The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-09-20
lie AIT
Of Waiting

VI 41CAA4sAl
sgH2roRs u: r!o H5TELs rEkp
Many QUALIFICATIONS.
I,aeS HuEt Ne IIcea ssudentn OF Hn-
naaa aatnre fsaa llble 20 Control
son. Thetr TeHper snd sense Of
Eaunor-II sEpfass. csuest 60 Fat
rl,ere are aosat 1900 first
.cI.Iss walters In TIC t's:.ted States. ac-
,;ofq.In,s- to the pee.ielent OF the adj
iiIl.istFutio1 OF I.'C5Tion Geneyoise. IN
the United Strtes. b. the phrase
FIRST class waiter is meant one who
Is tii5roueIiiy yerse1 IN all branches
OF The trace. bes.Ies being able to
speak several languages.
Fsf-!!t thousand Of these men are
members OF LIE MIA Genecoiser and
are mostly French. Germs, italians
aud Austrfans Many OF them have
passed through regular course of
training, best exemplIfied by the "acd-
.demIe'' at FEiedewaldt, near Dresden.
Saxony, where everything is tauSht
which is necessary for the equipment
of a really good waiter. There the
student learns cooking in all ITS
branches and memories the endless
variety of strange and UNUSUAL names
given to simple dishes, in order that
he may be able to describe and explain
the contents to bewildered diners.
Wine lists are also perplextng puzzles
to many. and these must be carefully
studied before a waiter can venture to
recommend any particular wine or
special vintage.
sIf one ask the hotel walter about his
work he will find that he looks on 1t
as n profession, one which has ITS
standards and traditions and which, In
keeping with many other present day
occupations, has a worldwide or
9anization The average hotel guest
has probably never heard OF LUnlon
Geneyoise, or the international Hotel
Employee society, as it is also known
The first is the proper title, and, as 1t
Implies, the society was formed IN
Geneva, Switzerland. 1t does many
things for the quiet men in black who
serve the hungry in hotel dining rooms.
After having been thoroughly trained
and made competent to hold q place in
any civilized country the waiter IS
sure Of assistance wherever he may be,
from BIoemfontein, South Africa, to
Boston. On arriving in strange city
he has only to present himself ut the
offices of the association and exhibit
his membership book, which shows
whether he has paid his dues and
whether he was honorably discharged
from his last place
In case of illness. after mhn has
been a member from six months to i've
years, he receives So cents day. IT.
On the other hand, his membership has
spread over five years, the amount he
get; Is S1.25 day; IL more than ten
and up to fifteen years, SLIGO, and for
anything above fifteen years, 81 for
each day. In order to qualify rs n
member OF the club it is necessary that
1 candidate be of good character and
shall have been connected with the
lotel and restaurant trade for at least
TWO years. Above all, he must be
competent and experienced
waiter.
"a first class waiter is born, not
made" says n former head waiter of
he hunting room OF the Hotel Astor.
From the moment that II man enters
IN his duties as the most Insignificant
piccolo,' or omnibus we can tell
whether he is going to be an efficient |
servant He must be attentive with
nut being servIle, must be noiseless.
left handed and, above all, must be
.areful not to break things.
Even IL he has Il natural aptitude |
or the business the amount of care
nj instruction required to form him is
cry great. although his nationality |
makes much difference in the matter
rhe best men are generally French, Ger
nan or Swiss, and these have often
lad the advantages OF attending ncnd-
,mies or oven kindergartens estnb-
Ished ut foreign hotels In the off sea-
on, when they brenlS piates, spoil sn-
'erware and generally sustain parts In
universal comedy of errors, to the
,reat disgust OF the guests upon whom
hey practice their trade. The walters
in Vienna is the foremost in
he world.
"Knowledgc of several languages is
very necessary qualification, and
IardIy any scrap of general iuforIna-
ion comes amiss. but tact and dtscre-
ion are the walters chief virtues. His
ttltude should be that of soldier. al
Ways at attention., always ready for
he word OF command. lie should an
we" politely when addressed, keep ut
respectful distance fro:I the tn%c,
ct always he near enough to be easily
allied when wanted. In fact. Il really
ood waiter should need no calling, but
iul.e Il point of watching the guests
ace, so as Instantly to observe what is
ranted almost before the guest him
~.r los haa time to form u wish"
IN ;he hla-archy OF walterdom the
cad winter stlnIs first. Next comes
b., .sa4stsnt head waiter. followed by
M ..,.tnfasns' who supervise each his