The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-02-06
WHIST TABLE,
WHIST. AND HOW 1T is
TAUGHT
AND THE SALARY DE
RIVED FECM 1T.
A Genteel Profession for
Ladies'.
Breezy Sparks From Oar
Correspondents.
IN BITES AND CHUNKS OR
JUST As YOU LIKE
P!CH-uPs FROM TIE TABLE.

Items Of interest, Gu, stions. sug
gestions, etc. relating TO the gam
are solicited and should be address
Cd to J. J. Brannan, care Of Hook
ING SENTINEL.
About ten years AGO, almost accI
IDENTIFY, a few women began TO give
lessons in whist. At fist they JUS
drif,ed into It. Beginning i'll theil
own immediate circles, they founC
that there was 4 demand for such in
struction from outside which sCon
developed into regular vocation.
! THIS is the experience of some the
most famous of the American whist
teachers of the day, such as Miss
Gertrude Clapp and Miss Kate
Nhoelock, the latter being known
in the whist wor rs the "The Whist
Queen The>e lalics. as we'll as
Somc others, slend their winte's in
travelling from city to city, giving
courses Of instruction in the game to
individuals and classes. 1t is I'M
possible to say exactly how many
women are engaged in this way at the
present time. Nearly every local
ity now has lis teacher, professional
or amateur, although the bent seems
altogether in the direction of the
women who make business of it,
and their method seems to be the
most successful.
Giving whist lessons seems to have
al especial att action for women of
gentle birth. The game itself re-
quires education and delicate percep-
ton, and the women who take an
interest in it are usually cultured
and refined. The suburbs Of the
great cities. above all, seem to fur
nish special field for this new occu-
patton, and no one can help rem ark
ING that it Is there that this whist le-
vcr has taken its filmest hold.
Of course methods of teachers vary
exceedingly. Some use the text
books of Cavenni<h," as Mr.. Hen
rv Jones Of London, the whist writer,
is called, though Lis American devot- |
ces also know him by the more famil |
lar title Of The Master Some re-
~ upon oral instruction and the play |
of actual hands. 4 great deal de-
pends upon the teacher, 4 great deal
npon the pupils. 1t cannot be said
that there is any recg:ized form Of III
suction as yet. It may be mention
ed that Cne male instructor has adopt
cd The plan of Illustrating his lectures
by means of the stereopticon, with
slides repre- senting hands and plays.
This is a NEST effective way of reach
ing larce classes, but none of the
women teachers 50 far as can he
learned, has vet adopted this whole
sale method of instruction. Their
classes, in fact, ane usually confined
to four or six members, the lessons
in lenght from an hour to
an hour and half, and it can easily
lie imagined that tue physical and
strain that woman who
adopts this pursuit has to undergo
must be very great. Many women
IN the business, however. from autumn
to spring, have their whole time fill
ed W ith successive classes.
The financial side Of the matter is
worth noting. Of course there is 4
certain amoant of exaggeration
about the income thus earned. The
most successful women teachers Ct
whist probably do not make more {
than So, coca year, and to gain tl.is
hey are obliged to travel from place
10 place and are at more or less ex- (
pense. Those WHO lave the highest
reputation get about dollar and a
half a lesson, and from that prices
shade down, depending upon the To-
:ality, and the enthusiasm as we'll as
he vogue OF the instructress. One
.urious fact is that in a great many |
faces women of society not under
my necessity Of earning their living
lavc entered into competitor with their ]
ormcr instructors in the game, max '
no an excuse for it that the profes- 1
:onal woman "nurses' her pupils.
The hard times of the last few years
lave naturely increased this class of t
instructors, while the ever widening e
# the circle in which modern whist is t
ppreciated seems to make business n
or all. t
In these days when women are 4
eeking in every way for means Of in
dependent existance, it is remarkable
hat mere rastlme like whist could j
ford them such an opportunity of il
arninga liv!ihood in an agreeable
manner. These woman professors Of
he game are certainly making whist t
la. ing by correct principles an al g