The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar 1903-Feb 1904)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. A DEALER'S ARGUMENT. One of the most interesting bits of printing matter received from Dealers during the past month was a four-page folder, containing the following unique argument in favor of the purchase of an Edison Phonograph : A Suggestion to Rural School Teachers. Whether teaching is your life work or only a temporary expedient, you want to be successful at it and you cannot afford to neglect any means that will contribute to that success. As an invaluable assistant to your work I wish to suggest to you the Edison Phonograph. To those of you who are acquainted with the merits of this machine a multitude of ideas will immediately occur for its use in the school room. To those of you who are not familiar with it I will enumerate a few only, and after you have a Phonograph in your school new uses will constantly occur to you. CAN YOU SING? If not, the Phonograph will lead the singing for you. All the national songs and the grandest hymns are on the list of the Phonograph Records and sung in such a way, too, as few, if any, persons drawing a district school salary can equal. The pupils will soon learn the songs from — and sing them with — the Phonograph. The machine has no low-spirited days ; it never has a cold; it always puts the same life and spirit into its songs, so the school will learn to sing well. DO YOU PLAY? If you have ever attended the city schools you know what an important part instrumental march music plays in the training there. It gives all the spirit to the calisthenic exercises, and many well authenticated cases attest the inestimable value in saving life and preventing panic among the pupils of the drill used in dismissing school. The habit of this drill and the readiness of the response by the children to the familiar march music becomes second nature. The rural school seldom possesses an instrument of any kind, and the Phonograph is the most easily obtained, and its portability alone makes it the only possible one in many cases. Perhaps you are teaching languages, or are yourself, in spare moments, studying language. Here you will find the records with absolutely correct pronunciations of great assistance. Your pupils could practice pronunciation while you are busy at something else — or you acquire it yourself, as you could not otherwise without an expensive teacher. The Phonograph is always ready to repeat patiently and distinctly. It has no nerves — does not get cross and scold, or call you dull and stupid. It never tires of a scholar, and will not get impatient with the dullest. If you are a musician you will enjoy playing the music of the masters to the school, and in this way many will be able to hear music of a class that never in their life time would they hear were it not for the Phonograph. When you realize that the blare of the circus band once a year and the country town brass band are the only music that many people ever hear, and that with the Phonograph you can give them the performances of the very best orchestras and the music of the grand operas, you will find a new interest in life in watching the development of the instinctive musical sense that exists in embryo in many tender natures in the remotest settlements. Many other ideas suggest themselves, but I will stop with this for the present. Buy a Phonograph. Buy one at once; even if it takes the big end of a month's salary, buy. You will be surprised and pleased at your own and the scholars' pleasure in it, and it may be the one thing that decides your board to call you back next year. I enclose price list and hope to have your early order. Write to me anyway. Yours truly, E R. Guthrie, 1540 O Street, Lincoln, Neb. NO USE FOR ANY BUT EDISON GOODS. Vincentown, N. J., Jan. 14, 1904. Your Suspended List received, and will say that no one gets anything from me only at list prices. As for Records, I would not have them given to me, as I have had a little experience in them. I had a $60 machine that I bought from a man that had got an Edison Home. He had got tired of the old one, so I got it cheap. One day a young man passing my place heard me playing my machine ; he had a Standard and three dozen Records in a case. His business was to give entertainments at public schools. Well, I thought that I would like to try some of his Records, so he said, "With pleasure; use any you like." After I had played a few he asked me if he might put his machine behind my large horn. I said yes. Well I found a great difference, but did not pretend to know it. I said: "How will you trade?" But he shook his head. I offered him $5, then $10 ; but he said : "Look here, boss, I would not have that machine as a gift." Well, I felt so cheap I did not know what to do with mine. I believe if anybody had offered me ten cents for mine I would have taken it. So I chanced it off, and now that I am a Dealer I don't want any Machine or Records but Edison's. They don't scratch or wear the sapphire flat and run two crests at one time, but give clear and distinct music. I am not afraid to sell an Edison, for I know they will give satisfaction; but as for the , why, I have some now that have been brought back and I cannot sell them around here or even give them away. William Hobson. AN ENGLISH DEALER'S COMMEN= DATION. Following is an extract from a letter written to our London office by James A. Bailey, a Dealer at Cross Green, Soham, England : Cross Green, Soham, Eng.. Dec. 29, 1903. Just a line to say that since you fixed the prices for Edison Machines and Records we increased our stock and have pleasure in stating that this Christmas we have sold three times the quantity of machines and Records that we have previously disposed of. We shall always keep as good a stock as possible if prices are strictly fixed in future.