The Washington times., 1920-06-13
MUSIC INPLANT
AIDS EFFICIENCY
Girls Work Faster and Earn
More Under New inspiration
In loriIIard Factory.

Efficiency among the workers has
Increased twenty per cent In the Will
mington (Del.) plant OF the p. Lorll-
land Company since the Inauguration
OF a continuous music program dur
Ing working hours. A gratifying fea-
ture OF the innovation Is that while
classical or classical music Is
beneficial. Jazz" 10 detrimental to ef-
nciency.
According TO the Wilmington Star,
a player piano has been Installed In
the wrapping department OF the
plant, rolls have been purchased and
boy hired to make melody" from
the time the girls begin work until
they stop. The playing and singing
Is practically continuous. Whether
following the measured tempo sf
some sentimental ballad or the accel-
Grated time OF a march, nimble nng-
ers move even more rapidly over a
task that Is purely mechanical-and
production 10 increased. This simple
explanation concerning itself as II
does with the psychology OF . con-
tended mind. would have fiabbergast-
ed the factory owner of a half CEN
tury or even twenty-five years ago.
But igures are good witness and
since the introduction OF the pianola
and the girls have been encouraged
TO sing as they work, the production
has increased twenty per cent.
Got Idea from .sings-.
The idea started in the minds Of
the officials of the company with the
sings" conducted at the plant by the
Community Service. Quick to ap-
preciate the better frame Of mind In
which these short musical treats left
the girls employed, the suggestion or
Harold Keats, executive officer OF the
Community Service. that a piano be
Installed was readily taken up.
Each week new rolls are bought
and also each week Raymond X.
Raub. song leader for the Community
Service, has arranged to teach the
girls one new song. In addition to
singing while they work the girls are
also permitted to take one whole
hour during the couse OF the day
during which the majority of them
cluster around the pianola.
"It works wonderfully WELL" de-
clared Irwin Weisman, foreman or the
department where the experiment was
tried. "Only one thing / have to
watch. Ragtime upsets the. girls, dis
turbs their work and hurts produc-
ton. have only bought rolls OF
Sc anu thNiO 30 ."
mild ban on all Jazz songs.
Speeds Up Work.
"One can judge OF the success of
the experiment" the foreman contin-
ued, when tell you that before this
singing was started>the wages for
one o, these young girls ranged from
$40 to $45 week. Since we have
turned musical here at the Lorillard
plant the girls have been earning
from S45 to S65 in the wrapping de-
partment. The girls appreciate what
we are trying to do for them and
without knowing exactly why they
realize that their work is made much
easier. although in reality they are
doing more. Looking at the material
side OF the question. it is undoubtedly
a benefit moth for the factory and for
the girls in increased production and
wages.
But the ointment is not entirely
fiyless. officials OF the plant have
visions of piano for every room,
rivalry with a musical conservatory
as far as sounds go and an exodus
Of Galli-Curcis and Melbas by the
score. For while the wrapping de-
partment Is the only one which has
pianola now, the girls in the rolling
depa rtm ment are becoming slightly
jealous and are asking pertinent ques-
tions concerning the installation OF
piano in their rooms. During the re-
creation period the girls from the
whole plant crowd into the room
where music reigns supreme, but ac-
cording to Weisman it looks as II
every department must have its own
piano.