The guardian., 1955-12-03
Blue Eagle News
IN Barber Shon Chord


By Barber Shop Chord
Owner Jackson and his BE
tonsorial artists have been in
several huddles since the Ma
tional BARRIERS and Beauticians
convention held in Boston.
A boost-pricing wave was left
in the wake of that memorable
convocation. Nerves seem to
have been shattered, but nor
nal adjustment has almost
caught up with the artistic
temperament of all concerned.
We have witnessed the hide
bound crests of violent waves
with deep concern. The boys,
gals and old-timers come by
as usual to get their "hair-cuts,
hair dos, shampoos and shaves
in the same tactiurn manner,
disregarding boost in prices.
Below, are comments cleaned
from outside the BE tonsorial
gamut.
BARRIERS have to laugh at
lot of cracks but they never
had it worse than in the last
few days since boost in hair
cut prices.
Sure a haircut cost Is cents
in 1900 and now Pres. Thor
wald c. MacDuffee of the AS
sociated Master BARRIERS and
Beauticians of America pre-
diets 50 a haircut next year.
So what? says the barber to
himself, even if he doesn't
dare say 1t to the man in the
chair.
Do you know many rich
BARRIERS?
The whole Set-up of haircut
prices in Greater Boston is
enough to make a guy tear his
hair out--and the BARRIERS
would not like that.
You try to find the facts
about the recent. boost in hair
cut prices in Boston, and the
cause thereof and you cut out
a job for yourself.
At any rate, here is what
our notebook says:
Owners of the little shops.
Figuring that $1.50 a whack
would put them out of busi-
ness, are going to stick in the
80 cents to $1.15 bracket.
The whole confusing situa-
ton stems from the shortage
OF BARRIERS.
BARRIERS point their scissors
to the fact that since 1892
when the state law governing
the registration of BARRIERS
went into effect until the pres
ent, the number of Bay State
10.825 to 1900.
Massachusetts men get their
hair cut about once every 31a
weeks as a rule. Chances are
most of them will wait a little
longer with the price boost.
But the shop owners are out
to encourage them to get it
done more often. The've got
to pay their BARRIERS and for
their equipment.
A "unit" including a chair
and the big mirror, with the
shelves and trimmings-runs
proprietor about $500. And
i. takes az lot of haircuts in a
siX-chair shop to pay for that
equipment.
Part Of the unit price is for
the electric lather mixer-re-
placing the old shaving mugs
That have disappeared from
the shops.
Also with the unit is the
electric clipper, which most
BARRIERS admit is a boon to
the business as long as it is
used only for trimming, and
not for the whole Job.
Excessive use of the clip
perS destroy the tailor-made
effect of good haircut that
comes with comb and scissors, -
claim the more fussy BARRIERS.
Except for a close crew cut
BARRIERS in the bigger shops
put the clippers away after
the neck trim, proclaiming
that they are time saver but
don't do a good overall Job.
There are some $500 shops
of varying sizes-ranging from
the big ones at the Hotel
Statler and Filene's down to
one-man establishments that
are open when the barber
feels like it--ln Massachusetts.
There are about 500 Boston
and suburban community
shops, whose owners are mem
bers of the Boston.
The customer doesn't under
stand that there is more to
barbering than just cutting
hair or shaving" the shop
owner said.
While referring to the diff
cult oral, written and practi-
cal state tests a barber school
graduate must pass before he
can become an apprentice.
! Mr.. Burrone points to 800
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