Music Trade Review
Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 2 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
to go out and make them want pianos and the like
enough so as to use some of this hoarded money.
Factors that Will Promote Business
F
ROM our experience, there has never heen a
depression when the building business was
good. When buildings are being erected and
homes are being built, there is a natural demand for
practically everything that is manufactured. So. it
might be interesting to look over what some of the
statistical bureaus have to say about construction
and building. In 1953 public and private construc-
tion expenditures established another new record
of about 34.6 billion, the seventh successive year
of record-breaking outlay. It is estimated that the
expenditures of this kind will amount to about 33.5
billion in 1954. It is also estimated that outlays
for equipment in plants will reach 26 billion in
1954. It is also estimated that a minium of houses
to be erected will be 950,000 units. There is also
an unsatisfied need for new schools, hospitals, etc.
How many of those new 950,000 homes will have
pianos in them depends largely on the activities of
the dealers in the territories where these homes are
to be built. The only estimated drop in household
furnishings predicted by experts will be felt by the
carpet industry, due to the high average cost of wool.
The demand for other household furnishings, how-
ever, should be maintained in 1954 by the continu-
ued high level of disposable income in residential
construction.
Licensing Music Teachers
W
E have been advised that a bill is being in-
troduced into the New York Legislature re-
quiring persons teaching vocal and instru-
mental music to obtain a license from the Educa-
tion Department. It is understood that the bill will
create a State Board of Music Teachers Examiners,
fixes qualifications for teachers and establishes
causes for revocation of licenses. It is thought that
perhaps this legislation is directed toward the elimi-
nation of studio operations, which of course, would
affect several branches of the industry, including the
studios where organs, pianos and other musical in-
struments are taught under the supervision of deal-
ers. From correspondence which the REVIEW
has received from dealers regarding this, there seems
to be a wholesome opposition to it, the belief being
that if a parent of a pupil is not satisfied with the
teacher, he does not have to continue with that
teacher, and that if the new bill will affect studio
operations it will place a restraint on trade in a very
vital point and one which is a very important bus-
iness-producing factor. We certainly question the
advisability of such a bill which may prove detri-
mental to the business at the same time create addi-
tional taxes. Latest report on this bill, No. 693, is
that it will not be acted on this year but it will be
back next year when it may prove even more
troublesome. So watch it.
Anent Unfair Trade Practices
O
N Page 5 of this issue there appears an article
by William R. Gard, Executive Secretary of
the National Association of Music Merchants,
which in our opinion should be read by every dealer
and mulled over carefully, because it points out how
far the National Association of Music Merchants can
go in endeavoring to correct unfair trade practices,
but at the same time tells the dealer what he can
do to have such practices corrected. We believe Mr.
Gard has prepared a very timely article which he
has used as an address at the Southeastern Confer-
ence of the N.A.M.M. which took place this month
in Atlanta, Ga. We say 'timely' because we have
been confronted within the last few months and
particularly since business has become rather dull,
which many complaints regarding discounting and
other j^actices which should not occur in the piano
business. It is quite natural that everyone should be
hungry for business, but it is regrettable that in
order to secure it, many go to extremes in giving dis-
counts which leave hardly enough margin in the sale
to pay for delivery. In his article, Mr. Gard states
how this can be helped also.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, FEBRUARY. 1954
EDITOR
II
to go out and make them want pianos and the like
enough so as to use some of this hoarded money.
Factors that Will Promote Business
F
ROM our experience, there has never heen a
depression when the building business was
good. When buildings are being erected and
homes are being built, there is a natural demand for
practically everything that is manufactured. So. it
might be interesting to look over what some of the
statistical bureaus have to say about construction
and building. In 1953 public and private construc-
tion expenditures established another new record
of about 34.6 billion, the seventh successive year
of record-breaking outlay. It is estimated that the
expenditures of this kind will amount to about 33.5
billion in 1954. It is also estimated that outlays
for equipment in plants will reach 26 billion in
1954. It is also estimated that a minium of houses
to be erected will be 950,000 units. There is also
an unsatisfied need for new schools, hospitals, etc.
How many of those new 950,000 homes will have
pianos in them depends largely on the activities of
the dealers in the territories where these homes are
to be built. The only estimated drop in household
furnishings predicted by experts will be felt by the
carpet industry, due to the high average cost of wool.
The demand for other household furnishings, how-
ever, should be maintained in 1954 by the continu-
ued high level of disposable income in residential
construction.
Licensing Music Teachers
W
E have been advised that a bill is being in-
troduced into the New York Legislature re-
quiring persons teaching vocal and instru-
mental music to obtain a license from the Educa-
tion Department. It is understood that the bill will
create a State Board of Music Teachers Examiners,
fixes qualifications for teachers and establishes
causes for revocation of licenses. It is thought that
perhaps this legislation is directed toward the elimi-
nation of studio operations, which of course, would
affect several branches of the industry, including the
studios where organs, pianos and other musical in-
struments are taught under the supervision of deal-
ers. From correspondence which the REVIEW
has received from dealers regarding this, there seems
to be a wholesome opposition to it, the belief being
that if a parent of a pupil is not satisfied with the
teacher, he does not have to continue with that
teacher, and that if the new bill will affect studio
operations it will place a restraint on trade in a very
vital point and one which is a very important bus-
iness-producing factor. We certainly question the
advisability of such a bill which may prove detri-
mental to the business at the same time create addi-
tional taxes. Latest report on this bill, No. 693, is
that it will not be acted on this year but it will be
back next year when it may prove even more
troublesome. So watch it.
Anent Unfair Trade Practices
O
N Page 5 of this issue there appears an article
by William R. Gard, Executive Secretary of
the National Association of Music Merchants,
which in our opinion should be read by every dealer
and mulled over carefully, because it points out how
far the National Association of Music Merchants can
go in endeavoring to correct unfair trade practices,
but at the same time tells the dealer what he can
do to have such practices corrected. We believe Mr.
Gard has prepared a very timely article which he
has used as an address at the Southeastern Confer-
ence of the N.A.M.M. which took place this month
in Atlanta, Ga. We say 'timely' because we have
been confronted within the last few months and
particularly since business has become rather dull,
which many complaints regarding discounting and
other j^actices which should not occur in the piano
business. It is quite natural that everyone should be
hungry for business, but it is regrettable that in
order to secure it, many go to extremes in giving dis-
counts which leave hardly enough margin in the sale
to pay for delivery. In his article, Mr. Gard states
how this can be helped also.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, FEBRUARY. 1954
EDITOR
II
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