New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 173

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1262

USA > Texas > New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2 > Part 173

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ENE S. LEVY, native Houstonian, has had a wide and varied business career, and since the establishment of the Magnolia Paper Company, Inc., has been the secretary of this company, and attends to the manufacturing end of this large plant. This business was established in 1901 by Mr. Levy and Mr. Max Schnitzer, in a very small way, and was first a partnership and was later incorporated. When these two enterpris- ing men started this business, they had a floor space of about two thousand square feet, but their business grew from the beginning, and soon more room was necessary, and in 1923 they constructed their fine plant, which occupies an entire city block, is four stories in height and built of reinforced con- crete and is entirely fireproof, making it one of Houston's finest and best manufacturing plants. The Magnolia Paper Company, Inc., employs more than one hundred people in their plant and have fifteen men on the road, who cover Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona and a portion of Colorado. Mr. Levy and his associates have the finest paper box factory in the entire Southwest, and manufac- ture any and all kinds of square paper boxes. Mr. Max Schnitzer is the president and manager of the Magnolia Paper Company, Inc., who, with Mr. Levy, were the founders of this large and complete plant, located at 1805-13 Glaser Place.

Mr. Levy was born October 3rd, 1877. His parents resided in Houston for a few years during the late seventies, when they removed to Denver, Colorado, and both died there. His education was obtained in the public schools of Denver, Colorado, and soon after leaving school, began his business career as a clerk in a dry goods store in Colorado, and Mr. Levy at this time was a very young man. He later came to Houston and for a short time was a clerk in the Lipper Dry Goods Store, when, with Mr. Schnitzer, they established, on a small scale, the Magnolia Paper Company, Inc., where he has been active, as secretary and in charge of manufacturing.

Mr. Levy was married in Houston, March 16th, 1904, to Miss Sarah Freed, a member of a well known and pioneer Texas family, and a sister to Mr. Ike Freed, a prominent jobber of Houston and president of the People's State Bank of Houston. They have one daughter, Irma, who is a student of the Houston High School. Mr. and Mrs. Levy re- side at 1218 Alabama Avenue. Mr. Levy takes an active interest in all civic matters and gives liber- ally of his time and means to all projects tending to the welfare and advancement of Houston.

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LOYD C. FINLAY is one of the most ac- complished violinists in Houston and has for the past eight years been orchestra lead- er of the Majestic Theater, where he is popular with the theater goers of the city. The or- chestra of the Majestic Theater consists of ten pieces in the winter and fifteen pieces during the summer months. Mr. Finlay is also the leader of the orchestra at the Rice Hotel, comprising eight pieces which is continued throughout the year. He has the orchestra at the Palace Theater, Houston, and supervises this music throughout the entire year. Mr. Finlay is a student of the violin, and began the study of this instrument at the age of eight years, and has continued in this line of work, and since coming to Houston in 1915 has made many friends and has become very popular with the public gener- ally.

Mr. Finlay was born in South Dakota, November 9, 1884. His father, G. W. Finlay, was for many years engaged in the nursery business in South Da- kota and was well known in the business circles of that State. His early literary education was ob- tained in the public and high schools of Minnesota and later took a full course in business college. He began the study of the violin at a very early age, and later studied under Curth of Chicago for one year, and then entered the Conservatory of Music at Quincy, Illinois, where he remained for several years and then had private instruction from the leading artists of this country. His first work, after leaving college, was as leader of an orchestra on the road, which he continued for two years. He then went to Oklahoma City, where he remained for seven years as leader of his own organized orchestra for five years, and during the last two years spent in Okla- homa City, he was leader of the orchestra at the Majestic Theater there, after which he came to Houston, where he has remained, as leader and di- rector of the several orchestras.

Mr. Finlay was married in Oklahoma City in 1920 to Miss Grace Coldiron, a daughter of H. L. Cold- iron, a well known building contractor of Oklahoma City. Mr. and Mrs. Finlay reside at No. 12 Waverly Apartments. Mr. Finlay has devoted his entire at- tention to the study of the violin, which he has mas- tered, and is known throughout the country as one of the most accomplished violinists, other than those engaged in concert work. He is a real leader, and is deservedly popular, not only in the music circles of Houston, but with the general public.

