The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-24
IA TALK WITH MIR. J. P BLAKE, PRESIDENT
 OF THE ART PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Ny DOLLY DALRYMPLE

When the Sherwood Music school opened it's doors two months and a half ago in Birmingham it presented to the public the magnificent course of instruc- tion Progressive Series of Lessons Ex- ereises, Studies and Pieces" edited by the distinguished Polish pianist, Leopold Godowsky, the noted German musicians Emil Sauer and Frederick Lillibridge, and the late well known American pedagogue W. S B. Matthews.
 This course of piano instruction has been adopted by the most notable institu- tions throughout the country, Including the Sherwood Music school of Chicago, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, the Cincinnati College Of Music, the Kreeger School of Music, St. Louis; the Forrest Park university, St. Louis: the College of Musical Art, Indianapolis; the Sophie Newcomb university, New Orleans, and dozens of other institutions, too numer. ous to recount.
 That Birmingham has been most ap- preciatiye of this opportunity offered by the Sherwood Music school is evidenced by the splendid growth of the institution the high esteem in which it is hcid ard the merit of the Progressive Series" which being published by The Art Pub lication Society of St. Louis, cost that company over S250,OOO a tremendous. sum for course in piano music, but amply justified by the reception it has recelN od all over the United States
 The Progressive Series" has attracted the attention of artist and layman alike and columns have been written about it by the great musical critics in all the large cities
 Musical America, the foremost journal of 'Le Monde Musicale in this country, contained splendid article in it's issue of April Il, in which the following was said:
 TO provide a complete, comprehensive and authoritative textbook for the plaCc- forte, work which is adapted to the requirements of the most advanced con serYatory or studio as well as to those of the modest teach in the small town is task that suggests almost insurmount- able difficulties. And yet this has been accomplished in an imposing Progressive Series of Lessons, Exercises, Studies and Pieces newly issued, by the Art Publi- cation Society of St Louis. an institu- tion of high standing which has f1r years been issuing important musical publications of a very distinctive and ar tistic order
 There will be many who will be sur prised when they reflect that in all the years that the piano has been taught no complete textbook has been written To be sure, the list of works dealing with technical material those concerned with interpretation, etc, is a long one. The piano teacher in the past has been obliged to make up his own course of study; hc has had to decide on the simplest books of technical studies with which to begin his pupils training, choose the short salon ! pieces to accompany this, the more ad- l Nanced studies, and do so. . As a vital factor in the standardization Of i piano instruction this new publication l merits the careful consideration of every | serious musical educator. Already t has enlisted the unqualified endorsement or a number of distinguished pedagogues.
 Certainly it is the most important and | significant addition to the literature Of |