Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-05-20
PACE AND PROGRESS,

j Richmond. Va, May 12.--M. G.
| Clarke. vicc-Dresidcnt and treasurer
OF the Pace Photograph Corporation
+ OF Virginia, has just returned from
} In trip to New York. where he spent
several days visiting the great Pace
phonOgraph house there. The Viz
glnia corporation is 4 subsidiary Of
tho New York company and Is dis
; trlbutor for the states OF Virginia,
West Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina for the phonographs.
records and needles made by the
company in New York.
( The Pace Company makes its own
monographs and records, employing
about 20 in the Office and over 80
in the factory. 1t has representatives
land show rooms in all parts Of the
country, giving employment to hun
dredS of Negroes who would not 9th
crwiSe be employed in Negro indus
try. It's records are known as "Blacli
swan records and the phOnogrHphS
arc known as "Swanolas" and are
made in all standard types and sizes.
| including the new console typC
(which is handsome piece OF furn-
i;urc as we'll as Il musical inStru-
ment.
All records are made by Negro
artists, and tho public are one in
acclaim over the numbers running
from "blues" to grand opera. ALDER
Ia Hunter. Lucille Hegamin, Ethel
| Waters. Revella Hughes, Lula Wild
by and Katie Crippen are some of the
stars under exclusive contract with
the Pace Company. The Company
also maintains its own orchestra for
| dance music and Il choir for sacred
| renditions. In fact, it has every
; equipment and arrangement ncccs-
| Sary for the products Of a modern
music establishment.
An idea Of the unusual success OF
the young business may be gnincG
| when We know that, after only -
| months Of operation, II was able to
purchase, out of it's own profits made
! In these twelve months, the phon-
( ograrh factory Of the Remington
Photograph Corporation Of New
York This was Il white concern,
gone bankrupt. The factory is now
running full capacity and making
. only "Swanolas.'
/ TliS is the same factory in which
Pace first had his records made by
! white firm. ut Is tculiar twist
OF tate, some would say. for Il col
orcd man to become owner Of such
n factory. That is not fate. 1t is
, taion. Pace has the faith-faith in
MS Dusincss--faith in his people
J iaith IN himself--and me is reward
ing himself through his faith.
race can't do 1t all alone, but he
has the happy faculty of getting 9TH
ers to do. He got NJ. G. Clarke, who
organized the Virginia corporation,
d TO head up tho work in Virginia,
West Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina. Everybody around
Knows Clarke. He Is the NJ. G.
Clarke who organized The CONNER
cial Bank and Trust Company OF
Richmond, opened and guided IT sue
cesFfully through the worst part OF
depression period. Then he got
out. a bank is n limited AFFAIR, at
pest, he reasoned; and he has un-
limited vision.
He has unlimited ambition to back
up that vision. lie does unlimited
WORK to support the ambition-Sand
he always gets the thing done He
could have found no better vehicle
for his peculiar ability than the yir
gin industry OF selling human voices
Negro voices. Clarke is always a
1t unless you sec him.
Mr.. G. V. Kelly is secretary-sales
manager for the Virginia Corpora
ton. He comes direct from the
home Office IN New York and Is in
charge, OF sales for the district.
After only four months Of oDer-
alton, the Virginia Corporation has
done as much business as it would
have been satisfied with for six
months. 1t Is therefore two months
ahead of itself. But Clarke always
plans ahead. He is like Pace-and
Pace is progress and Pace progress
is race progress.
me virginia Corporation has on
ceS and conservatory in a six-room
building at sol North Third Street
IN Richmond, leased especially for
It's own use and Is occupied for a
monograph house. II. II. Pace. tho
Swanola blue flame Of Blues" fame
president Of the New York Corpora
ton, Is also president Of the Virginia
corporation. NJ. G. Clarke is vice
president and treasurer. G. V. Kelly
Is secretary and sales-manager for
the four States under the Virginia
district.
1t is the object Of the Pace Phon-
ograph Corporation OF Virginia to
put 4 'Swanola" In every Negro home
using talking machincs-and it il
being done. Pace Is doing his "solv-
ing by work-Wroductiyc work, and
letting the "problem" take care of
Itself. If we had more PAGES and
Clarkes, We would wake I'D one
: morning and find there Is no "prob-
lem" to solve.