Music Trade Review
Issue: 1931 Vol. 90 N. 9 - Page 4
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
BAND OF THE PLEASANT HILL, OHIO, CENTRALIZED HIGH SCHOOL
HOW AMATEUR BANDS
Lead the Way to
INSTRUMENT SALES
By TRUMAN MILLS
U
NUSUAL success in the promotion of the sale of mu-
sical instruments has been achieved through the or-
ganization of bands in churches, schools and, among
individual students by the band instrument depart-
ment of the Anderson-Soward music house, Dayton, O. This
department, under the direction of Verle J. Sheffer, has or-
ganized nineteen school bands in the region surrounding Day-
ton and has four bands in the city.
The work started 14 years ago and has grown to be a
vital force in the promotion of interest in music in Dayton
and the vicinity, besides making the Anderson-Soward Co.
the main center for the purchase of musical instruments.
"At the present time the greatest efforts are being put be-
hind the promotion of bands in rural and centralized schools,"
explained Mr. Sheffer, in telling of the methods used. "The
city schools have their music departments, but in the rural
districts little is taught except the piano and violin. These
schools are therefore a fertile field for organization work and
training of students in a wider appreciation of music.
"We usually go to a school and have a talk with the super-
intendent. We ask him if he wouldn't like to have a band,
and he is usually very keen about it, but points out that there
aren't any students who can play a band instrument. We
then make a proposition to him that if he lets us come in and
do the promotional work, furnish the instruments and teach
the students, we will have a band that will be able to give a
concert within ninety 1 days. He is usually skeptical, but will
let us go ahead.
"I then go out to the school with one of my teachers and
we have a meeting, during which we visualize what it will
mean to have a band that can play at school functions, go
along with the team, and otherwise enliven things. We point
out that playing a musical instrument develops the lungs,
promotes quicker thinking, and tends to build up the individ-
ual. We make the meeting peppy, and in the course of it we
play some of the instruments we have brought with us. Before
the meeting is concluded we ask how many would like to have
a band. If one hundred hands go up, we can usually count
on fifty who will enter into the project and carry their studies
through. And before we are fully organized we may double
that number.
"We then arrange to supply used instruments which can be
rented from us. These instruments are sterilized and taken
out to the school. Students with thin lips and an even set
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
September, 1931
BAND OF THE PLEASANT HILL, OHIO, CENTRALIZED HIGH SCHOOL
HOW AMATEUR BANDS
Lead the Way to
INSTRUMENT SALES
By TRUMAN MILLS
U
NUSUAL success in the promotion of the sale of mu-
sical instruments has been achieved through the or-
ganization of bands in churches, schools and, among
individual students by the band instrument depart-
ment of the Anderson-Soward music house, Dayton, O. This
department, under the direction of Verle J. Sheffer, has or-
ganized nineteen school bands in the region surrounding Day-
ton and has four bands in the city.
The work started 14 years ago and has grown to be a
vital force in the promotion of interest in music in Dayton
and the vicinity, besides making the Anderson-Soward Co.
the main center for the purchase of musical instruments.
"At the present time the greatest efforts are being put be-
hind the promotion of bands in rural and centralized schools,"
explained Mr. Sheffer, in telling of the methods used. "The
city schools have their music departments, but in the rural
districts little is taught except the piano and violin. These
schools are therefore a fertile field for organization work and
training of students in a wider appreciation of music.
"We usually go to a school and have a talk with the super-
intendent. We ask him if he wouldn't like to have a band,
and he is usually very keen about it, but points out that there
aren't any students who can play a band instrument. We
then make a proposition to him that if he lets us come in and
do the promotional work, furnish the instruments and teach
the students, we will have a band that will be able to give a
concert within ninety 1 days. He is usually skeptical, but will
let us go ahead.
"I then go out to the school with one of my teachers and
we have a meeting, during which we visualize what it will
mean to have a band that can play at school functions, go
along with the team, and otherwise enliven things. We point
out that playing a musical instrument develops the lungs,
promotes quicker thinking, and tends to build up the individ-
ual. We make the meeting peppy, and in the course of it we
play some of the instruments we have brought with us. Before
the meeting is concluded we ask how many would like to have
a band. If one hundred hands go up, we can usually count
on fifty who will enter into the project and carry their studies
through. And before we are fully organized we may double
that number.
"We then arrange to supply used instruments which can be
rented from us. These instruments are sterilized and taken
out to the school. Students with thin lips and an even set
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
September, 1931
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