Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
JANUARY, 1931
19
subject of piano classes. This is a concrete
example of the campaign the National Bureau is
conducting with Parent Teacher Associations
(Continued from page 7)
all over the country. At this Poughkeepsie
people which must find expression in such a
still the beast of burden for all musicians. meeting Miss Mason discussed the educational
We saw that the public's opinion that the merit of piano study and showed that it de-
basic instrument as the piano.
piano was rapidly becoming obsolete was serves a place among other regular school sub-
There are many indications that a reac-
founded on the lack of knowledge of the jects. Carrying this point beyond a mere idea
tion has already set in; this can be very
importance of the piano and of the value of of cooperation, she suggested definite ways in
much hastened if the industry succeeds in
which parents could work for the bringing
piano instruction for children.
obtaining full recognition for the study of
We looked for a cure. We kept on a whole about of their desire to make piano classes a
music in the grade schools of the country.
year looking for this cure and accumulating part of their public school curriculum and there-
Ashley B. Cone, President, Hardman, Peck &
information that would do the trick. We de- fore available to all their children.
Co., New York.
With the addition of Poughkeepsie to the
vised a plan by which we locate the homes
I am reasonably optimistic regarding con-
with children, but no piano About 25 per ranks of those cities employing piano class
ditions for the year 1931. I believe and hope
cent of the homes in the average community work in the public schools, the' National Bureau
that the piano trade will show an increase
are of that type. Next, our salesmen tell now has a list of 880 cities and towns from
of about 10 per cent in sales. Due also to
the parents in those homes a story—a real which reports of piano classes in operation have
the curtailment in overhead expense, which
sales story from an original sales manual already been received. This is an increase of
most manufacturers are effecting at the
which shows what piano instruction will do 280 new cities which have begun piano classes
present time, the year 1931 should be profit-
for children. It requires about thirty minutes during the year from December 1929 to Decem-
able.
to tell this story, and after parents have ber 1930.
heard it attentively they feel that it would
Walter S. Bond, President, Weaver Piano Co.,
be almost criminal to deny their children
York, Pa.:
the advantage of the mental development
Two things will bring the piano back to
social preferment, and financial gain which
public favor. One is, selling pianos for their
come from piano instruction.
educational and cultural value on the child
We have had just enough experience with
appeal; the other is the improved method
H. C. Grubbs has been appointed vice-presi-
the plan to be convinced that pianos can
of teaching the piano by which children
dent
in charge of all the selling activities of
be sold on their cultural and educational
learn to play and sing pieces from the start.
the
R.C.A.-Victor
Co., Inc., his new responsi-
value to parents who need pianos for their
As soon as these two things are accom-
bilities
including
the
executive control of the
children but don't know it until after they
plished, the piano will rapidly come back to
merchandising
activities
of the Radiola, Victor
have been told the story. This is not an
public favor
and engineering products divisions, and allied
opinion
but
a
fact
learned
by
actual
experi-
If a new crop of salesmen is required to
operations including export. In his new post
ence.
sell pianos for their educational and cul-
he succeeds J. L. Ray, recently resigned.
Thoughful parents (and 1930 has made
tural value, then they should be secured and
Mr. Grubbs came to the Victor Co. in 1928
many parents more thoughtful of the future)
trained without delay. However, many old
as
commercial vice-president after a successful
want their children to have the advantages
salesmen can be trained to revise their
career
as vice-president of the Dalton Adding
that come so richly and only from piano
methods if there is sufficient patience and
Machine
Co. and sales manager of the Reming-
instruction.
persistence in doing so. A new corps of
ton-Rand Business Service and this broad ex-
Manufacturers, dealers and salesmen who perience has stood him in good stead.
teachers is not necessary as many have
catch the vision of this turning tide to the
already adopted the new method and the
piano and adjust themselves to the new
publishing houses are influencing many more
basis of valuation of the piano will come
to revise their methods. If dealers and sales-
in with this tide to the piano and will ride
men will do all possible to influence parents
on the top of the new wave of piano pros-
to seek out teachers for beginners who use
perity in 1931 and 1932.
the new method, this will also help.
For more than a year our salesmen were
"down in the dumps." Completely down—•
but not out. They thought of how people
were losing interest in the piano long before
our country was struck by the depression
and, consequently, had little hope for the
return of the piano even with the return of
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., with a population of
prosperity. They saw people give up their 35,800 is the most recent acquisition to the cities
pianos because they thought they were ob- where piano class work has been established
solete.
in the public schools.
On the other hand, we saw no substitute
In a recent letter to Miss Ella H. Mason,
for the piano. We saw that the piano was piano class specialist of the National Bureau
for the Advancement of Music, Alex A. Reuter-
The Schulz catalog depicts a pleas-
shan, director of music in the Poughkeepsie
ing assortment of quick-selling—
public schools, stated that ten keyboards had
good-will-creating pianos.
been purchased, and at the outset, thirty-eight
Write for it.
pupils had begun their class lessons. He further
stated that many of the principals and the
Superintendent, Mr. Moon, were watching the
experiment with great interest and that, in their
opinion, "It is only a question of time when all
our schools will be giving lessons of this type."
711 Milwaukee Ave.
The seeds of the movement were planted on
Known for Tone"
CHICAGO
June 3, when Miss Mason was invited to attend
the annual banquet of the Parent Teachers' As-
MATHUSHEK PIANO MFG. CO.
79 Alexander Are.
-
NEW YORK
sociation of Poughkeepsie and to speak on the
What Trade Leaders Think of 1931
H. C. Grubbs Heads New
RCA-Victor Activities
SCHULZ
Group Piano Instruction
in Poughkeepsie Schools
A
CRITERION
AMONG FINER
PIANOS
SINCE 1869
Iptatuw
M. SCHULZ GO.