Presto

PRESTO TIMES
AMERICAN
MUSIC TRADES-INDUSTRIES
Established 1884
I year. . ..$1.00. 6 Months
60 cents
CHICAGO, ILL., JAN.-FEB., 1937
Established 1881
JOURNAL
Fifteenth of Publication Moatk
tEJje Reason's #reettngg anb a |9ear of ^Prosperity to &U 0m &eabersi
the Wittich Music Shop, Reading, Pa., and J. V.
Huber of Buffalo, were absent.
9
These past presidents which make up the advisory
Mid-Winter Conference of the Executive Committee, National Music Merchants
Board were present: A. D. La Motte, E. R. Weeks,
Otto B. Heaton, Henry E. Weissert, and Edmund
Association, New York, Selected for the 1937 Convention,
Gram. Several of the absent members sent regrets
August 2-5, at the New Yorker Hotel
and explained why they could not be in attendance.
J. Edwin Butler, Marion, Ind., wrote that illness kept
him away, and J. F. Huber, Buffalo, wired his in-
DeForrest, Sharon, Pa., 1921-1922; Edmund Gram, ability to be there. R. E. Durham was en route to
Other Events of the Week; Special Milwaukee,
Wis., 1917-1918; J. A. Turner, Jr., Miami. Panama.
Fla., 1916-1917; E. H. Droop, Washington, D. C, 1909-
Conference of Piano Manufac-
The roll call gave fifteen members present, the bal-
1910; F. B. T. Hollenberg, Little Rock, Ark., 1902- ance of 25 to 30 who were at the sessions, were
turers and Important Lunch-
1903; Wm. C. Hamilton, Pittsburgh, Pa., Honorary
invited representatives of allied interests; among
Member.
them the Selz organization of piano promotion and
Time Meeting of Chicago
"It is always most interesting," says President trade papers' representatives, representing Music-
Wells, "to meet around the table with the members Trades and Music Trade Review of New York; the
P. & O. Association
of the Board of Control, and this year we have an Piano Trade Magazine and Presto-Times, Chicago.
interesting attendance."
The reading of the minutes of the 1936 convention
The Mid-Winter Meet of the Board of Con-
held at the Stevens Hotel, Chicago, last summer, by
Probably the most notable of this trio of meetings
trol National Association of Music Merchants and conferences having to do with music trade activi- Secretary Mennie, and his annual report were listened
The regular annual conference of the Board of
ties this year, at least insofar as organized music to with intense interest. Listening to the report for
Control of the N. A. M. M. which generally takes
1936 seemed like hearing again the story of an interest-
trade enterprise is--concerned, was the meeting of
place in January met Friday, January 15, at the the governing board of the National Music Mer-
ing experience. That part of the secretary's report
Stevens Hotel, Chicago. It was not planned for an chants Association, a gathering generally few in num-
where it was recorded that the treasury now holds
extensive or elaborate program. The sessions opened
nearly $3,500 opened the eyes of some of the com-
bers, as they meet each year, m comparison with the
at 9:30, Friday, January IS, and continued through combined groups that would make a complete en- mittee, especially in view of Mr. Mennie's item of
the day. "It is expected," says President Charles E. semble if they could all get together at one time. $26 having been the total bank balance at the time
Wells, ''to complete the entire session of the Board
However, though these gatherings are seldom large of the mid-winter meet at the New York hotel last
in one day's time," and it was done.
in numbers they are a potent force that sets the pace January.
The Board had a rather long list of things
for the year's work and starts a start for the year's
A VIEW OF TOMORROW
to take up, thrash out and settle upon. Numerous convention work and all the accessory operations of
Mr.
Wells'
prefatory talks interspersed with vari-
suggestions have been sent in by dealers and attendance, exhibits, and a thousand and one details—
ous considerations that would come to his mind, were
others from all parts of the country advising great and small—that demand attention.
along the line of a future glory of the piano as a piano
as to a change of date for holding the convention;
The Morning Session
and the piano and music business in general. It was
whether a little earlier or a little later than the last
"a view of tomorrow," as he put it. He told in
The meeting Friday morning was called to order by
week in July. The question of adding a day to the
President Wells only a few minutes after 9:30, the delightfully worded phrases of what a splendid busi-
length of Convention Week was a topic for discussion
iind perhaps settlement. One correspondent suggested announced time. After a speech outlining the various ness is that of selling musical instruments and being
that the mid-winter meeting be made a general gath- subjects to be brought up and the things calling for associated with music. The music business of today
the Board's decision, the reports by the secretary were is practically new and distinct from the old lines of
ering, even to the extent of allowing exhibits.
operation. We are starting in a new way of doing
read.
