The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-28
VOGUE OF MUSIC IF HUMBLE ORIGIN
Mouth Organ Comes Into It's Own Again In City-Wide
 Contests

NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-Any musical instrument which is easy to master is apt to be looked down upon by the musical elect, and thus the har- monica has always been a much ma ligned musical instrument, says Kenneth S. Clark in the Playground, official organ of the Playground and Recreation Association of America The small boy has always loved the harmonica, known to him by the more familiar name of mouth organ, and ~Eow he is rejoicing, as it ap- pears to be coming into it's own.
 There are harmonica tournaments these days, with bulletins issued by community service covering the sub ject. Harmonica contests have been staged in New York, Philadelphia and tther cities.
 Instead of relegating the boy with the mouth organ to the back porch, the vacant lot or the street corner, the association advocates inviting him into the parlor to play an ac- compartment to the piano, guitar, or gan or whatever other musical in- strument or instruments the home may boast.
 The chief factor in the renaissance of the mouth organ is shown to have been the growth of the harmonica contest idea. Americans, says Mir. Clark, appear to be especially sus ceptible to the contest idea as a stimulator of interest in a given sub ject or project. The recent organiz- ing of these contests has therefore produced & remarkable outcropping of harmonica playing.
 What with the natural liking of
 
 Clark, "it may become for them a guide toward musical appreciation and mastery of other and more beau tiful instruments. For these reasons the harmonica contest idea, while adaptable for all, is being especially applied to boys"
 As outlined by community service, 1t can be used with either a small or a large group. A city wide develop ment of the plan is said to be prac- ticab1e, the next steps, respectively, being the intersectional and finally the national contests. Details Of two of the first city-wide contests are given to serve as routine of pro- cedure.
 New York's championship contest, under the auspices of the municipal government, represented by Park Commissioner Francis D. Gallatin, was directly handled by his assist
 
 recreation. No boys older than 16 were permitted to enter the contest.
 A list of the playgrounds where entries might be filed with the play ground director was given out by the supervisor of recreation. Would-be contests were held in neighb centers and playgrounds the week before the finals, The finals took place at the bandstand in Central Park.
 The boys had been instructed to use a 10-hole harmonica in the key of in order that all might play to- gether in ensemble numbers. The en- tire group of contestants rendered numerous pieces while the judges were making their decision.
 In staging neighborhood. play ground, boys club or ether group contests 1t is recommended that they be based on a uniformity as to the type of instrument. It Is suggested that all the boys begin with an in- strument with 10 single holes with 20 reeds, 10 blow reeds and 10 draw reeds, and in order that they may play together in an ensemble it is recommended that all use the instru- ment in the same specified key, pre- ferably the key of c.