The sun., 1903-12-06

Inere are many WoIheu III ->o" Avn" JN'S
now who support themselves by teaching
bridge whist and, Judging from appear
ances, the business pays. Strange 70 say
the male teacher is comparatively scarce.
There are two or three specialists In New
York-no more-who practically have the
best of the business in their own hands
FOR the last three or four years they have
worked every day and far into the night TO
keep up with their engagements, which nave
included lessons to women from ali over
The country who have been fired with the
ambition to teach on their own account,
As a result, fortune as well as fame mas
been theirs, for specialists always come
high One, who Is the son OF New YORK
clergyman, makes far more money in one
month, his friends say. than his father
over made in year.
This income is futher swelled by the
bales OF his book on bridge, which, last year,
Went up into the thousands. similar
Gork by another specialist reached sale
Of 20 900 copies In twelve months, fact
which shows pretty plainly that some part
bf the American public ia determined to
know bridge
Fortunately, though, for the ever grow
ing number of would-be learners OF bridge
whist who are not prepared to pay top notch
prices, the women teachers take themselves
and the game less seriously. 1t is asserted
shat few of them ever took more than a
hozen lessons from professional lin prepa-
ration for their work, and that there are
some who, after six or eight lessons, COM
pacently considered themselves fully
equipped to teach. Indeed, there is one
teacher who never had a single lesson.
more or less imperfect knowledge OF
whist and desperate need OF ready cash
were her st ock in trade when the idea OF
teaching bridge first came to her. She
purchased lot of back copies OF news
paper which printed complete directions
Tor playing the game, and studied them
carefully. with the gratifying result that
sre long she felt herself amply qualified
10 teach bridge. .-
Luckily she found some women who
shared her views, and with almost Aladdin
like swiftness she was presiding over
class Of eight, who took lessons three times
. week from her. This woman, like many
others now teaching in New York, is
eoutherner.
The path of almost every woman teacher
Of bridge, in sharp contrast to that of
teachers OF other things, like the three
RS, for example, is made delightfully."-
easy to travel. The bridge teacher in
variably is welcomed with enthusiasm.
She Is never asked to produce diploma,
10 submit to an examination as to her
qualifications. Few need parlor Of their
own, for the reason that most pupils are
eager to have classes meet in their own
parlors.
Best of all, most learners are wildly en-
thusiastio to get new recruits for their
teacher. and they do it. too. Women of
means and position, without even being
asked, willingly undertake to act as agents
for the teacher Of bridge. This is why the
bridge teacher never lacks pupils.
There ia one teacher, with a rapidly
growing clientele, on the upper West Side
who confesses that she owes her good
fortune entirely to her pupils and not the
least bit to her own push. Says She
"When l frst began teaching about two
years ago, l had perhaps half-a-dozen
scquaintances in New York, and they were
not people Of any prominence. l did not for
Q moment expect to make my living by
teaching bridge. Twas really looking for
clerkship of some sort and in order to keep
down my expenses hired small furnished
room without board, thinking / could
i've more cheaply by providing my own
food.
-One night my landlady wanted fourth
ut a game Of whist and came up to ask
n l would play. l said yes, and during
the game it came out that l could play
bridge.
AT once the hers expressed wish
10 learn and insisted that l should give
them three lessons a week for two weeks
That was the beginning.
Then each OF the three / taught told
her friends about 1t, and now have several
classes every week and seldom earn less
than 500, although l only charge $40 for
eirht lessons which is just about half what
the more celebrated teachers get. I have
given UP the hall bedroom and also the
idea OF a clerkship.'
Another teacher who has been in New
York only few weeks is already earning
an income sufficient for all her needs be-
cause Of the assistance Of her first pupil
4 woman Of some means who lives in a
pretty house up town.
Il have class at her house every morn
Ing" said the teacher, "and twice week
In the afternoon. am at liberty to send
anyone to Mrs. Blank to make arrange
ments and when ! am teaching, If caller
arrives, to ask about terms, ETC., Mrs
Blank always goes down to SEQ her
Perhaps the most surprising feature OF
the success of these amateur teachers is
the fact that some Of the least experienced
are booked, like grand opera star, for en-
gagements in other towns and cities. This
Indicates two things-that the craving for
bridge knowledge is widespread and that
outside OF New York teachers Of the game
are trif1e scarce.
At any rate there is one woman who prac-
tically launched herself into the business
last summer at quiet New England resort,
where card playing was the principal
amusement. Before the end of the season
presumably she had put by more money
than the hotel proprietor had, for the
weather-cold , rainy and detrimental to
full house-was just the brand to boom in
door games. At any rate bridge was
doomed.
And that was not all. There were
Western people stopping there, ono OF
whom promised that If the bridge teacher
would go to certain Western town after
the holidays she should have twenty-five
pupils to start with and all she could do
for at least six weeks. Naturally the