Presto

October 15, 1927
PRESTO-TIMES
INDIANA MUSIC
TRADE ASS'N MEETS
Second Annual Convention of Indiana Associa-
tion of Music Merchants at Indianapolis
Is Instructive and Joyous Event—
Officers Are Elected.
C. R. MOORE, PRESIDENT
Popular Fort Wayne Merchant Chosen to Head the
Organization for the New Term—Other Officers
and Directors Elected.
A TONKBENCH
of
Popularity
When you select Tonkbench
No. 6078, illustrated above, to
match your reasonably priced
Uprights; or when you select its
c o m p a n i o n, Tonkbench No.
6078^/4 to go with your good
Grands, you are taking no chances
with the satisfaction of your
customers.
We have been manufacturing
and selling these two, unusually
popular members of The TONK-
BENCH Family for so many
years, and in such increasing
quantities, that their salability in
your store is a foregone con-
clusion.
We also offer this Tonkbench
with brass feet as T No. 6075 for
Uprights and 6075 / 2 for Grands;
and if you prefer beveled edge
tops we can furnish them also.
Prompt shipments of all orders
will be made to points east of the
"Rockies" from the Chicago
Plant and to points on the Pacific
Coast from the Los Angeles
Factory.
-Man
Co
1912 Lewis St.
CHICAGO
Pacific Coast Factory
4627 E. 50th St., Los Angeles, California
The second annual meeting of the Indiana Music
Merchants' Association was opened at a luncheon at
the Indianapolis Athletic Club on October 10, by an
address of welcome by Dick Miller, president of the
Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and a prominent
banker of that city.
T H E NEW OFFICERS.
President, C. R. Moore of Fort Wayne; Frank
Wilking, Indianapolis, first vice-president; Albert A.
Klamer, Evansville, second vice-president; secretary,
George E. Stewart, Indianapolis; treasurer, T. JI.
McPheeters, Pearson Piano Company, Indianapolis.
Directors (for three years)—J. B. Ryde, Indianaj-
olis; Edwin Butler, Marion; William Christena, In-
dianapolis.
At 2:00 o'clock the convention was called to order
by President Joel B. Ryde, who reviewed the events
since the formation of the association.
The report of the secretary and treasurer were then
read. The next order of business was the appoint-
ment of committees by the president.
The Business Session.
An address by W. E. Guylee, vice-president of The
Cable Company, Chicago, on "Interesting Young
Men in the Music Business," was heartily welcomed
by everyone and thoroughly discussed by the mem-
bers present. Mr. Guylee's address was one that
will be long remembered by everyone present at the
convention. Hy. Giessenbier spoke on "Installment
Selling Today." Mr. Giessenbier, who is cashier of
Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney Bank, St. Louis,
outlined the methods of installment selling, its ad-
vantages and disadvantages.
"Advantages of Carrying Charges," which was to
have been discussed by Charles S. Onderdonk, vice-
president of Chickering & Son, was discussed by
Ray G. Houck, as Mr. Onderdonk was unable to be
present. Mr. Houck discussed the plans and method
in detail and much interest was shown by many deal-
ers from all parts of the state.
Round Table Discussions.
In the Round Table discussions, Frank Wilking
of the Wilking Music Company spoke on how his
company carried their salesmen and how they were
paid proportionately. Frank Davis of the Baldwin
Piano Company discussed the future of the player
piano and its possibilities; George Stewart spoke on
the srevice charges on radios and phonographs; Mr.
McPheeters, office manager of the Pearson Piano
Company, discussed the collection situation, and C. C.
Matthews of the Stewart-Warner Radio Company
told of radio installation. The meeting then ad-
journed and at 10 o'clock there was the visual evening
party in charge of Mr. George E. Stewart of the
Wilson-Stewart Company.
The Tuesday Session.
At the Tuesday session Gordon Laughead of the
Wurlitzer Company, Chicago, spoke on "Profitable
Advertising. Advertising in street cars, billboards
and outdoor advertising was not favorably com-
mented on by Mr. Laughead. He also dwelt on the
fact that merchants should select their days for
advertising in the daily papers, such as shopping
days, using nothing but simple language in their
advertising. Merchants should occasionally clean
house and rid their floors of slow moving merchan-
dise in order to keep the latest models in sight of
the public, he said.
"Class instruction" was the topic of George Cain
of the Miessner Institute of Music, Milwaukee. Sam-
ples of newspaper advertising were exhibited by Mr.
