New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-17
MAJESTIC WOM4N USHERS
Theatre Experiment Process Sac
ceSSfuL at Matinee.

TIE experiment OF John s. FIaherty, manager Of
the Majestic Theatre, in substituting girl ushers
n szShes for the regulation boy ushers in buttons
was FOrsd success by the majority Of the patrons
81 yesterdays matinee. the first trizI Of the new
order.
Al the main entrance, just inside Mr.. FIahertv's
front door. stood Miss Miriam Foster The idea
~ Erl ushers originated with Miss Foster and
accordingly. Mr. FIaherty made her head usher
As fast as the check holders came On they were
dispersed 10 right OF left. and not once did the
new head usher taIte- OF bIunder OF snap At q
patron who did not hear the first time or insisted
going The wrong way And down each OF the
four ais-es OF the orchestra her assistants, the
seven young women ushers. Iabored, seating people
as fast as their feet could trot-
Mistakes Oh. yes. of course, they made some.
The rgLt side OF the house Seemed shoodooed' IN
ths respect. for there The majority OF blunders IN
ssaung occurred, and people accumulated in the
slEies before the UEhers could attend 10 then
when bought these seats they said they were
in The fourteenth row hack and now they're trying
70 p-t ne in The nineteenth row exclaimed q
woman, excitedly. charging John II. LUckens, the
head usher. Of The male stan, angriy. He sent 4
boy usher 10 right her grievance. For. although
ne new Cshers were Oh duty. the regular star
was there, toe. 70 coach them The boy ushers
stood and looked On III appealed 10. then they
helped with more cordially than their united pro
test 10 The manager against women ushecs would
seen 10 imply
We object 70 women ushe-s. and VIII not work
VIII tnern. We have 10 union. but VIC have de-
COED 10 strike Il those women are put in here"
hey had written 10 Manager F1aherty
Al the girls were g. black I've who had NOT
nae Tine 10 SET their things ready. wore coIored
waists Eacn wore as DISTINGUISHING badge 2
- O broad crimson satin r-550n draped grace
---y from Under the right arm over the left
Ano1-oer' where II was TED IN q bow and ends
In nOt neW 10 theatre" SAID Miss Foster
curing Pause, I've been treasurer OF theatres
IN 1l-cagO and Philadelphia assistant MANAGER in
Doth Nose clues, theatrical press agent and usher
= nave also been an acrress-in fact there are few
-1--ss have nor been, except a newspaper wo-
1S1- On, yes and then 4 was a bookkeeper. I
NaS born Ia Wisconsin, and I haven't been To
scnoo- since was rea years old. IN q gelf-rnade
woman"
az fLzasrry prcfezzed himself satisfied with the
~ NE new uslers had taken ho!o.
Considering that these young women had only
49, --leeI minutes II which TO get acquainted
- NE house and the location OF the numbers
7-o-e o-r patrons began 10 arrive this Afternoon
le SAD \ think tley have done extremely well
@--el' III tact, L-aH green boys whom we have
Nao lave done ol their first night. Their success
~ taxing IL Up pieases particularly. because it
1-alS ms oil In NY prediction THAI girls would
NE more l--lstalllg and conscientious Ushers
r. Lis Young fellows commonly employed rs
- 90 course. VOu understand IL IS ID expert
SC We are gol-4S 10 give tEeIn three perform
- - - y -4ca 70 snow NEat taey Can o. ana II
-'--e-i--s 70 earn - last IS tney rave lbs
t--7l-o-1 ana our patrons approve Of them We
ne-t would naturally depend largely on the selec-
LyA G. tie girls They must have intelligence,
some breeding ana considerable tact, and must be
modest ln Lnelr deTleaUOr and appearance. In
lac- t-ey must De Lrst-cLsSs EraZsn women would
Aol Oily De C1staSyefLls bit would defeat the OBJ
.ect tor which they Ire e1gaged-the greater com
4ofl 90 TIE women and children. Tor whom The
lseaLre especi6 liy caters. Cur employees on both
socs ~ he fOOlisnts are OF go'd character Ii Il
scSLcs. should attach 10 the name OF Of them
Te would discharge him OF ner immediately, in
stead making capital OIL OF H. as IS often done
Il Inc young s1OUl1 prove = drawing cLrd
2 zen who would come here Tor the purpose or
IMITATION. the experiment would be considered 10
16ye failed and w should nave 10 return 10 boy
lElFrE
IN reply 20 the question whether he thought the
act that women were 10 be the usheTs at Wednes-
Jays matinee had attracted men 70 the theatre
~ FIaherty said: No. but ! think II has at
lscte5 the women. Nearly every woman who has
VIE IL has said. oh. isn't this nice Iney Ike
te way girls smile on them. Boy usheEs per
On -heiF cuties in very perfunctory way, ex-
o.If they happen 70 be parLl cllarly capable, and
Nnen they don't usually stay ushers very long The