ICTOR ALESSANDRO, band director and teacher of piano and wind instruments, has been a resident of Houston for the past seven years and is one of the best known musicians of South Texas. He has a large studio at 307 Colquitt Avenue and is now devoting his entire time to teaching and directing bands. He has directed the principal band organizations of Houston during the past few years and is now engaged in organizing and training a permanent band of fifty pieces of which he will be the director. The organ- ization of this band is being watched with the keen- est interest by musicians of Houston, who, realizing the extended experience and ability of its director and organizer, look forward to its becoming one of the best known musical organizations of the state.

Mr. Alessandro is a native of Italy and was born in 1881, a son of Nicholas M. and Anna Alessandro.

He received his education in the public and private schools of Italy and came to America in 1891 when he was ten years of age. Locating in New Orleans, he remained there until 1900 when he went to Pueblo, Colorado, where he organized and directed the fa- mous Cosmopolitan Band. Remaining in Pueblo until 1908, he removed to Waco where he organized a band of thirty pieces which established more than a state wide reputation. In 1916 he took this band to the Mexican border where it remained for nearly a year, appearing at many noted concerts and public gatherings. It was then known as the Fourth Texas Infantry Band and was conceded to be one of the best in the state. At the same time Mr. Alessandro directed combined bands of the Sixth United States Cavalry and his Fourth Texas Infantry. Later he was appointed director in chief of all the Texas Brigade bands.

Mr. Alessandro was married at Waco in 1915 to Miss Josephine Kemendo, daughter of Vincent and Josephine Kemendo. Mr. Kemendo has been en- gaged in the wholesale produce business in Waco for over forty years. Mr. and Mrs. Alessandro are the parents of one son, Victor, eight years of age. The family home is at 307 Colquitt Avenue.

A splendid musician and director, Mr. Alessandro inspires his players and students to their very best work and is satisfied with nothing short of their greatest efforts. He is antagonistic to jazz and not only omits it from all his concerts, but frowns upon any of his pupils playing it. He teaches the Italian method only and organized the Italian Choral Club in Houston during 1917 and 1918, upon his discharge from the army. He is actively interested in the musical life of the city and always glad to co-operate with other teachers and organizations. In 1923 he organized and directed the Houston Municipal Band, which was conceded to be one of the finest of its kind in the country. Mr. Alessandro is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and director of all high school bands in Houston.

ATRICIO GUTIERREZ, concert pianist and teacher, 2108 State Street, for the past eighteen years has been actively connected with the musical life of the city of Houston and during his residence here has won a place in the hearts of the music lovers of this city that but few artists have ever been able to attain.

A natural musician, playing for the sheer love of the art that means so much to him, Professor Gutier- rez gives to his concerts and public appearances an atmosphere achieved only by the finished artist. He is an admitted master of the piano, and while one of the youngest teachers in the city, has developed one of the largest classes in the South. His pupils re- flect his brilliant talent and his class musicales are events looked forward to with eagerness by lovers of the best in music. He has been singularly suc- cessful in imparting his brilliant technique to his students and musical critics have pronounced his teaching equal in many respects to that of the fa- mous old world masters. His repertoire includes the works of the world's most famous classic writers and the best of the more modern school and he is in constant demand for concerts and other public ap- pearances.

A native of Texas, Professor Gutierrez was born at San Antonio in 1896. He is a son of I. and

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Francisca Gutierrez and inherited his musical talent from his father, who is a brilliant musician. His literary education was obtained in the public and high schools of San Antonio and Houston and from childhood he was afforded the best instruction ob- tainable in music. After completing his local studies, he was an artist pupils of Alberto Jonas in New York City for a season. He had one year of work in harmony under the noted Lucino Nava and before going to New York studied for five years under Al- drich Kidd in Houston.

At ten years of age, he was playing in an orches- tra and an indication of his splendid attainments in music in early life is found in the fact that at the age of thirteen he was admitted to membership in the Musicians Union.