The Board is made up of the directors of the Asso-
business; better instruments, more beautiful to the
At
the
head
of
the
table
with
President
W'ells
sat
ciation, the current officials and Past Presidents as
eye and fitting to any home and in every way easier
Past-presidents,
A.
D.
La
Motte.
and
near
by,
E.
R.
Advisory Board, several of whom were at the
to handle, easier to sell and becoming more a home
Weeks, and then J. F. Murphy, vice-president of the
meeting. Following is the entire list of the Board
necessity. "It is a fine calling to be a music merchant
association,
Robert
Shackleton,
third
vice-president,
of Directors: Chas. E. Wells, Denver, president N. A.
these days," he said, and everyone applauded his
M. M.; Jerome E. Murphy, Boston, vice-president; and Paul Felder, fourth vice-president, then the execu- remarks. Mr. Wells showed on numerous occasions
tive
secretary,
W.
A.
Mennie.
W.
H.
Beasley
of
W. H. Beasley, Dallas; Robt. J. Shackleton, Louis-
that he is moving toward the goal of a "silver tongued
ville, and Paul S. Felder, New Orleans, vice-presidents; Dallas, Texas, second vice-president, was detained in orator." His compliment to Mr. La Motte, his prede-
New
York.
Secretary
Philpitt
was
absent,
as
also
S. Ernest Philpitt, Miami, secretary; Carl A. Droop,
was Treasurer Carl A. Droop. Mr. Philpitt, as the cessor, in telling how hard it will be to come up to
Washington, D. C, treasurer.
story
goes, had given an invitation and urgent request anywhere near the splendid record of Mr. La Motte,
Melville Clark, Syracuse; Raymond E. Durham.
that
the
directors meet this year at his home town. was a glowing tribute to that gentleman. "I am
Chicago; Jay Crinnell, Detroit; W. Barry Hamilton,
Miami,
Fla.
He had, as President Wells related, told embarrassed," he said, "to try to fit into the footsteps
Pittsburgh; R. F. Heidner, Holyoke (Mass.); John F.
of
the
good
times
the committee would have as his of either one of my two late predecessors.
Huber. Buffalo; J. W. Jenkins III, Kansas City; Edw.
"The advice given and asked of these gentlemen is
guests.
As
Mr.
Wells
related, some of the things
J. Walt, Lincoln (Neb.); Carl Wittich, Reading (Pa.).
valuable to me."
Executive Secretary, W. A. Mennie, 45 West 45th promised by Mr. Philpitt, such as chicken dinners,
fresh fried fish right out of the salt water, it was
HIS GOAL IS 500
St.. New York City.
easy to imagine what a glorious occasion it would
Mr.
Wells
stated
that when he became president he
PAST PRESIDENTS
have been to have accepted Secretary Philpitt's invi-
Advisory Board
tation to go to Miami. Thus Mr. Philpitt did not at once set a goal for membership for the following
90 days. He wanted it to reach at least 275 and by
Alfred D. LaMotte, San Diego, Calif., Chairman, come to the frozen north country but remained in
the holidays more than 300. It totaled this, and
1935-1936; Edwin R. Weeks, Binghamton, N. Y., 1932- >unny Florida.
"Today," he said, "my goal is 500 members between
1935; Otto B. Heaton. Columbus, Ohio, 1929-1932;
After the officers of the association came the direc- now and convention time next summer."
C. J. Robeits, Baltimore, Md., 1927-1929; Edward H. tors, Melville Clark of Syracuse, Jay Grinnell of De-
PUBLICITY PROPAGANDA
I'hi, Los Angeles, Calif., 1926-1927; Henry E. Weisert. troit, W. Barry Hamilton, Pittsburgh, J. F. Heidner,
Chicago, 111., 1925-1926; W. W. Smith, Toledo, Ohio,
Holyoke (Mass.), J. W. Jenkins, III, Kansas City,
How best to keep music and musical instruments
1924-1925; Robert N. Watkin, Dallas. Texas, 1923- E. J. Walt, Lincoln (Neb.). Mr. R. E. Durham, presi- in the thoughts and minds of the people and in the
1924; J. Edwin Butler. Marion, Ind., 1922-1923; M. V. dent Lyon & Healy, Inc., Chicago, Carl Wittich of
hearts of home lovers, was a subject that gave scope
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A GALA HALF-WEEK OF MUSIC TRADE EVENTS
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