[ Ref. Piotr Barcz in 250903 MMDigest ]

I was very dismayed today when I read that MMD had shifted from
publishing facts to publishing musings and conjectures. Integrating
"authors" by publishing their speculation bruises the reputation of
the august publication.

MMD, which I highly value and rely on, does a great disservice to
learning by publishing these unsubstantiated tidbits, as, without a
single scrap of evidence, such presumptions, theories, and suspicions
have a way of being read as facts. To the less careful or scrupulous
reader or researcher, these suppositions enter the literature and
cloud the waters of truth, because an appearance in MMD has given
them an air of integrity.

A 20-minute Google search revealed the following about musical Ruth
Ferguson in the 1930s:

A Ruth Ferguson was head of the Music Library at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison from 1944-1959 (University of Wisconsin Archives);

A Ruth Ferguson was featured as pianist at a National Symphony
Orchestra benefit concert, accompanying singers and playing solos.
(Washington Evening Star, March 16, 1941);

A Ruth Ferguson was featured as pianist at the Catholic University
Music Department, accompanying singers and playing solos. (Washington
Evening Star, May 8, 1938);

A Ruth Ferguson graduated from Connecticut College in 1930, where she
would later join the dance faculty. (Connecticut College Alumnae News,
December 1953);

A Ruth Ferguson played a piano solo for the commencement ceremony near
the Eastman School of Music. (The Madigraph, Volume 9, January, 1931).

As a professional musicologist, all things considered, I doubt that
any of these women cited above are one and the same as the piano roll
artist in question. But I hope that these references prove a point:
a hypothesis is not an end point, but only the starting place for
further research!

I agree that the MMD author is likely correct in his assumption
that the name "Ruth Ferguson" is a Milne pseudonym. (In Charles Davis
Smith's excellently researched books, "The Welte-Mignon: Its Music and
Musicians" and his "Duo-Art Piano Rolls", this association is all but
confirmed.)

However, MMD's absolute lack of any academic rigour or documented
proofs of such a supposition are below the standard they should be
setting, no matter how "pretty much dead certain" about such details
the author asserts. Might I suggest that the next time any such future
author decides to open her/his mouth, perhaps s/he should first open
a book.

Adam Aceto
Winter Garden, Florida

[ Adam wrote earlier about possible Frank Milne pseudonyms and
[ piano roll scholarship. See
[ https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/202207/2022.07.18.02.html 
[
[ Established in April, 1995, MMDigest is an informal, moderated
[ discussion forum conducted via email instead of face-to-face.
[ We have no standards other than civility and common courtesy.
[ Thanks, Adam, for sharing your thoughts with us. -- Robbie