A Look Inside The History Of Cooper Music – XIX

Just as with any business, there is a history. Where it all started, how it started and how it became who they are today. Long before the first "Welcome to Cooper Music" ever chimed the ears of a piano buyer, the history of the Cooper Family began. For the next few months, I will share with you, every Friday a special blog, containing the history of the Cooper family and creation of Cooper Music. We hope that you enjoy reading as Cooper Music is brought to life with memories.   

GUESS HOW LONG THE MILK

WILL STAY SWEET?

Until the thirties in the town the traditional icebox on the back porch was the preferred choice for keeping the family milk supply. Each day the iceman would deliver a new block of ice to keep the butter and milk cool. New technology and lower priced refrigerators made it possible for working families to consider this new appliance. There was some public lack of confidence in the new fancy “electric icebox”.

 John Cooper had an idea for a promotion to build customer acceptance in the new product and sell some refrigerators. New Kensington was the home of the ALCOA Research Laboratory. Employed there were dozens of nationally known research scientists. John set up a full size testing facility in the Cooper display windows. In the new Norge Refrigerator were placed, under lock and key, twenty pints of fresh Keystone Dairy Milk. In the thirties, other than pasteurization, there were no other milk preservatives. The only way to keep the milk from spoiling was refrigeration. However, the question remained, how long would the milk stay sweet?

John engaged the services of three young ALCOA research technicians to find out. Each evening, into the Cooper show window laboratory, the scientists would arrive. After putting on their white lab coats they unlocked the refrigerator, removed a pint of milk and began testing. The anxious, growing crowds watched daily as the experiment continued. The closest guess as to how long the milk would stay sweet would win the grand prize. Each day the suspense, the crowds, and the side betting grew. The lab techs were caught up in the drama, stretching out each evening lab testing to the limit with finally, the taste test. The winner received a new ‘fridge and each entry guess received a $25.00 dollar down payment certificate on their new Norge refrigerator.

The Norge Refrigerator Company, in recognition of the resulting sales, awarded Bermuda steamship cruises to the entire Cooper sales staff.