Besides his concert piano work, Professor Gutier- rez is organist for the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and his brilliant rendition of the musical scores of the sacred masses has added much to the services at this church. He is accompanist for the Houston Choral Club and soloist with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, his work with both these organizations having elicited the highest praise from press and public. He has appeared as accompanist for many of the noted artists who have toured Texas during the past several seasons.

A young man, unmarried, Professor Gutierrez is devoted to his art and the work of developing the talent of others. No small part of the fame Hous- ton has achieved throughout the South as a musical center has been due to his untiring efforts and he is ever ready to give freely of his time and talents to any musical undertaking.

UGENE PILLOT, author and native Hous- tonian, who enjoys the distinction of having his name appear in the yearly anthologies of the best plays, has written more than two hundred plays and about a dozen of these have made a national reputation and are being used throughout the country. Mr. Pillot's work is largely composed of one, two, three and four act plays.

B. Roland Lewis, in his "Contemporary One Act Plays," writes of him as follows: "Eugene Pillot, one of the well-known contemporary writers of one-act plays, was born in Houston, Texas. He was educated in the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, at the University of Texas, at Cornell University and at Harvard University. Mr. Pillot's one-act plays are always characterized by excellent and well sustained technic."

While at Harvard he devoted his time almost ex- clusively to dramatic writing and producing, and wrote two plays, which he also produced at that time, one of them, "Two Crooks and a Lady," being especially successful. He has since continued writ- ing plays and poems and his work is much in de- mand throughout the country, many of his plays having been syndicated in the more prominent maga- zines and newspapers. Recently several of his poems have appeared in the Stratford Monthly Magazine and other well known publications.

Mr. Pillot was born in Houston. His father, Teo- lin Pillot, owned and operated a book store in this city for more than forty years. His mother was Miss Anna Drescher, a member of a pioneer Texas family.

Mr. Pillot resides at 1803 Mckinney Avenue, and

has made a wonderful name for himself during the few years he has been engaged in his chosen field. He is affiliated with the Copley Society of Boston, one of the most exclusive organizations of its kind in the United States. Houston is justly proud of Mr. Pillot, and great things are expected of him, still in the morning of youth.

REDERICK LEON WEBSTER, one of the leading exponents of dramatic art at Hous- ton, has since coming to this city several years ago been a factor in dramatic circles and is a teacher whose work is marked by real dis- tinction. Mr. Webster specializes in expression, dramatic art and public speaking, and holds his classes at his attractive studio at 411 Huntington Avenue. He has an enrollment of more than one hundred students and is assisted by two teachers, working under his direct supervision. Mr. Web- ster is a man of high intellectual attainments, and is splendidly equipped for any demands on his talent. He gives each student careful consideration and has achieved splendid results with his classes, many of his pupils displaying interpretive talents of high order, and all showing the results of his careful training in their work. Mr. Webster's enthusiasm in his chosen domain of art, and his genuine talent, have given him a place of leadership in dramatic activities, and Houston is indeed fortunate to have him as a resident.

Frederick Leon Webster was born at Alvin, Texas, the son of A. B. and Elizabeth Webster, and was the first child to be born in this town. He attended the public schools near his home until his gradua- tion from high school, after which he spent two years at the University of Illinois and one at the Uni- versity of Chicago. He then entered Gerston School of Dramatic Art, at Chicago, and also attended the Auditorium School of Dramatic Art and the Bush Conservatory of Music, taking the B. A. degree from the Gerston School of Dramatic Art and the Bush Conservatory of Music. His work in Chicago was followed by study in New York, at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, where he rounded out a talent already recognized as distinctive, and launched upon his career. Two years were spent in theatrical work, on the road with Ezra Kendall, and he later was in stock in San Francisco, with Madam Bertha Kalich and Annie Russell.

At the entrance of the United States in the World War, Mr. Webster enlisted, in July, 1917, in the Med- ical Corps of the 143rd Infantry, 36th Division, and was sent overseas. He participated in the fighting in the Champaigne sector and in the Argonne, where he was wounded. Leaving the hospital he, with two others, traveled in France as entertainers for the American Army and their efforts gained them a wide popularity. Mr. Webster was decorated by the Queen of Roumania. He returned to the States in October, 1919, and after being discharged came to Houston, where he opened his dramatic school. Mr. Webster makes his home at 411 Huntington Avenue, where he also has his studio. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club and takes an active interest in civic affairs. His generosity in assisting in various entertainments and his real talent for leadership in dramatic activities have won him many friends and he is a real asset to his city.

