As the director of education at the Emil Fries Piano Hospital and Training Center AKA the Emil Fries School of Piano Tuning, I thought I would make a brief statement about the school. The original mission of the school was to train blind men in piano tuning and repair. This mission is still in full force. In 1960 the school was reorgainized under a board of directors to make sure the school would continue after the deth of Mr. Fries. Because of the infirmaties of old age Emil has not been activly involved in the running of the school for more then 15 years. Emil, wisely, allowed himself to gradually withdraw from active influence in the running of the school. Since 1978 Ken Serviss, the executive director, has been in command. The mission of the school has not changed though it has been inlarged. We now except women trainees as well as sighted applicants. This change was made for two reasons. As schools for the blind decrease in enrollment because of changes in the philosophy of the education of the blind fewer blind persons are aware of the school and of piano tuning as a vocation. The second reason is that the blind themselves are somewhat put off by the fact that in the early part of this century blind men were often channeled into piano tuning by well meaning vocational councelors who did not take into account the wants and needs of the individual. We began takeing sighted trainees to help keep the school functioning in this time of low enrollment and to show the blind that this is a vocation that any hard working consciencous person can be proud to make his or her life vocation. Sorry for the non-technical nature of this post but I felt it needed to be said. The Piano Hospital is here to stay. We miss Emil but his influence will continue for the good of the school. Don MItchell director of education On Sat, 14 Jun 1997, Wallace F. Wilson wrote: > Not to detract from the significance of the moment, this part of your note > also struck me. Has the mission of the school changed recently? > > >The school, until recently, was responsible for training > >visually challenge technicians, and has been in existance since 1949. > Wally Wilson > >
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