The San Francisco call., 1898-05-18
BARRIERS HAVE
 4 GRIEVANCE They Object to Eight Week Graduates Ply
 ing Razors. Will Appeal to the Legislature for Needed Pro-
 lection. Are Strongly Opposed to Schools fer Barbers-W ant q Commission
 Appointed.

Barbers who have devoted years to
 learning the many difficult phases of
 their trade are very much wroth at the large number of alleged competent ton sorialists that are being turned out like grist from a mill by the so-called bar
 Der schools" and are making every ef- fort to do away with them.
 With this object in view, over two hundred knights of the razor and strop
 met at 115 Turk street last Monday night to discuss the situation, and the best way to meet it. For more than two hours heated debate was held and at it's conclusion a vote was taken. It was the almost unanimous opinion of those present that the only way to ob- viate the nuisance was to petition the next Legislature to enact a law similar to that which is now in operation in
 Minnesota and other Eastern States,
 compelling those who wish to follow the business to show themselves com petent to do so.
 During the discussion it was sug- gested that a commission composed of three competent barbers be appointed and 1t would be their duty to examine into the qualifications of every candi- date, and if he proved satisfactory to them a diploma or license be issued to Linn. Another object of such com mission would be to visit barber shops daily and examine into their sanitary arrangements. The law could be so worded as to make it compulsory for the head of each establishment to see that the brushes, raZors and other ar ticles be treated with slight solution of carbolic acid or some other disin- fectant, after the days work was fin- sh customers from contagion.
 The most important result to be achieved by the proposed law would be the doing away with the so-called par 1 Der schools" thus preventing the city from being overrun with incompetent graduates who have spent but eight weeks in learning the trade. The reg ular craftsmen say the novices have proven detriment to the business in more ways than one, such as opening 5-cent shaving establishments; working for cheap wages; keeping open all hours in the night and, in fact, doing many things to lower the dignity of the trade.
 A committee of fifteen was appointed | at the close of the meeting to visit the | different shops throughout the city and | get the signatures of the workers to the | petition, which will be presented to the | Legislature. It was also decided that the meeting 1Ornluldte dI OISdLiZdllOh and meet on the 9th of June for fur ther consideration of matters of interest to their business.
 An interested participant in Monday evenings debate appointed himself a committee of one to visit one of these "colleges" and assure himself that full fledged barbers could be turned out in such a short period, knowing that he had devoted a year or more to learning the ins and outs of the business. He was greatly surprised to learn that an apt pupil could learn the business in less than eight weeks. He was hand ed a contract by the professor in charge, in which was stated that for S35 cash the institution guaranteed to perfect the student in the trade and would furnish him on graduation with complete set of tools, consisting or two razors, two strops, comb, hone and case With such @ splendid induce ment, many have been attracted ana the college was doing a tremendous business. The professor" further en- frightened him by saying that from o'clock in the morning to o'clock at night there was a constant stream or customers who were willing to trust their faces to the trembling and aWk- ward fingers of a beginner, thus af- fording the students ample opportunity for practical experience. The head of the school stated that some months he made money and other times he was loser, but when the year came round he was ahead of the game. Material TOT tbe workers is attracted by a promise of free shaving and free haircutting and there is a constant stream or men entering and leaving the school. There are a few barber shops in the vicinity. but their business is hurt by the instr