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AUL BERGE' has been actively connected with the musical life of the city of Hous- ton for the past eleven years, having come here in 1913 and established a studio for the teaching of the violin. He is also a teacher of solfeg- gio. A wonderful artist with the violin, Mr. Berge' is also a gifted teacher and his services are in con- stant demand both as a teacher and for public ap- pearances. His studio is at 718 Harold Street.

A native of Louisiana, Mr. Berge' was born at New Orleans in 1881. He is a son of Dr. Philip and Marie (Martin) Berge'. His father was for many years one of the leading physicians of New Orleans before his death in 1921.

Mr. Berge' received his literary education in the public and high schools of New Orleans and studied for a year at Tulane Medical College there. He then went to Europe and entered the Royal Conservatory of Music at Brussels, studying there for two years under Cesar Thomson in violin and harmony and composition under DeLune. He then studied at Ber- lin for two years under Carl Halir and for the same period under Richard Roessler. Going to Paris he was an artist pupil of Adolfo Betti, who is now the leader of the internationally famous Fonzaley Quartet. Returning to America in 1906 he remained in New Orleans for two years and was then located in New York City for a while before coming to Houston in 1913.

After removing to Houston he was director for two years of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, con- sidered at that time the best musical organization in the State. The orchestra disbanded in 1918 and has not been reorganized.

Mr. Berge' was married at Lake Charles, Louis- iana, in 1915, to Miss Florence May Day, daughter of a prominent family of Jackson, Tennessee.

For seven years Mr. Berge' conducted the orches- tra at the Brazos Hotel and for the past three years has been in charge of the splendid orchestra at the Hotel Bender. He is a capable director and employs only the best musicians obtainable for his orches- tras.

Mr. Berge' is of pleasing personality, affable, and a thorough artist. He is very popular in musical circles of the city and enjoys a wide reputation as a musician and teacher. His church affiliations is with the Catholic denomination.

LDRIDGE BATTELLE KIDD, teacher and composer, has been actively identified with the musical life of Houston for a number of years. His studio at 808 Polk Avenue is one of the musical centers of the city, and here Mr. Kidd instructs large classes in piano, harmony, theory and composition. His classes are composed of advanced pupils and include many who have shown remarkable talent and are preparing for a definite musical career. An agreeable, pleasing dis- position, which is a marked characteristic of Mr. Kidd, has given him wonderful success with his pupils.

Besides his work as a teacher, Mr. Kidd is well known for his musical compositions and does much work for other musicians in re-arranging scores for special work. He also has a number of successful original compositions to his credit.

Mr. Kidd is a native of Houston and was born on April 1, 1873. He is a son of George and Kate Bled- soe (Aldridge) Kidd and received his preliminary

education in the public schools and high schools of Houston. He continued his literary studies at the University of Texas for two years before com- mencing active preparation for his musical career. Mr. Kidd's father (deceased since 1920) was auditor for the Houston and Texas Central Railway.

After leaving the University of Texas, Mr. Kidd went to Boston where he matriculated at the New England Conservatory of Music, completing the full four years course in this famous institution. While there he studied piano under Edwin Klakre, and later with Rafael Joseffy and Raul Pugno, harmony and composition under George Chadwick and Benjamin Cutter and theory of music under Louis Elson. After leaving the conservatory he did concert work for a while and still is in great demand for public appear- ances. For the past twenty-five years he has been engaged in teaching in Fort Worth and Houston.

Mr. Kidd is a thorough artist and musician and one of the leaders in musical circles of Houston. He has aided in nearly every large musical undertaking fostered in the city during the past several years and is intensely interested in broadening the cultural and musical life of this section. He is a member of the Rotary Club and the Musician's Union of Houston.

