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OBJECT LESSORS IN SELLING SAFETY.

Paper Prepared By Mr. Arthur D. Sana, Safety Agent, Baltimore and Ohio Bailroad Coinpany, for the National Convention of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, at DurMn's Egyptian Hall, Kenton, Ohio, June 10th, 1925.

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03JECT LESSONS IN SELLING SAFETY.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Convention,

Although I have been interested in MAGIC for 31 years, I have never been able to travel as a PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN. MAGIC, with me, has been a hobby, from which I have derived much pleasure, and made many friendships all over the country, which I value most highly.

I take it for granted that most of us present and attending this convention are in the same class. Few of us make a living from MAGIC and devote our entire time to it. With us it is a beloved hobby, a past time,a relaxation from our regular routine of dailj^ work.

The popularity of MAGIC as an entertainment, depends, I believe, more upon the large army of AMATEURS and SEMI-PROFESSIONALS all over the world, than it does upon the few PROFESSIONAL MAGICIANS that wo have on our stages today.

It is this vast army of AMATEURS and SEMI-PROFESSIONALS who subscribe to the MAGIC MAGAZINES, MAGIC BOOKS, support the MAGIC DEALER, and represent 90$ of the membership of the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAGICIANS and other magical organizations.

It is the AMATEUR and SEMI-PROFESSIONAL who entertain the public, in his home, his lodge, his church, his club, every kind of a public gathering; who keep mggic alive, and a popular form of entortainment.

By our thousands of shows given all the year, wo whet tho appetite of the public for more and better MAGIC, and when THURSTON, BLACKSTOHE, Lo Roy, and othor PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAlJS)kome to town, with their carloads of MYSTERIES, they find a full capacity house, of persons, eager to sec MAGIC. I believe that upon us alio depends, to a great extent, the development of what is now in MAGIC, Tho PROFESSIONAL is busy catching trains, hunting hotols, having baggago moved, sotting up and tearing down his show, repairing .and repainting, giving tho show, and so forth. He has littlo time to think up and build new effects.

The ardent AMATEUR spends hours in front of the mirror, sits up till 6 P. X. with threo or four other MAGIC BUGS, talking MAGIC. Spends weeks of time and hard earned cash to develop some little wrinkle or idea.

I, for one, am firmly convinced that the success 03? MAGIC as .form of entertainment depends largely upon the active interest and r ipport of the AMATEUR and SEMI-PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN, I am therefore not disappointed at my lot; that I may never Ise to the point of "being a PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN, I feel that there - a place for rae in MAGIC and that I can do much for MAGIC, as an AMATEUR :• SEMI-PROFESSIONAL. On account of my connection with the Safety Department of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, I have the pleasure of attending several conventions each year of SAFETY WORKERS. Those conventions last three days each.

During a three day period if we are able to learn one new idea, we feel that our trip to the convention has not "been in vain.

If a subscription to a MAGIC MAGAZINE for one year, "brings me one new effect or idea,, I feel repaid for the entire year's subscription.

I#have purchased a "book on MAGIC, read it almost through, and felt disappointed, because it was a rehash, practically, of what I had read before. Then I would find one wrinkle, one little thing that I had not read or heard of before, and I felt that I had received the value of the price of the book.

At this convention, I hope we will all learn much, will assimilate many new ideas, will go home with a renewed interest in and love for MAGIC. But if each of us pick up just one little idea, this, with the added scalue of the friendships we will make, and the contact we will have with our Brother Members, should make us all feel that we have received more than value for our trip, and anxious to attend the next convention, when a year rolls around.

We, who have been able to attend this convention may consider 3U.rselves particularly blesseA, There are hundreds of members of the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAGICIANS who would give a lot to be here.

And there are thousands of other MAGIC lovers, not yet members of our organizationt who would like to be here too.

I feel that this convention will be written on the pages of the HISTORY of MAGIC, While in New York City, on May 21st, I had a chat with Howard Thurston at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

I told him that I was coming to the convention, and he told me how deeply he regretted his inability to be present^ But he had to stay at his workshop at Whitestone Landing, and supervise the building of new effects for his shows next season.