The talking machine world (July-Dec 1920)

August IS, 1920 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 111 EDISON CARAVAN CONVENTION WINS IN SAN FRANCISCO Principal Event in Week Crowded with Interesting Happenings — J. T. Fitzgerald Presides — Many Interesting Addresses — "Service" Stressed by Various Dealers— Mrs. Hockett Makes a Hit — Banquet at Hotel St. Francis Closes Successful Reunion — Several Edison Officials Present San Francisco, Cal., August 1. — The talking machine fraternity of the Pacific Coast and mountain region will not soon forget the week of July 19 in San Francisco, a week crowded with events of vital importance to the trade. The big Caravan Convention of Thos. A. Edison, Inc., and the Educational Conference of the Victor Co. together supplied so many opportunities of acquiring information that the progres they have offered the choicest intellectual confectionery. Hard facts have been pleasingly sugar-coated and new ideas h.ave been intror duced on the wings of the morning. The messages presented at the business sessions held at the Columbia Theatre were made as engrossing as a high-class vaudeville show and a hundred per cent more profitable. James T. Fitzgerald, of the Fitzgerald Music Co., Los Angeles, acted the convention were the snappy little playlets by William Maxwell, vice-president of the company. Each play carried a message which had a meaning for every dealer and this message was delivered in so interesting and graphic a way there is little chance of the lesson being forgotten. Throughout the entire convention the addresses by prominent dealers and officials of the company pointed toward a definite objective: that of impressing the trade with the scope and meaning of "Service" as applied to the Edison Co. and its dealers. The Edison Laboratories co-operate with their dealers and the dealers in turn carry out the plan by co-operating with Banquet of Attendants sive members of the trade unhesitatingly let private matters take a back seat for the time being and spent many hours hearing addresses on a hundred different trade topics, listening to wonderful tone tests, seeing tabloid dramas, attending banquets and dances and engaging in discussions on salesmanship methods. To say that the trade was much benefited is putting it mildly — the trade was inspired, enthused, rejuvenated! Every delegate, there can be no doubt, returned to his regular routine after the meetings injected with invigorating commercial jazz, exalted with peppy ideas and infused with the will to succeed. "I have never seen anything like it before," remarked a prominent phonograph dealer of San Francisco, "and if business meetings are going to be conducted in this fashion hereafter you will always see me Johnny on the spot." This is a sample of the attitude of the Coast trade toward the Edison convention held in San Francisco on July 19 and 20. Verily the new era has arrived — the day of dull business meetings has passed away. The Edison people have recognized that business men are human beings and that as human beings they must be appealed to in a human fashion. Instead of prescribing bitter pills as remedies for business ailments. at Edison Caravan Convention at the Hotel St. as chairman of the meetings, and he won the hearts of the delegates by his quiet, quaint and delightful manner of conducting the sessions. The various business talks by members of the Western trade and Eastern officials of the Edison Co. were notable for their vivacity, while the tone tests given by Thomas Chalmers, the famous baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Co., were a revelation of beauty. The address of Henry Kimball Hadley, the distinguished American composer and conductor, opened the eyes of the members of the trade present to the great possibilities of things musical in America. Mr. Hadley paid a glowing tribute to the part played by mechanical instruments in promoting musical culture. Perhaps the most appealing features of Francis, San Francisco their customers. In the first open forum, which was participated in by several dealers, Mark A. Sawrie, of Selma, Cal., paid high tribute to the "Sales Aid Service" as a means of getting new prospects. The address by J. E. Robins, of Fresno, on the subject of "Canvassing" delivered at the opening session proved especially interesting in that it showed the results of using trucks in canvassing work in a territory where the work can be carried on the year round. Another idea which met with an enthusiastic reception was the "musical census" idea, which was carried out in some small towns by a house-tohouse canvass, when a list is made of the musi(Coiitlmicd nil page 113) Well Rated Dealers Can Discount Their PHONOGRAPH INSTALLMENT CONTRACTS WITH US Thereby Turning Their Accounts INTO WORKING CAPITAL V '^^^'''mCOLUATERAL LOANS DAVID neWES DLDG. SAN FRANCISCO THE FINEST OF CORE STOCKS For Phonographs and Record Cabinets Are supplied by the GERMAIN BROS. CO. MAKERS OF THE FAMOUS "GERMAIN PIANO BACKS" SAGINAW MICHIGAN CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT WE ADVISE IMMEDIATE CORRESPONDENCE