Presto

14 P R £ S T 0-T I M E S May, 1930 INCREASE IN GROUP PIANO INSTRUCTION MATHUSHEK PIANOS IN SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES Within a Month Four New Classes With Large Enrollment Were Formed in Chicago Public Schools Activities of Adam Schneider, Dr. J. Lewis Browne and Supt. Wm. J. Bogan and Mrs. L. A. Willoughby Are Mentioned Associations Get Credit for Helping The Group Piano Instruction in the Chicago public schools has increased materially during the month of April. Four new classes, with an enrollment of 25 to 30 pupils in each class, were formed. This is very gratifying, and proves the interest taken not only by the school teachers but the children as well. The best evidence we have of the interest shown in this work by the pupils was proven at the recent demonstration at t'.ie Eighth Street Theater during the Music Supervisors' Convention, when approximately 100 school children took part, nothwithstanding the fact that Chicago experienced the most severe snow storm in the history of the city. In addition to music teachers attending the convention, there were at least 100 to 150 nuns from Co., Gulbransen Co., Lyon & Healy, Meyer & Weber, Starck Piano Co., and The W. W. Kimball Co. A questionnaire is sent out from time to time to the teachers to ascertain how many children are continuing with the work and how many have been sent to private teachers. In response to one sent out recently it was found that there are approximately 12,000 pupils studying class piano in the schools, and in addition 3,600 pupils have been sent to private teachers. Four hundred teachers (one-third private) are in charge of the classes. Several so-called center schools are having piano classes during school hours and are meeting with great success, so much so that it may be a selling point when asking the Board of Education to include Capable Committee of Musicians Chooses Mathushek for a Big New England Church. The trade papers have recently mentioned the placing by purchase of nine new upright Mathushek pianos in the Stetson University, DeLand, Fla., but this is only one of the many schools of music in which these New York instruments are used The sale of the nine instruments was made recently by B. C. Bushnell, Mathushek dealer in DeLand. Stetson university has been completely equipped with Mathushek pianos for many years, and this additional order is testimony that the instruments have proven very satisfactory under hard usage. Furthermore, Mr. Duckwitz, musical director of the university, recently purchased a Mathushek Grand for his personal use in his own home. The Stetson University is one of the very fine and noted institutions of learning in the South. Another proof of Mathushek's growing popularity is the fact that a Mathushek Grand has just been sold to one of the most influential churches in Brockton, Mass. Following is a copy of the letter which was written on April 17, by Elwin L. Shaw, the Mathushek representative in Brockton, Mass.: Brockton, Mass., April 17, 1930. Mathushek Piano Co., Dear Sirs: I am very happy to advise you that the very excellent "Elite" Grand you shipped me on the 10th has been placed in one of our largest churches here. You may be interested to know that this sale was made in the face of some very "stiff" competition. A very capable committee of musicians was appointed to make this selection, and they visited all local stores, and also the larger ones in Boston, and they undoubtedly saw many grands and all the leading makes. They were unanimous in the selection of a Mathushek Grand over all others. A fine tribute to a wonderful piano. Expect to place another one of these grands in a short time Sincerely yours, (Signed) E L W I N L. SHAW. HOWARD B. MORENUS THOROUGH PIANO MAN A TYPICAL, SCHOOL SCEXR IX PIANO GROl'P INST RITTIOX. parochial schools and Catholic educational institu- group piano classes as one of the regular studies. tions in attendance. Dr. J. Lewis Browne and his assistant supervisor, The first piano classes were introduced in the pubMrs. Lillian A. Willoug'.iby, show their apprecialic schools in the fall of 1928, at the suggestion of tion for the assistance given them by the dealers in some of the lead'ng music conservatories, who offered many ways, which the following letter implies: training without fee to any public school teacher recApril 24, 1930. ommended by the department of music, and also to C. M. Tremaine. Director. the great interest shown in piano music by William J. Bogan, superintendent of Chicago public schools. National Bureau for the Advancement of Music, Owing to the fact that the schools had so few pianos 45 West 45th Street, available for this purpose, the music department was New York city, N. Y. Dear Mr. Tremaine: retarded to such an extent that they could not accept In the press of things 1 do not remember whether pupils as rapidly as the applications were received. I laid sufficient stress upon the inmcnse help I have