Professional Hostess

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 19

Professional Hostess

(Written for "The Post" by Nelle M.

Scanlan.) LONDON, September 14. America, or at least New York, is banning the gigolo and the dance hostess. Tha provision of professional dance partners, both male and female, enabled cabarets and dance halls to cater for those who came unattached. Many abuses have arisen out of this custom, and the term "gigolo" had become one of contempt. New York is rooting out this evil, or at least has framed police regulations to deal with it, though the professional dancing partner, who may be hired, is still a feature of night life in Europe. ( The professional dance hostess is only one of the new careers open to women. •Many hotels have introduced the hostess. She will talk to lonely guests, and help them to make friends, and try to keep everything bright and happy in holiday resorts. A particular aptitude for entertaining is an essential. Hotels for children have already made their appearance, and the hostess is required to have special knowledge and training to fit her for the task of making the children's holiday a happy one. The air hostess is another innovation. It is the lady's duty to v give a cheery welcome, and look after any passengers who may be nervy, homesick, or air-sick. She presides at the teatable and dispenses light refreshment, and makes herself of general use by supplying information to travellers and making this mode of travel both pleasant and entertaining. A knowledge of languages and first-aid are necessary qualifications, and another advantage is tha,t she must be light in weight.

■ Some of the large stores are now installing a "kitchen hostess" in their hardware-departments. This requires a knowledge of domestic science, and -the woman must be a reliable guide in the purchase of equipment for the kitchen. She must know how to use all the new kitchen gadgets and be able to give demonstrations. There is. a. great lure about the new shiny aluminium things for kitchens, and a capable woman who can achieve a brilliant success with them is sure to make sales, even if the purchaser fails to repeat the triumph on her own stove.

■We have not yet come to the point, as they have,in Japan, of having hostesses on the buses. Here you may find a charming little Japanese lady ready to help 3'pu on and off and givo information about routes, etc.

Looking over these modern devices for making travel and shopping and amusement easy and attractive, one begins to wonder if we are losing our sense of adventure —of enterprise. The big cruising liners, which take casual holidayinakers about the pleasant seas, have installed hostesses to keep the holiday spirit going; to flog up that gala atmosphere, ,and organise sports with unflagging zest. Underlying it Js something of the theory with which we deal with children —keep them busy to prevent them getting into mischief. Many of these cruising passengers have never been to sea before. They wound the, sensitive soul of sailors by asking the way "upstairs," and call the stewards "waiters," and commit other heinous offences. They are not sailors by instinct or experience, and when massed j on limited decks for many long weeks together there is danger of explosion from internal combustion. The hostess diverts the lightning of jealousy, envy, |and bcredom (if one may term such mixed emotions as lightning) into the safe channel of physical activity and organised amusement. ■ What would the sailors of other days think of this planned diversion? Either you love the sea or you don't. When big liners vie with each other in luxury and in an endeavour to shut out, as far as possible, all thought of the sea, turning ships into floating hotels, the landlubber brings his tastes on board with him, and life at sea grows moro and more like life on land. Hence the liostoss to lead the way. , '

The hostess is rather like the. selfstarter on a car. She sets the machinery in motion while we sit back and permit ourselves to be carried on the momentum occasioned by her effort. But, thank heaven, thera are still rebels among the young who reject this readymade existence, and prefer a little independent adventure of their, own.