were
possible to broadcast very'young students, it
would work in exactly the same manner and
that the broadcasting of a children's hour with,
budding musicians as the artists would have a
beneficial effect upon the interest in all classes
of music instruction among the young children
of the community. It was decided to invite one
of the prominent teachers to bring a group of
her pupils to the broadcasting studio and put
them on for a short program.
The plan worked admirably. More than oiu:
thousand children have played or sung before
the microphone at WDRC in a little over a
year and these pupils represent many of the
leading teachers of the city. Once a month a
diversified program is presented at which vari-
ous musical instruments are used, and also, at
which there are vocal numbers, but, on the other
Saturday mornings during the month, the pro-
grams are devoted exclusively to the piano. In
presenting these Saturday morning broadcasts,
Mr. Couch has had the co-operation of the Con-
necticut Child Welfare Association and one of
the features of the programs is a short talk
given by Miss Elsie Roberts, representing the
Welfare Association. In addition to holding the
important position of musical director of the
broadcasting station, Mr. Couch is a stockholder
in the A. B. Clinton Co.
The programs are set up in a most interesting
retail music merchant. It is obvious that it is
a plan which can be put in operation by any
retail merchant in any city where there is a
broadcasting station and it will, undoubtedly, be
especially easy to cany out a plan of this kind
in cities where there are comparatively small
broadcasting stations although it is quite prob-
able that many of the larger stations would be
very receptive to the idea of a Saturday morn-
ing program such as is being sent out by
WDRC. Everyone who is conversant with
broadcasting knows that the time on Saturday
mornings is not in very great demand for broad-
casting under commercial sponsorship. It is
quite possible that in some cases it would be
interesting to a broadcasting station to put on
programs of this kind as a sustaining feature
of the station. In other cases, the time might
be obtained by a local merchant at very nomi-
nal expense. Broadcasting has been used in
various ways by music merchants. The Hous-
ton, Texas, Piano Club recently put on a- very
A. B. Clinton Co.'s Youthful Broadcasters
1—At the piano. Julia Greco, six-year old student; sitting on instrument, Irene Boyles, seven, who will broadcast
shortly.
2—Group of young broadcasters to whom Clinton Co. gave class lessons about two years ago and who
have continued study.
3—Russell Butler, four, official A.B.C. Boy of Clinton Children's Hour.
manner. The first part of the hour is devoted,
usually, to beginners, that is, children from six
to ten years of age. Following this, there is
a short talk or a "true story" by Miss Roberts
and the latter part of the program is given over
to the more advanced students.
Two grand pianos have been donated for the
broadcasts, a Wurlitzer and a Krakauer, both
of these instruments being represented in New
Haven by the Clinton Company.
As far as records are available, apparently,
this is the first time that a promotional activity
of just this sort has been undertaken by any
effective series of talks over the local station
on two subjects, "The Richest Child Is Poor
Without Musical Training" and "The Piano Is
the Basic Instrument." This was handled in a
co-operative manner by the merchants joining
in covering the expense. Whether the broad-
casts of children's hours should be conducted
as a co-operative activity or whether it is some-
thing which one merchant in a locality can util-
ize to better advantage is something which the
merchants might take under consideration.
Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary of the
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