Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-05-27
(Reprinted from Education Magazine,
March, 1949)
Music AS A Modern
Industrial Tool
By Edward ]. Duck

;3or for tha Toledo Union Journal. 1t is dlf-
ficult to ascertain the number OF lnoustr,a,
plants using the "music-whlle they -"oiA
nIan. Mr.. Ducks article will surprise many
music educators because his exhaustive s'uuy
reveals that much music is being USED In IN
|. dustrial plant production efficiency. Dl'
TIovd F. Sunderman, Butler University
Music Editor
INDUSTRIAL leaders are speaking as Win
i single voice of the return of buyer mar
ket. For the first time in eight years cohlPeti,
tion will be keen. Productive efficiency anu
ductive efficiency and labor management reld-
mine the success or failure IN meetlng cum
,,etition in selling the manufactured product,
in making profits and keeping a tull payroll'
There is a modern new industrial Iooi-
music in induStry-that Will 90 more Ioi pr
ductive efficiency and labor r-managmeht Iela-
tions than any combination OF loeaS yet eeen
On the modern industrial horizon, Its cost Is
infinitesimal. .;;,
Music in industry is neither entertaining
nor sneed-up machinery. Pleasant background
music is used to dispel boredom ana preah
|. nonotony, to relieve fatigue, to lessen nervous
strain and reduce accidents, to eliminate scrap
and absenteeiSm, to sharpen peIceP'ioii ~
to boost morale generally.
One of the foremost authorities on the SUI
iect Doron K. Antrim, states: DO not eAPIet
the wrong things from music; 1t is tonic M nhe
cun of tea something to cheer the mlno.
- will snread over the work spell as Wnole'
not necessarily while the m uslc is oelhs
played.
WORKED IN ENGLAND
ENGLAND long ago awakened to the value
of music in industry, and during tne @ recen'
war it was made mandatory for all oeiehse
work Our own WPB, in survey Oh Iuo Wdi
plants found that music increased prouoc.iHn
and stimulated good labor management rela-
SbinyardS replIeQ to QueSJlOHIldllSo
of tbe National Music Council, the consensus
of oninion being that music hao lhploVeo
productive efficiency by raising morale. More
=. than 5000 American war plants proVloeo
music for workers. and did not dodnuol,
the nroeram when the war ended. Inc ueno
toward the use of music in industry mas be-
come so marked in recent months that IL niay
safelv be predicted that few plants Will oe
without music by 1852.
Westinghouse Electric's Newark, Nj pldhe
has had music since 1925. Offici ais there
stated: ''We tried out music as an ala 10 pro-
duction. and the results were so good we've
Tsed II ever since We would about as soon
close the windows on hot day as shut OH the
music, especially during overtime WORK
Hundreds of arrangements feel as west
inpho1se officials do but space does not per
NIT further quotation complete ploliograpiiy
listing magazines and periodicals dealing with
music in industry may be found IN tne inous-
trial arts index of libraries In most CLUES "a
few of the plants which have expressed moS'
enthusiastic praise of the industrial music pro-
\, gram are Curtiss- Wright, Philco, ConsoIoateo
V,ltee Aircraft Bristol-Meyers, General EIec-
tric RCA Botony Mills Jack & Helntz, LIE
Circuit Breaker, Carl L. Norden, Ell Lly'
Fellows Gear Shaper, Federal Cartridge, Ala
bama Dry Dock Davis & Geek, Servel' otaho-
ard oil of California Pepperell, Autokraft Box
Gle brewing Norton Chimes, Fannie May
Candy Fashion Frocks of Cincinnati, and Line
Material with divisions in Alabama, ONO,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all OF Whlch VIII
attest to the value of music to their respective
operations.
MUSIC NOT PANACEA
Music is not panacea cure-all for eV-
ery industrial ill or bottleneck that may mar
ass American industry, but the preponoerance
of data obtained in the United STATES ana
Great Britain furnishes proof positive that prop
erlv programmed background music Will WORK
wonders for any plant willing to give IL a TAR
\trial It isn't really something news Our tore-
fathers sailed the seas, built roads, canalS ana
railroads to harmony and rhythm. 1t made the
work lighter relieved fatigue, and gave them
endurance Anyone who has marched IN the
military particularly the infantry soldier, VIII
tell YOU how the band perked him up gave
him new step when he needed one, When II
ioined him for the last mile of the bvouac
hike Those who doubt that music and rhythm
relieve fatigue would quickly change their
minds if they tried dancing for 10 minutes
without accompaniment.
Outstanding in the field of industrial music
study are Professor Harold Burris-Meyer ana
r. L. Cardinell, of Stevens Institute OF Tech
nology In a number of studies in factories
they found that output had increased ia per
cent after the installation of music that the
average increase in production in plants with
programs by "self-styled experts" was 6.o per
cent higher than the original per cent IN
crease when replaced by properly planned
. music programs; that abSenteeism was reduced
by from "a per cent to 88 per cent, and that
early departures decreased SO per cent
LESS SCRAP PRODUCED
In Great Britain Humes found that 80 te-
male assemblers in radio tube factory pro-
duced less scrappaee when furnished musical
background. This is in complete accord with
studies in American plants.
Dan Halpin of RCA, reports that sugges-
ton campaign was stimulated by working 1T
into the music program, resulting in 36,42O
suggestions in a single year, of which ga per
cent were investigated and "a per cent adopted.
In the RCA conservation drive an occasional
Scotch tune played as a reminder to the en-
ployees, produced good results Safety pro-
grams, messages of birthdays births and we'd
dngs are broadcast to the employees in many
plants, Halpin points out.
Henry j. Kaiser credits the installation of a