In recent days various people have suggested different ways to interest
others in mechanical music.  We in the Lady Liberty Chapter of AMICA
are doing most of those already.

This past Monday night, a producer for WLIW TV, channel 21 on Long
Island, had us re-create our last meeting for TV.  She and her camera
crew were so bitten by the mechanical music fever bug that they asked
for an applications.  She and her crew taped enough footage to do two
programs and they want to tape more of many of the instruments without
the background noise of us talking among ourselves in the next room.
From this will be other spin-offs in the future.

Many decry the fact that those of us who are interested in mechanical
music are over 50, but do little or nothing to interest the younger
generations themselves.  How many of you restorers have young apprentices
to whom you are teaching the trade?  I just convinced the only restorer
of player pianos in New York City, who is in his 70's and is backed up
for at least 5 years, to do this.  I have apprentices waiting for him
as soon as he gets his new shop set up.  Home-schooled students have
very flexible schedules and this becomes a part of their education.

With all the player pianos that are being thrown out, why not take in
an apprentice and let him or her work on one of these pianos with your
direction.  The person will do everything as told, will learn a trade,
and will show off his completed piano with pride to everyone who will
listen and to many who won't.  This doesn't create instant members,
but "instant" anything is seldom worth much in the long run.

Vincent Morgan,  New York City
Pres., Lady Liberty Chapter, AMICA, Intl.