The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-10
A Woman Orchestra Leader

l l1GdOR years it has been one of the i Td evidences of the superiority Of
 masculinity over femininity, that orchestra leaders for the most part be- longed to the male persuasion, but what with feminism, in all its various and component parts. spreading it's gentle wings over the country, and women en. tering every field of activity from mo- tor drivers to aviators, the position which mere man" has graced in wield- ing the baton" has at last been usurped and woman, lovely woman," has come into her own in this particu- lar line.
 Birningham-always abreast of the times, and never tagging, comes to the fore with a clever and progressive wo- man orchestra leader. in the personality of Mrs. Blanche Robertson, who has l assembled her own orchestra and di- Tects it's maneuvers, and has achieved ar unqualified success both as leader and an organizer.
 Mrs. Robertson does not bespeak at all the idea one might ''conjure up'' of leader-because she has none of the 1 aSgressfveness, nor nasculinity that us- ually goes with that type; on the otrer hand, she is frail. slender little wo- man not the "clinging vine type" | would say, but rather the dignifie., firm, but gentle type, which makes for the respect. the homage, which that sort always demands-and incidentally always receives.
 Somebody said the other day when I was speaking of Mrs Robertson being she imagined the lady would have to wield very severe baton over the six men who played at her "beck and cafl.'s and when I declared that I felt she achieved her successful work more through kindness and womanliness than through dkity and superiority, the woman declared that one man couldn't be managed that way much less-six
 I never write a story about an or- chestra that I don't think of the story told about MT. Walter Damrosch the eminent conductor of the New York Symphony which has to do with MT. Damrosch's style of hair dressing. It seems that in his youth MT. Damrosch, when he played in a certain noted or- chestra, was often remarked upon as to his eccentric style of hair, wearing it very long, with unusually bushy "be- sides"
 thin haired violinist seated behind Mir. Damtosch in the orchestra used to take exception to the young mans coif- fure. He said one day:
 Look here, Damrosch. Why don't you get your hair cut? Then maybe l could see the conductor"
 MT. Damrosch answered calmly over his shoulder:
 Why don't you learn to play better? Then you'd sit in front of me-.
 I tell the story because it is applicable l to the fact that Mrs. Robertson has 1 played well enough to become leader | instead of tarrying in the ranks.
 My orchestra" said Mrs. Robertson | in talking to me yesterday about her | work" is very much indebted to the ! encouragement we have had ]
  the guest of MT. and Mrs. Hubert Scruggs i for the week end.
 Mrs. Eugene Smith of Sylacauga is the guest of her sister. Mrs Borden Burr, and Mir. Burr for few days.
 Mrs. S. F. Snedecor and Miss Lula Pearson have returned from a months stay in St. Petersburg St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Fla.
 Mrs. Robert Jemson, Jr., returned yes .erday from New York and Atlantic City, where she spent Easter with her daugh- -er Miss Virginia Jemison, and sons. Robert and William Jemison, who are attending school in the east.
 Mrs. IT. H. Cobb and little daughter nave returned from Tuscaloosa.
 Miss Beverly Leake will leave next week for Florence to be the guest of MT. Ii DA11 TT c11