1848, July. Theo. Presser born in Pittsburgh, Pa.
1864. Clerk in leading Music Store, Pittsburgh, Pa.
1866. Manager of same Music Store.
1869. Music Teacher in college in Ada, Ohio.
1869. Student and Music Teacher at Xenia, Ohio.
1872. Student at Boston, Mass.
1876. Head of Music Department of Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio.
1876. Founded "Music Teachers' National Association."
1878. European study at Leipsig, two years.
1880. Head of Music Department, Hollins Institute, Hollins, Va.
1883, October. Founded The Etude at Lynchburg, Va., 3,000 copies in October and November issues; 5,000 of December.
1884, January. Established Music Teachers' Bureau for employment, later discontinued.
1884, June. Removed office of Etude to Philadelphia, 1004 Walnut street, third floor back, made the announcement—"Theo. Presser Music Publisher and Dealer. We are now ready to fill all mail orders for Music."
1885, August. The plan of sending a package "on sale" music to schools and colleges was inaugurated.
1885, August. ETUDE price raised to $1.50 per year.
1886, September. ETUDE office and business removed to 1704 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, with first floor retail store. Editorial corps formed.
1886, December. Printed 10,000 copies of The Etude.
1886, December. First catalog of music publications issued. Opened a piano department, later discontinued.
1887, July. Purchased music stock of Martens Bros., N. Y., large dealers in imported music.
1887, December. 4,028 subscribers to The Etude, employees 5. Number of publications 250.
1889, February. Purchased rights to Dr. Mason's piano technic. Issued the first book of his celebrated "Touch and Technic."
1889, June. Took over the publication of the Musical Art Company, N. Y. (Robert Goldbeck).
1889, June. Purchased the catalog publications of L. C. Gotthold, Philadelphia.
1889, July. Took entire building (three stories)1704 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.
1889, November. Purchased the octavo publications of W. F. Shaw Company.
1891, December. First announcement was made of the monumental work, STANDARD GRADED COURSE OF STUDIES, of which more copies have been used than of any other educational music work.
1892, September. The last volume of Dr. Mason's "Touch and Technic" issued.
1893, July. Removed to 1708 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, in order to take care of fast increasing business, a building 22 x 150 ft., five stories high.
1893, September. The plan of sending "on sale" packages of new music every month, to teachers was inaugurated.
1893, December. Number of subscribers to Etude, 14,944, number of employees 15, number of publications 1,715.
1894, July. Conducted Summer School of Music at University of Pennsylvania; large enrollment from every State in the Union. Teachers, Lecturers and Artists included—Dr. William Mason, William H. Sherwood, Dr. H. G. Hanchett, W. S. B. Mathews, John C. Fillmore, Louis C. Elson, Dr. E. E. Ayres, Dr. Hugh A. Clarke, Frederick W. Root, A. K. Virgil, Charles A. Anderson and Edward Everett Hale.
1894, December. Printed 20,000 copies of The Etude.
1895, April. Purchased the stock of miscellaneous publications of the H. B. Stevens Co., Boston, Mass.
1895, December. First volume of the STANDARD GRADED COURSE issued.
1896, January. Purchased the name and goodwill of "The Musical World" from S. Brainard's Sons Co.
1898, October. Purchased part of the miscellaneous stock of sheet music of John Church Co., Cincinnati, Ohio.
1898, December. Subscribers to the ETUDE 34,403. Number of employees 38. Number of publications 2,372.
1899, January. Purchased entire miscellaneous stock of William A. Pond, New York, seven carloads—perhaps the best miscellaneous stock of sheet music and music books then available.
1903, October. The entire catalog of H.B. Stevens Co., Boston, was purchased, plates, printed copies and copyrights; 6,000 plates, including the works of such composers as Henry Parker, H. A. Norris and James H. Rogers.
1903, December. Purchased the buildings 1712-14, (five floors) 44 x 150 ft., double the size of building then occupied. Subscribers to The Etude 73,341.
1904, March. Completed the removal of the business and Etude offices to 1712-14 Chestnut street buildings.
1905, December. Purchased building at 1713 Sansom street, directly in rear of Chestnut street building, connected them by a bridge across Ionic street and used it as an adjunct to the business. Purchased catalog of publications of M. M. C. Walker, Philadelphia.
1905, December. First building for HOME OF RETIRED MUSIC TEACHERS was obtained and opened on South Third street, Philadelphia. Purchased catalog of publications of Rogers and Eastman, Cleveland, Ohio.
1908, January. Published issue of Etude to commemorate 25th anniversary of Etude and business.
1908, September. Purchased the catalog of Standard Piano Studies of R. C. Schirmer, Philadelphia.
1908, October. Purchased building at 1715 Sansom street, Philadelphia.
1908, October. The business of Theo. Presser was incorporated as the Theo. Presser Co., in order to better perpetuate it. Shares of preferred stock owned by employees.
1908, December. ETUDE subscribers 130,217. Number of employees 119. Number of publications 7,074.
1909, November. Purchased catalog of song publications of Geibel and Lehman, Philadelphia.
1910, April. Purchased the building 1707 Sansom street, Philadelphia.
1910, August. Prepared to build at 1713 Sansom street. Purchased catalogs of music publications of I. V. Flager and The Home Music Co., Logansport, Indiana.
1912, April. The Presser Building,—Annex, an office building ten stories high, 1713-15-17 Sansom street, completed.
1913, January. Purchased the stock and catalog of music publications of John F. Ellis Co., Washington, D. C.
Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers removed to Germantown.
1913, December. The present new building of the Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers was dedicated. Purchased the catalog of Songs and Octavo music publications of William Maxwell Music Company, New York; 4,900 plates, including works of such composers as Julian Edwards, W. H. Neidlinger, H. T. Burleigh, Harry Rowe Shelley, Homer N. Bartlett, S. Coleridge-Taylor and Charles W. Cadman.
1916, March. Purchased the catalog of piano publications of Lorenz Publishing Company, Dayton, Ohio.
1916, July. Established the "PRESSER FOUNDATION" to embrace different philanthropic undertakings.
1917, May. Purchased the catalog of music publications of E Witzman Co., Memphis, Tennessee.
1918, March. Opened Talking Machine Department at 1710 Chestnut street.
1918, December. ETUDE subscribers 217,805 Number of employees 269. Number of publications 16,200.
1921, January. Purchased the five-story building 1708-10 Chestnut street, giving in connection with original Presser Building, 1712-14 Chestnut Street, a frontage of 88 feet on Chestnut street and 145 feet deep to Ionic street, thus insuring for all time ample space and a central location for the ever increasing business of the Theo. Presser Co., and The Etude Music Magazine.
1923, May. Department of Public School Music added to The Etude.
1923, June. Purchased catalog of Brehm Bros., Music Co., Los Angeles, Cal.
1923, October. Fortieth Anniversary Issue of The Etude to commemorate the two scores of years of itself and the business. Number of employees 342.
