I am sending this post to clear up some of the misunderstandings that
Kevin Kline has with my prior post.  I will also expound on a few more
ideas that I have regarding band organ rallies.  Regarding the money
issue, he and I are talking about two different amounts.  The
$15,000.00 I discussed in my MMD post did not come from the successful
1996 annual meeting.

By the way, the "profit" generated by the Chicago 1996 Annual Meeting
was much greater than $15,000.00!  The $15,000.00 I discussed in my
post was generously given in $5,000.00 increments by the Mid-Am Chapter
over several years to the MBSI Endowment Fund.  These amounts came from
the build up of funds in the Mid America Chapter due primarily to the
success of the organ rallies in the late 1980's.

In 1987 a decision was made in the Mid-Am Chapter to add an additional
amount to the rally registration fee.  This fee contributed to an even
greater buildup in funds.  In the Mid-Am Chapter, this additional "fee"
created quite a stir especially with Dan Slack who lost out in his
desire to have this money used solely for organ rallies.  To many it
marked the beginning of a decline in the rally concept.  It certainly
gave great impetus to the newly formed American Band Organ Association.
The propriety of this "fee" is open for debate but at this point, is
just important to say that coffers of the Mid-Am Chapter swelled due to
the success of the rallies.

An Endowment Fund as Mr. Kline knows, by its very definition "shores
up" or strengthens any organization from a university to a museum to
a society like MBSI.  An Endowment Fund thus supports the purposes and
the long-term fiscal stability of the Society and thus "shores it up"!
In selling this "fund" to our chapter the promoters of the Fund told
us that our Chapter contribution would support this fiscal stability.
I also remember being told at a meeting promoting the Endowment that
a well-funded Endowment would help defray any potential dues increase.

Our Chapter generously voted to support this Fund with the last vote
being taken during the Sandusky Band Organ Rally.  Now if our Chapter
was "over sold" on the necessity of this fund, and if the money is not
of importance to the Society, then I strongly suggest that Trustee
Kline offer a motion at the next Trustees meeting to return the
Endowment Fund contribution money to our Chapter!  Again my point in
my last MMD post was that the Mid-Am Band Organ rally was an important
cash generator which helped support the society and it also generated
many new members for both the Chapter and the international
organization.

Mr. Kline indicated that my prior post was colored by the fact that I
sell larger instruments.  He is incorrect in his assumption.  The tenor
of my discussion has simply nothing do with the fact that I sell larger
machines. .  My discussion of this topic was centered on a response to
Joyce Brite's comments and concerns about organ rallies.  I too am
very concerned about the current organ rally situation as I will
discuss later.

In addition to being an attorney, accountant, and a real estate broker,
I also sell mechanical musical instruments.  I enjoy stirring the pot
of enthusiasm in the area of mechanical music.  My enthusiasm for
mechanical music has resulted in many people enjoying mechanical music
as well as some of the largest collections in the world.  I am very
inclusive and am an equal opportunity promoter of all types of
mechanical music!  Just ask the many collectors who have purchased
items from me.   I

 also sell many items for surprisingly affordable prices.  The
overwhelming fact is I also sell many music boxes and other smaller
items too!  The evidence is found in the many ads I have placed in MBSI
Bulletins.  If you attend the Chicago Annual Meeting, you will see many
many instruments and music boxes both large and small that I have sold
into the various collections.  In fact, I sold a whole diverse music
box collection to one of the prominent Chicago area collectors who is
featured on this year's Annual Meeting's main tour.

My reference to "tinkleboxers" was intended to open a door to a debate
about the seemingly inherent attraction power of the larger instruments
which can be demonstrated by the ability of these instruments to draw
people to an Annual Meeting or a Band Organ Rally.  The overwhelming
success of the rallies in the mid to late 80's threatened to eclipse
some of the Annual Meetings.  And there were hard core music box
enthusiasts or "tinkleboxers" that expressed concern.  It was the hard
core music box enthusiasts who historically were non-inclusive.  In the
early years of MBSI according to my research, even disc music boxes
were frowned upon.

