The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-12-16
HIS CCUPsIION GONE
The Barber No Longer - Factor u
the Bu~A World The WaIi OF
Sufferer

The Barrier No Longer - Factor IN
the Iiu>s World The NaIi OF a
Sufferer
Few people know the significance Of
the red. white and blue signs and pole
that decorate the fronts of harhe. shops.
The small boy sUppu>es that the Coiors
were chosen by the patriotic knight OF
the razor in the early day of the nation.
and many = children of Z; larger growth
coincide with him. The gaudy sign has
n different origin. however. and dates
back 10 the time when 4 barber united
with Is tonSOrial operations the occupa
tons OF dentist and leeCher,
According 10 the accepted accounts.
saws the Albany Express, the white sym
bpliz-d the Iather u. ed in shaving the
red stood Tor the blood accompanying the
extraction Of teeth, and tho blue repre-
snted the discolored hi Cd viii n was
removed by the applica, 4, a "a Ieeches.
The modern evolution il The division OF
labor has destroyed this triple trade.
however. and what was once done by the
barber il now divided between him. the
dentist and the physician.
IL is interesting 10 note how the dis
tinctjon between the barber and the den
fist has widened with the advance of
time. The one must now he an expert
mechanic, whose success calls for man
ual deNterity the other has advanced
To the rank of a scientist and his pro-
fession is rapidly gaining the same rec
ognItion and respect which Is accorded
TO the profession of medicine.
That the calling Of the barber is still
undergoing changes is shown 10y the
statements of prominent member of
tho BARRIERS Union 10 an Erpr'~S r.
porter r. Gently. In response To an in
terrogatiOu IS To the changes that had
crept into the business within the last
quarter Of century, the barber said
IS Few businesses have changed more
than ours within the past twenty five
years. The changes have been not only
in the business itself. hut also in the
style OF men who are engaged III the
business.
=" Twenty i've years ago over half of
of our business was in connection with
the dressing and curling Of ha'r. Men
wore their hair luEg and the fashionable
people had their locks deliberately Curlod.
We used To get from fifty cents TO two
dollars for curling hair. y gentleman
would have his hair curlsd on irons. and
with ordinary care the kiDk would re
main three or four days. Then he
would return for another operation.
Then. again. it was vulgar in those DAYS
for men 10 wear much hair upon their
face, and so far was this carried on that
no minister would enter the pulpit with
out being clearly shavsu.
The result was that the harher'S bust
ness WAS lively and good tarte-s were
everywhere IN good demand. Nova
DAYS men wear their hair short and their
boards long. and very few men negle,
10 cultivate The mustaChe. The sam,
CiaSs Of men who used 10 shave every day
or two can now get along with two
shaves a week.
The short hair fashion has almost de.
stroyed the shampooiug trade. b.cau e
the head has very little chance to get
dirty. and TO wash out the hair Is now a
very simple operation and Il largrls done
at home.
q. Is that the extent Of the changes ::
asked the scribe.
Scarcely. The introduction of bath
rooms and hot and cold water So eeuor-
ally into private houses has Just aJou,
killed the uublic bath rooms.
Formerly the citizens who could
boast of having the modern convenienCcs
in their homes were few and far between.
Now, however, il IS a very undesirable
residence which is not supplied with
these necessities.
How have prices charged :"
They are higher than they We're FoI
instance, before the war six cents was an
average price for "a shave, and even tho
best ShoIs seldom asked more. while fuI
hair cutting no one expected more ihau
twelve cents
- During the war. however. prices were
advanced, and they are still at war fig
Urcs. And. he added with smile
they u stay there.
The scrauer Of faces turned to lather :
red-faced customer. and tie scribe with
a . l4t ,f I.4Fr . IF..