Cain showing what the various cities over the United
States are doing with group instruction. Special
praise was given Evansville, Ind., on account of its
interest in group instruction and the progress it has
made. The Kansas City Star has the record of en-
rolling the largest number of students in one week—
17,000 applicants were received by this newspaper.
Music in Schools.
Ernest E. Hesser, supervisor of music in the
Indianapolis public schools, spoke on the "Music in
Public Schools." Developing school orchestras was
discussed by Joseph E. Maddy of Ann Arbor, Mich.
Tuesday Afternoon.
The keynote of Mr. Sidener's speech at the after-
noon session was "The Cash Register," which he
said was the very heart of the marchant's business,
and good will the greatest asset in business. C. L.
Dennis, secretary of the national association, then
spoke on general promotion work, the need for asso-
ciation and its support was the keynote of Mr. Den-
nis' speech. Mr. Dennis praised the first piece of
literature issued by the Indiana organization, entitled
"Phonograph Trade-Ins" and also praised the asso-
ciation's work and exchange of ideas.
Mrs. Edward B. Birge of Bloomington, hid., and
president of the Federation of Music in Indiana,
spoke on the new possibilities of music in the state.
The chief discussion of her subject pertained to the
introduction of music in the rural districts, which is
the federation's object. Miss Bertha Eckles of the
educational department of the Victor Talking Ma-
chine Company, discussed the talking machine as a
necessity in the modern home. Radio merchandising
for music dealers was discussed by P. A. Ware of
the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company.
The Resolutions.
The report of the resolutions committee was read
by Frank Wilknig. It was as follows:
1. That the carrying charge of at least one-half
of one per cent per month after initial payment and
trade-in be recommended for the consideration of
the members for adoption in the form outlined as
discussed in the convention.
2. That printed pamphlets be distributed to mem-
bers recommending that a lower valuation than now
prevails be placed upon used instruments taken in
trade-in keeping with their market value.
3. That a letter of thanks be sent to Harry Wert
of Kansas City for his work and time given the
Indiana association; also that he be given an honor-
ary membership in the association.
4. That the by-laws of the Indiana Music Mer-
clians' Association be revised to provide that the re-
tiring president be made an advisory counsel of this
body for a three-year period from the time of their
retirement.
The nominating committee recommended the board
of directors that the next meeting be held outside of
Indianapolis, preferably at some place away from the
business, such as West Baden, Ind., where a large
per cnet of the duties of host club are assumed by
the hotel, and if held at such place be held in Sep-
tember. The committee also recommended to the
board of directors that a director of publicity be
appointed to more thoroughly organize the associa-
tion. This was approved and passed.
At the banquet William Tueschell of the Indian-
apolis News was speaker and entertained the guests
with poems in Hoosier dialect.
DE FOREEST PIONEER
MUSIC HOUSE, TO CLOSE
Old Music Business Established Sixty Years
Ago in Sharon, Pa., to Be Discontinued
by M. V. De Foreest.
After sixty years in business in Sharon, Pa., the
De Foreest Pioneer Music House, West State street,
will soon be no more. M. V. De Foreest, son of the
founder, William C. De Foreest, announced last week
that he intends to close out the stock so that he
and his son, William, may devote their time solely
to the De Foreest Buick agency, which has branches
in Titusville and Grove City.
The big store will be closed for several days while
the stock is being arranged for the closing out sale,
the dates for which will soon be announced.
The Pioneer Music House was founded in 1868
by W. C. De Foreest, and occupied a room in the
then new Carver Hall block. M. V. De Foreest
joined his father and the firm was long known as
W. C. De Foreest & Son. "M. V." recalls that he
sold his first piano in 1887.
As the business continued to grow, the present
building was acquired and many improvements have
been added from time to time. During the long
period in business the Pioneer Music House has spe-
cialized in the best known makes of all instruments,
having been distributors, among others, of the Stein-
way, Knabe and Kimball pianos, the Conn band in-
struments, the Victor and Brunswick talking ma-
chines and other high grade goods of the kind.
Mr. De Foreest has earned a high place in musical
circles and in the piano trade and has been honored
by many of the most important offices in the Music
Merchants' National organization, being president for
a term.
The passing of the De Foreest Pioneer Music
House will be regretted by all, as it has been for
many years a real Sharon institution.
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