Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-27
a brother. Capt. Alfred Closson. both OF
this town. survive.
TRICKS OF MUSICAL ouAcks.
Fake Professors Have All Sorts Of
Schemes For Bleeding Victims.

Fake Professors Have All Sorts OF
Schemes For Bleeding Victims.
r
The quack medicine vender. after all,
takes care to sell nothing actively in
furious. lest he find himself.in the dock,
but the musical quack. particularly the
fraudulent teacher of singing, contin-
ues to ruin voices. and even lives, wltn
IMMUNITY. Why is this?
Well. in the first place. there is the
fact that any one can call himself a
professor of music"
Doctors, lawyers and other classes OF
professional men have to pass exami-
nations, to be registered. and they are
governed by controlling body. wnlcn
has ample penal powers. 1:-
But the professor of music" need not
pass any examinations (unless he wish
es to take a musical degree). he is not
registered, and is subject to no disci-
plinary body.
This encourages charletans, and will
continue to do so until it is made as
much an offense for an unqualified man
to pose as a doctor or solicitor.
Now, the musical quack is favored by
the almost Incredible gullibility of the
public. Here is an example. A few
years ago rascal established himself
in London as teacher of singing. and
advertising largely, he got hold OF
many ambitious young singers. He had
an instrument rather like flute, which
was filled with oil giving forth strong
aroma. His pupils were told that the
instrument contained real Italian air
specially imported, and that by breath
ing in this air they would acquire vol.
ces of Italian power and compass.
Incredible as it may seem, the pupils
swallowed the bait and paid heavy fees
for breathing the aroma" of two pen,
ny-worth of oil.
OF course, this was a clear case OF
fraud. but. like all swindlers, this one
relied upon his victims being unwilling
to prosecute when they discovered thai
they had been done" This rogue rea'
lied % tidy sum. and then cleared out
Cases have come Under nv notice
where professors of singing made
their unfortunate pupils lie on the fioo'
and perform breathing exercises will
heavy books piled on their stomachs.
One charlatan. until forced to bring
an action for libel. did very well by
guaranteeing to produce voice. ever
where none existed-in a musical sense
This miracle was performed by a serie:
Of jaw exercises. The quack's victim
is often advised to have his or her ton.
sis cut. The Quack recommends a sha
dy doctor: who charges an extortionat,
fee. half of which he afterward return!
to the professor"
Or the pigeon is advised to take use
less courses Of physical culture-useles.
SO far AS the voice is conference.-the buy
expensive and useless apparatus. book:
and so on. the Iuack again earning Sc
cret commission. In one way or an
other the musical quack bleeds mis- vic
Tins white.
Apart from actual swindlers the mu
steal profession on the teaching side i:
full of :ncompetents. For this the pub
lie are largely to blame.
+ This is the sort of conversation tina
goes on all over the country:
( Parent: MY daughter Annie mas
beautiful voice. ard wants to be sing
er. Do you know any one who coulC
teach her, ..al
Friend " Well, there's Prof Blank
1 believe he's good man, but he i:
very expensive and charges a guinea {
lesson"
Parent: "Oh. I couldn't afford that
Don't you know any one else?'
Friend We'll, there's Madam Dash
she only charges half a crown ar
hour
And the unfortunate annie" take.
her beautiful voice to Madam Dash
who processes to teach not only sing
ing. but the piano and the violin as
well for half crown-sometimes 8
shilling-an hour. Inevitable results
that If the girl really has good voice
1t is ruined by Madame's bungline
methods.
To teach singing is one of the mos
difficult of arts. 1t is necessary that
the instructor should himself be sing
err OF the front rank. The average pro.
fessor of singing in this country can
not sing; how then can he possibly
teach others how to produce the voice
when he cannot produce his own?
The root of the evil. however. is the
British parent. who expects competent
musical instruction for shilling OIL
two an hour.
Now. I come to the most serious as.
pect of the case-the large number OF
young women who are brought to NOR,
al ruin by musical quacks. Case after
case of this kind has come under my
notice, and the pitiful tale is nearly al.
ways the same:
An ambitious girl. possessed. how.
ever, of no real ability is attracted by
the flowcry advertisements of some
musical rogue. No proper inquiries are
made AS have said. If you like to
call yourself professor of music.
the public will accept you as such
Victom hailed as second Tetrazzin
Marie Hall. or whatever her line may
be. heavy fees. all sorts of extras. I'M
til her funds are exhausted. Then she
is brutally told the truth, that she is
no good and turned out.
Often she is ashamed to go home. OF
she may be alone in the world and have
staked her little all on the uuack'
promises. Suicide or the streets are