ORTON CORBETT, a musician of distinctive and interpretative talent, has for almost two decades been a leader in musical affairs at Houston, where he is established as a pianist and organist. Mr. Corbett has an attractive- ly appointed studio at 1105 Wheeler Avenue, where he receives his classes. He specializes in advanced pupils, whom he inspires to seek the highest musical skill and scholarship, and has a large class of select pupils of high musical attainments. Mr. Corbett has received the best professional advantages and is splendidly equipped for any demands on his tal- ent. Mr. Corbett conducts many recitals, which are real musical events, and displays great generosity by contributing to musical programs on many occa- sions. He is an accomplished organist, displaying versatility on this instrument. He is organist and choir director in the Christ Episcopal Church at the corner of Texas Avenue and Fannin Street, a posi- tion he has held with distinction for the past seven- teen years. The city of Houston is indeed fortunate that there is here so thorough a musician and so talented an artist.

Mr. Corbett was born at London, England, in 1859, son of George F. and Sarah Corbett. He received his rudimentary education in the public and private schools of London, finishing his literary education at the Colfe Foundation School. From his youth he displayed remarkable musical ability and talent, and his education in his chosen domain of art was begun at an early age. He received every professional ad- vantage, studying under the best musicians and teachers, and made marked progress along the road to success. He was for four years a student at the Guild Hall School of Music at London, after which he studied at Trinity College for three years. He then spent three years with the great master, Dr. Stainer, and five years with Ridley Prentice, follow- ing this with two years under William Shakespeare. Mr. Corbett came to Canada in 1886, remaining there for two years. He then came to the United States, spending four years at Buffalo, New York, after which he went to Baltimore, Maryland, and later

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came to Houston in 1906. While in Baltimore he was elected a founder of the American Guild of Or- ganists.

Mr. Corbett was married in England in 1903, to Miss Edith Madeline Pile, daughter of Samuel J. and Emily Pile, her father a landowner of that country. Mr. and Mrs. Corbett have two children, Mrs. Fred L. Toombs and Mrs. Herbert Losee. Mr. Corbett has taken a keen interest in the musical life of his city and has held a place of leadership in musical affairs. He has been organist and choir director of the Christ Episcopal Church since com- ing to Houston, and has built up a splendidly or- ganized choir, directing it with remarkable talent. He was for two years director of the Treble Clef Club, one of the leading musical organizations of the city, and has in many other ways shown his in- terest in things musical. He is a member of the Episcopal Church and with his family takes an active part in church work.

NRICO CERRACCHIO of Houston, Texas, has won a reputation as a sculptor of original ideas and exceptional ability. He has combined in his work a harmony of constructive beauty and art that distinguishes his work from that of any other sculptor. That Mr. Cerracchio puts more than mere ability into his work is demonstrated strongly by his achievement in the magnificent Sam Houston Monument which was erected in Houston in 1925. This piece of sculpture, which Mr. Cerracchio points to as his most noteworthy accomplishment is probably the most striking thing ever done of General Houston, either by a sculptor or a painter. This monument which stands at the entrance to Hermann Park is, with the base, forty feet in height, erected for the purpose of perpetuating the memory of the man who helped Texas in every way to win her freedom. The warrior is portrayed as a stalwart and com- manding figure, atop a prancing war horse. His fighting chin is slightly raised, his eyes seek a distant object while his arm and index finger point far to the right. In the face of the leader, particu- larly, the sculptor caught something which no other painter or sculptor had been able to get. This perhaps is accounted for through the fact that Mr. Cerracchio's statue of General Houston was con- ceived only after nine years of study of the Gen- eral's life. In the great magnificence of this figure, one gets the immediate impression of the rugged simplicity and strength of the man. Coupled with this is a singularly impressive portrayal of action and aliveness in the figure of the man and the body of the horse, all of which none but a finished artist could conceive. The cost of this figure, of which all Texans are proud of, was approximately

$75,000.00.

A native of Italy, Mr. Cerracchio was born at Naples, being the second in a family of nine chil- dren. With an innate love and talent for sculp- ture, he started forming figures of clay with his tiny hands before he had reached his seventh birth- day. During all of his childhood and school days he was modeling little statuettes of people and ani- mals and things of significant beauty. His parents were opposed to this on account of, as they thought, detracting his attention from his school studies. While yet a child, he formed the habit of going

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 173

Author: Davis, Ellis A. Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?] Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1262