In the 1960's people such as Q. David Bowers among others did a lot to
open the vistas of MBSI to all mechanical musical instruments and the
membership of MBSI grew.  As the vista expanded, the Annual Meetings
that featured tours of collections with larger instruments were the
ones that were best attended.  Just look at the success of the Annual
Meeting of 1968, the California Annual Meetings, the Chicago Annual
Meeting of 1972 that featured Svoboda's Tavern and so on.  The immense
success of the 1996 Annual Meeting and the 700+ people who are coming
to the 2002 Annual Meeting in Chicago further show the drawing power
of the larger instruments.

There is something thrilling about listening to an overture played on
a large Hupfeld Helios, Weber Maesto, Welte Concert Orchestrion, or
large fairground organ.  There is also something equally enjoyable
about a toe tapping Capitol arrangement played on a Seeburg G, or a
Mills Violano playing Victor Herbert.  The same goes for a 33-key
Monkey organ playing "Berliner Luft" or a dance organ playing the best
of Albert DeCap.  Most enthusiasts are also entertained by a Fotoplayer
accompanying a silent film or by an Ampico B playing the best of Frank
Milne, or a foot pumped player piano playing ragtime!

And speaking of a foot pumped player piano; there was certainly a crowd
around the foot pumped player pianos which were displayed at the recent
Netherlands organ festival in Arnhem,  And you certainly don't have to
be wealthy to own and enjoy a player piano and you can restore it
yourself, too!

In my opinion, organizations such as the MBSI need to realize the
drawing power of the larger instruments and should always incorporate
them in tours or displays in order to maintain successful well attended
Annual Meetings.  They should also support and value the continued
success of band organ rallies.  Chapters should adequately fund and
support the rallies and rally organizers.  AMICA has certainly not
overlooked the value of organ rallies.  The rallies held by the Heart
of America Chapter, and the Chapters in California and Washington have
been very successful for the Chapters and AMICA membership.

But where does this leave the music box devotees?  We have come a long
way from the early years of the Society when even disc music boxes were
frowned upon.  In my opinion, it is time for the Society's music box
elite to be more INCLUSIVE in their thinking and spend time analyzing
just what attracts people to mechanical music events.  They have to
realize that the continued success of Mid-Am organ rallies is important
to the LONG TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY of the MBSI!  I challenge them to
show me a comparable music box event that has consistently generated as
many members!  I encourage them to work hard at creating such an event
that celebrates disc and cylinder music boxes.

The Mid-Am rallies have also proved that they can generate capital that
can be used to further Society purposes such as the Endowment Fund.  On
the other hand, the Rally should not be drained of all the resources it
has gathered.  Money should be spent on assisting the display of major
attention getting fair organs.  This is regularly done in Europe where
even the Can Can Dancers are funded by the event organizer.  Money must
be spent on providing refreshments for the rally participants such as
organ grinders.  Also funds must be spent promoting future rallies so
that the rallies remain vibrant.

The continued success of the Mid-Am Rally is important to me because
some of my best times have been spent at the Annual Mid-Am Band Organ
Rallies over the last 25+ years.  It is disturbing to me to realize
that so many MBSI members have chosen another rally to attend this
year.  With so many weekends in the year, the mere fact that a conflict
even happened is distressing.  I think the reasons for this should be
analyzed.  I strongly urge others to comment on this situation.

I have received a lot of private e-mail about my earlier post.  Some
say this is not the forum for such a discussion.  I say it is.  MMD is
a very democratic and open forum.  I despise back room confidential
discussions that result in decisions that only benefit a few.  MMD
helps open up the world of  mechanical music issues to discussion.
Anyone with access to a computer can speak out and their views can be
weighted against the views of others.  At times it may get rough and
bumpy and the egos of the fragile may get bruised but in the end such
discussions are healthy and can only result in a positive result for
the majority affected whether they be MBSI members, AMICA members, or
just mechanical music enthusiasts in general.

Tim Trager

 [ Tim says that information about endowment funds can be found at
 [ http://www.mainecf.org/endowedfunds/questions.html
 [ -- Robbie