Triumphs & Trials of an Organ Builder
Getting to First Base (continued)
At some point during this time frame, the possibility of using an empty section of my father's textile factory arose.
Meanwhile, he had become accustomed to my "tinkering".
Because the basement of our home was becoming crowded, I opted for the factory; this turned out to be a good move.
The factory maintenance man, Norman Koons, proved to have innumerable mechanical skills.
Together, we designed an organ console on paper; Norman was convinced he could build the console.
I knew that I needed to somehow assemble a serious organ; one that could be played like a pipe organ, one that would sound like a pipe organ, one that I might even sell!
Well, I gave Norman the go-ahead to build the console, and he did an amazingly professional job.
Allen Organ No. 1 was underway.
His sixteen-year-old son, Norman Koons, Jr., joined the team as an after-school helper and proved to be quite adept at following the circuit diagrams and doing the wiring and other electronic construction tasks.
Within six months, we had the first, complete, demonstration organ using electronic oscillators.
I decided to call it the "Allen Organ" after Allentown.
In anticipation of completing the demo organ, I had prepared a brochure.
So, as soon as the organ was finished, I put on my salesman's hat, prepared myself for some selling, and took to the street.
One prospect was the St. Catharine of Siena Roman Catholic Church in Allentown.
They had a "pump" organ, and I thought I might have a chance at convincing the Rev. Hugh McMullan to give up this old reed organ in favor of the revolutionary, new, electronic organ.
My sales pitch must have struck the right chord because the pastor of St. Catharine of Siena bought that first Allen in early 1940.
In retrospect, I am amazed that Rev. McMullan took a chance on replacing the venerable reed organ with a radically different, unproven piece of equipment.
He might have viewed the instrument as just another newfangled contraption and summarily dismissed it.
Happily, he liked what he saw and heard; the organ was installed shortly thereafter.
I am gratified to know that this first Allen reliably served that congregation for many years until 1953 when St. Catharine's moved to a newly built cathedral next door.
Moreover, our relationship with this Church did not end there; but more on that later.
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