In the fourth grade (when we were in the portable buildings out back of the main school building) we were introduced to the Thompson "Flutophone" which would appear to be a 'cousin' of the Tonette. They were white plastic, had a red mouthpiece, were tuned in C and I think they cost #1.98. Each week, on Thursday, we would haul them out and squawk our way through an hour of 'traditional' music like "Down in the Valley" Our teacher was evidently tone-deaf, because she would always say "that's lovely, children," even when we were playing in multiple octaves (and keys). The exercise continued in the fifth grade as well, but (praise be) we didn't have to play them when we enterd sixth grade. By that time,the instumentalists had begun to play clarinets, trumpets, drums, etc, and the vocalists moved to choral singing, accompanied by the piano in the auditorium. Flutophones now sell on eBay for about $5.00 (but I'm not going to buy one)

Padre