THE SHINGLE ARTISTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1926, Page 4

THE SHINGLE ARTISTS.

A good many well-educated girls are now taking on hairdressing as a career. A woman who has had 20 years’ experience in running a hairdressing establishment says that it is difficult to get enough assistants '.writes L.J. in the “Daily Mail”. She herself gives a three months’ course of intensive training, and finds that girls come from various parts of the country ollcii with the intention of going back home to start a business of their own. Only a small capital is required as a rule, and sometimes two girls train together and then start as partners.

“ Beginners,” she said, '“arc not allowed to touch customers, and waving can only he made perfect by practice. The girls arc allowed to watch me at work, and you never can quite tell which girl will learn the work most easily. Then I give lectures in shampooing and dying and so on, and they take notes which they can keep for rclcrenee. 1 tell them everything I know and am not afraid to reveal all niy secrets! When they have started lor themselves they often write and ask for advice.”

A girl who was just finishing her course spoke enthusiastically of her chosen career. “1 knew I should love it,” she said. “Waving is a knack, and some people never learn it. 'lt is really not the iron that makes the wave; it, is the comb. It came to me quite suddenly how to do it just as I was getting discouraged. When a girl is trained in high-class hairdressing she easily gets work as an improver with a small salary and commission. The girl interviewed said that she intended to have four years’ experience before setting up for herself. More than efficiency is needed to ensure success. Patience and sympathy with the fussy or irritable customer are, called fur, also the tact which prompts attention to each customer’s need—■ helping her on with her hat and coat and inviting liar to hook another appointment in advance to save delay now that s'o mnv shingled heads must pay regular and frequent visits to the hairdresser.