The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-20
MUSIC TEMPLE
FOR BRIDGEPORT
is LIKELY SOON
Members of Musicians Un-
ion Pledge Thousands to
Obtain Building.
MASSED BAND MAKES
STRONG IMPRESSION
President Weber of Big I'm
ion Tells of Professions
Advance.

Now that practically every profess
sional musician in the city is a mem
Der Of the Bridgeport Musicians asso-
citation, Local No. 63, American FEEDER
alton of Musicians, the dream Of the
leaders for a centrally located Temple
Of Music seems fair to be realized.
The subject was preached at the ban
quet at The Stratfield last night given
in honor of Joseph N. Weber of New
York city, president of the A. F. of
NJ, by George Sanger, the oldest &C
tive bandman in America, who was
POSTMASTER.
1t is the plan to obtain some GEN.
trally located property and erect
thereon a building with an auditorium
large enough to hold concerts such as
those given by the Oratorio, society,
mammoth orchestras, big bands, and
other musical bodies, and with spe-
cialy designed acoustics. The build
ing would have also rehearsal rooms,
bandrooms, clubrooms and headquar-
ters and offices for the Bridgeport as
sociation. The building would have
studios for the teachers of vocal and
instrumental music, many of whom
now have studios in the downtown Of
tice buildings
Such a building has long been dis
cussed by members of the Union and
at a recent informal gathering of
about a dozen members, $1,000 was
promised in subscriptions from those
present and Toastmaster Sanger de-
clared last night that il the subject is
brought before a gathering of all the
members he believed $4,000 would be
Immediately subscribed from their
ranks alone. The project was en-
dorsed by President Weber and other
speakers at the banquet
The feast at The Stratfield last eve
ming marked what Vice President
George Finklestone in his remarks
termed the lend of a perfect day. for
the musicians. 1t began with the pa
rade in which 1876 musicians united in
a monster band and all the members
OF the union took part, including the
women members who rode in automo-
b1les and ended with a brilliant and
inspiring address by President Weber
at the close Of the banquet Plans to
make the massed band parade a year.
ly custom, to have all the orchestras
at some future time unite for a big
concert and also for the establishment
of Bridgeport symphony orchestra
were suggested by various speakers.
President Weber in his address de-
clared that the American Federation
of Musicians. which is affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor,
has established on this continent an
American school of music. Hereto
fore. where the great symphony or
chestras in the larger cities have
been led by conductors from abroad,
with foreign musicians, the FEEDER
alton has gradually forced it's mem
bers into these positions until now
the majority OF the leaders and mem
bers of these organizations are now
members of the A. F. of M. and Amer
lean citizens Wy birth or naturaliza-
ton.
1.-THE American Federation of Mu-
sicians has a double mission to per-
FORM" said President Weber. cit is
for the uplift of it's members and also
the development of the art of music
in this country. If this were not so,
it would not number among its MEM
bers such musicians as Damrosch,
Sousa, Herbert and others of promin-
ence who are members from choice
and because they believe in the prin-
ciples for which we stand. We have
no more loyal and active workers in
our organization than these great
leaders.
"Our organization is Of necessity
the product of evolution and is not
have required that we band together
for mutual protection and the uplift
OF mankind. Those countries are
lowest in standing and culture where
the pay of the wage Garner is the
lowest and we. although members of
one of the greatest of professions, are
but wage earners after all. Before
our organization came into being mu-
sicians all over this country were
working for 81 and $3.50 per day.
They felt it undignified to band them
selves into union and they struggled
along, despised and sneered at.
MANY were obliged to live in gar
rets and in such abodes they eked
out meagre existence, endeavored to
raise families and at the same time
pose as Representatives OF one Of the
noblest of arts.
'The Federation has \ changed all
this. Our employers now respect us
for we have learned to respect our
selves. Our organization with it's 500
jurisdictions, has set "a rate that is just
and equitable for service rendered and
those who require or desire our ser
vices now understand that they must
accord with it. In the American
Federation of Labor we are fifth in
numerical and eighth in voting
strength of the allied bodies"
Speaking of the Temple of Music
project, President Weber mentioned
the cities where such institutions al
ready exist, conducted by the musical
unions. In his closing remarks he