The talking machine world (Oct-Dec 1921)

162d THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD October 15, 1921 Southwestern Victor Dealers Convene Dealers from Points in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona and Arkansas Meet at First Annual Convention of Southwestern Victor Dealers' Association Held in Dallas — Educational Conference a Feature of the Gathering — Many Notable Addresses Made at the Meeting and Also at the Conference '. (Special by wire to The World; ;pALLAS, Tex., October 11.— Victor dealer.s, memhirs of their sales forces and music supervisors in the public schools from over Texas and points in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona and Arkansas met here last week for the first annual convention of the Southwestern Victor Dealers' Association and the third educational conference to be held anywhere in the country under the auspices of the educational department of the Victor Talking Machine Co. Many of the dealers were also accompanied by officers of music clubs and representatives of the various musical organizations of their communities. Supervisors who attended the meeting declared the conference had been a revelation to them in ways to use talking machine records in the schools, and every dealer went home enthused and determined to stress the educational values of the Victrola and selected records. ; President B. W. Gratigny Presides .jThe convention of the dealers was held Tuesday, October 5, and was presided over by B. W. Gratigny, of Dallas, who was elected president of the organization last May to serve one year, along with the other officers. The principal address was by H. A. Beach, vice-president of the Unit Construction Co., of Philadelphia, on "Dealer Development." Mr. Beach outlined methods whereby dealers could increase their business and, at the same time, co-operate with other dealers and the factory. "Terms and Trade-ins" v;as the subject of an address by Lester Gunst, of Dallas, following which G. N. Swett, traveling representative of the Victor Co. in Texas and part of Oklahoma, made a talk on "Trade Conditions," declaring they were improving in all parts of this territory. The Afternoon Session ■ The afternoon session was opened with an address by William Howard Beasley, of Texarkana, on "Business Charts." He gave a demonstration of their use in checking sales and accounts. E. A. Delano, of Camden, N. J., delivered an address on "Selling Victrolas," including a number of good selling points, with brief historical sketches of Victor artists. Brief talks were made by Lester Burchfield, of Sanger Bros., Dallas; J. W. Maxwell, of Houston, and a representative of an El Paso Music Co., all of which were timely. The Association Banquet A banquet was given by the Association at the Adolphus Hotel, honoring Mrs. Frances E. Clark, F. A. Delano and the Victor jobbers. Talks were made by Mrs. Clark and Mr. Delano and members of the Association. The musical program included vocal numbers by Mrs. R. H. Morton, accompanied by Miss Elizabeth Gay Jones; violin selections by Emmett Peck, accompanied by Miss Vera Meade, and selections by the Ferguson Quartet. It was a delightful affair and greatly enjoyed by those present. Opening of the Educational Conference All sessions of the conference were, like the convention, held in the spacious roof garden of the Adolphus. After an address of welcome by Chas. L. Sanger, vice-president of Sanger Bros., F. A. Delano, advertising department, Victor Co., gave an address Wednesday morning on "Victor Ideals." This was followed by a talk from Mrs. Frances Elliott Clark, director of the Victor educational department, on "Our Educational Work — Retrospect — Prospect," which was a brief summary of what had been done and a prophecy of things to come. Miss Margaret M. Streeter, of the Victor factory force, spoke on "Rhythm, Free and Suggested Expression," dividing her lecture into three sections — individual interpretation, suggested expression through title and suggested expression through mother and teacher. Miss Edith M. Rhetts, of the factory force, lectured on "Cultural Hearing," stressing the value of teaching the children to learn to listen and the real significance of musical appreciation. The first talk at the Wednesday afternoon session was by S. Dana Townsend, of the factory force, on "English for the Home and Elementary Schools." He divided his subject into the home, primary and intermediate grades. Miss Rhetts spoke on "Instruments of the Orchestra by Sight, Sound and Story" and pointed out how the Victrola could be used to wonderful advantage in this work. Mr. Delano gave an inspiring talk on "Selling Victor Products" and Miss Streeter closed the first dav of the conference with a lecture on "Mi Your Problem Is Ours Good Profits (to you) -| Good Service (to your customers) Answer: TONAR RECORD BRUSHES (Trade Mark) Have we solved the above problem correctly? Write to-day for prices and sample and see lor yourself Made in mahogany, oak and ebony colored finishes PARKS & PARKS, Inc. TROY, N. Y. New York Oflice, C, E. Peabody & Co., 186 Greenwich St. metic Play and Making Believe With Little Children," which subject was well handled. The Thursday Conference On Thursday Miss Rhetts spoke on "Songs for Children, Adolescents and Adults," pointing out how the Victor catalog enabled selections to be made which would be appropriate for all members of the family. "Around the Year With the Victrola" was discussed by Mr. Townsend, who cited records especially suitable for Hallowe'en, Thanksgiving and Autumn, Christmas and Winter, February, Easter and Spring and birthdays. Miss Streeter then spoke on "Rhythmic Songs and Games and Metre Sensing" and the Thursday morning session closed with round table and music-memory contests, conducted by L. A. Inman, of the wholesale Victrola department, Sanger Bros., Dallas. Thursday afternoon lectures were by Mr. Townsend, on "English Literature, Junior and Senior High Schools"; by Miss Rhetts, on "Program and Pure Music," and by Miss Streeter. on "Music in the Rural Schools." A novel feature of the afternoon program was folk dancing to V'ictrola music by twenty pupils of the third and fourth grades of the Dallas schools, under the direction of Miss Bessie Keller. Miss Sadie Williams, supervisor of music in the Dallas public schools, gave an interesting talk Friday morning on "Music Appreciation in the Dallas Schools." She told of the installation of the course eight years ago, of how it has become popular and of the wonderful showing made by the schools in the two annual musicmemory contests. She also described plans for the third annual contest to be held in January. The Friday Program Other talks on Friday were by Mrs. Stark, on "Nationality in Music"; by Mr. Townsend, on "The Victrola in Correlation With European History"; by Miss Rhetts, on "Selling Instrumental Music," and by Miss Streeter, on "Characteristic Rhythms," at the morning session and by Mr. Townsend, on "The Victrola in Correlation With American History"; Miss Streeter, on "Large Groups — State, County, Civic"; Miss Rhetts, on "How Music Came to Be," and a concluding talk by Mrs. F. E. Clark at the afternoon session. This last took on largely the character of a question box before she concluded. Those Present at Gathering Victor jobbers and dealers who attended the meeting anel educational conference were: F. L. Koons, El Paso, Tex.; W. B. Callaway, J. W. Ma.xwell, E. A. Locke, of the Talking Machine Co. of Texas, Houston, Tex.; Elihu A. Sanger, Chas. L. Sanger, Lester Burchfield, Miss Delia E. Brilling, L. A. Inman, E. E. Hill, R. H. Penick, Mrs. A. Everett, J. H. Corder, B. W. Gratigny, Miss Ethel Gibson, Lester Gunst, Miss M. Waskom, R. P. Scott, Dallas; W. B. Malone, San Antonio; B. C. Sievers, Austin; G. F. McCormick, Miss M. Allen, Fort Worth; H. L. Stanard, Waco, Tex.; S. T. Bryson, Shreveport, La.; H. Y. Parrott, Dennison, Tex.; Miss Elizabeth Whitehead, Denton, Tex.; F. Clark, Rock