The Chicago Piano & Organ Association and the received from the Chicago Piano & Organ AssociaPiano Club of Chicago learned of the shortage of pianos in the schools, and thereupon, through some tion, of which Adam Schneider, executive secretary, of the members, offered to loan to the music depart- has been the remarkable actor between that organizat'on and myself. When I tell you the various firms ment any number of instruments required, free of all expense, and have up to the present time fur- of this city have loaned us, drayage paid, 185 instrunished 185 pianos. The fact that this has been the ments, I think that is setting" an example which should real cause of the grow'th of piano classes in Chicago be followed by dealers in all the large cities. Of should be an incentive to dealers throughout the course, it would have been impossible for us to have country to supply the equipment not only in pianos, made the headway that we have made were it not for the remarkable cooperation hereinbefore referred to, but other musical instruments for bands and orchestra so if I failed to make this phase of the matter strong classes as well. Adam Schneider, executive secretary of the asso- in the authorized article sent you several days ago, ciation, solicited the support of the dealers and suc- will you be good enough to add this information to ceeded in secur'ng pianos from the following firms: said article. Faithfully yours. Ampico Hall, Cable Piano Co., Kranich & Bach, (Signed) J. LEWIS BROWNE, M. Schulz Co., Reichardt Piano Co., Baldwin PianoU Director of Music. NEW MANAGER AT SIOUX CITY. A FLOURISHING MARIETTA STORE. H. H. Rhodes, former manager of the Omaha store of the Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co., has been named manager of the Sioux City Schmoller & Mueller retail store to succeed A. S. Street. The announcement was made by G. C. May, company treasurer. "The addition of several members to the sales organization undoubtedly will be the only change in the Sioux City division," Mr. May said. "The Schamp Music Co. will continue to retain its department of band and orchestra equipment together with sheet music. We believe that 1930 will prove to be an exceedingly good piano and rndio year." The Wainwright Music Co., 127 Putnam street, Marietta, Ohio, was incorporated in 1911 with W. E. Wainwright as president. The present officers are W. E. Wainwright, president and treasurer; J. J. Eldridge, vice-president; Edna M. Gray, secretary. The capital stock and surplus is $75,000. The board of directors includes the present officers and L. S. Wa'nwright. The makes of pianos in their store include: Mason & Hamlin, Knabe, Chickering, Mehlin. Ivers & Pond, Gulbransen, Milton, Hardman, the Ampico Reproducing grand piano and others. With Faith in His Life-Long Pursuit, He Is Getting Good Lots of Orders for His New Piano, the VogueKeeps Gift Desk. Howard B. Morenus, one of the most thoroughgoing piano men in the country, who is now producing the Vogue pianos, is a man whose many a c u i ties make him an attractive personage. It is a pleasure and a privilege to count him as acquaintance and friend, and thousands throughout the country are able to do that. Air. Morenus' experience dates back a considerable number of years and those years have been devoted to both the manufacture and the sale of pianos. He was prominently associated with The Cable Company for a number of years and was a well-known figure from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and was for several years in charge of The Cable Company store at Atlanta, Ga. Then came his new career as vice-president and secretary of the Hobart M. Cable Co.. a business established by his father-in-law. As head of the selling department of this business he built up a great trade for the house. Mr. Morenus was visited recently by a PrestoTimes motorist in his office in suite 200, the A. R. Andrew building, Lincoln way and Michigan avenue. LaPorte, Ind. Here he was busy as a beaver sorting out the day's batch of orders for Vogues. By the way, the desk at which he sitsa large one with plenty of pigeonholes in itis very precious to him as it was a gift from his staff of employes when he was generalissimo of The Cable Company's interests at Atlanta It serves as a mascot, a tie to the past, and brings back pleasant memories. But he appreciates it more as a present-day inspirer to work systematically at correspondence and directing t h i n g s generally. STARR STYLE 45. The Starr Grand, new Style 45, according to the latest announcement of the company, is one with "new purity of tone, new beauty of line and finish, possessing to infinite degree the stateliness and charm of the grand piano. It has that aristocratic appearance instantly inspiring confidence and the desire to own." Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com). All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org). Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/