New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
The Husbands Help

Often these masculine. "silent
partners" have more to do with
their wives success than Is credited
to them. In one way or another they
make it possible for the wives to
give time to work outside the home.
In the cases of some of our most
widely known women, women whose
careers are nationally and inter
nationally known, the husbands are
real persons, big men in other or in
the same lines of work in which
their wives are successful. And in
such instances do the women point
10 their husbands as accounting
for their success.
Every success l have had, all
the progress l have made | owe to
my wife" is often the statement of
the successful man.
"My husband is the one who made
my career possible and furthered
every step took" say some Of the
successful women.
In the world Of the opera and Of
the drama the women whose careers
were developed and aided by their
husbands are most outstanding.
Happy marriages are often con-
sidered rarity among these artists.
But whether this is a rule or
whether the publicity which an
nounces the smallest troubles at
tendant upon these persons lives
simply emphasizes their difficulties is
question. ., 1t is doubtful whether
artists and opera singers average
any more marital unhappiness than
ordinary citizens.
Louise Homer, for several years
leading contralto at the Metropoli-
tan Opera, is known throughout
the country as happy wife and q
devoted mother. Her husband,
Sidney Homer, is a person in the
musical world whose achievements
may even surpass that Of his wife
IN the eyes Of some musicians. He
Is composer and an integral part
vt the development Of American
music.
Nine. Homer's Tribute
"My husband is entirely respon-
tible for my career" said Nine.
Homer once in discussing her work,
IF 1t had not been for him I prob
sbly should never have gone any
turther than church singing, or per
baps concert singing.
None of the members Of my fam
Iy had ever been professional sing
ers, although we always had a great
deal of music in our home. My
sather and brother were fond OF
Singing. My father was a Presby-
terian minister. His sister had a
beautiful voice, being the one to
start the hymns in the church in the
Old days when organs were con
eldered too worldly for church use
by certain Presbyterians."
Nine. Homer's family moved tc
Minneapolis when she was a little
girl. The memories that stand out
IN her mind all have to do with sing
ing. Concerts and cantatas and mu-
bic festivals were the events Of hel
ehlldhood When she was only four
Teen years old she sang in Ruth
and Naomi" taking not only he1
own part, but that Of one Of the
men who was unable to attend the
performance. She had learned the
whole cantata so we'll that it is prob
able she could have sung the whole
'mng had any Of the others failed
round a Husband. Too
Louise Homer was still yer,
young when she went to Boston tt
study music. A married sister livet
'aere and it was thought perfectl!
respectable for Louise to live at he7
a0me and take voice lessons. It i
.oubtful whether she would hav'
ssen permitted to have gone to F,
slg city alone.
Voice lessons she took, but in /,
mort time she became dissatisfie,
"isa study simply in singing. Sh'
seis the need Of more foundatio,
WORK. Her sister suggested that sh
sssuay harmony and counterpart
sn's was just what Louise believe,
quo needed, and with her sister sh
~sp'ied for lessons to the bes