Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

S e p t e in b c r _? S , 1 p / 8 2015 Girls Solution of ar Problem, Says Franklin WAR PROBLEMS We Are Asking Experts to Help You Solve Them AS we go further and further into the war there will be more and more problems that have to be solved by men in all lines of business, motion pictures included. We would not be justified in saying that we are giving you real SERVICE unless we helped you toward their solution. And we are not going to give you " arm chair " advice. With the draft age lowered to eighteen years and ushers already declared a non-essential occupation there is likely to be first trouble in this respect. As this is written the questionnaires have gone out to the men of nineteen and over and the others will probably be asked to respond within a few months. The ranks of the ushers will be seriously invaded as the result. We print here an article by Harold B. Franklin on the use of girls as ushers. He has found the plan very successful, though many managers have, after experiment, rejected the plan. His suggestions on the way that he handles these employes and his reasons for preferring them to men ought to be valuable. This is the first of a number of articles dealing with war problems. Another will tell the success of a theatre in using women as musicians. By Harold B. Franklin Manager Shea's Hippodrome, Buffalo THE war is gradually being felt by the motion picture industry, especially so as regards the obtaining of suitable employes. The new draft undoubtedly will require further sacrifices. No manager, however, should be caught napping. Now is the time for him to arrange his business so that no matter what may happen the wheels at the operating end of his theatre will continue to go 'round. At Shea"s Hippodrome as far back as a year and a half ago we anticipated the necessity of training girls and women for every possible position where they could take the place of men. Today we have succeeded in building up an usher system that is the last word in SERVICE, COURTESY and APPEARANCE. The result has proven so satisfactorv THAT WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER GOING BACK TO BOYS AT ANY TIME. We have found that girls are likely to be less obtrusive, more courteous and neater than boys, and when properly officered by a woman they help to create a pleasant atmosphere. There is always the probability of flirta Group of Ushers Employed at Shea's Hippodrome, Under Supervision of Boy Chiefs tions, but if the proper type of girl is selected this objection is readily removed. The telephone companies throughout the country have found girls better suited to the switchboard than boys, which proves conclusively that /if a proper system is installed a high degree of efficiency can be attained. Our first step in the engagement of a girl is to investigate her references, as well as home surroundings, so as to be reasonably certain that she is the type desired. We prefer girls who are neat, sans frills; in short, the simple home girls. At Shea's Hippodrome we employ thirty girls as ushers. We have found that a good class of girls is available for this work. Rest rooms are provided with private toilet accommodations. Each girl is carefully instructed how to diplomatically handle patrons. Each floor is officered by a head usher. It is necessary that a girl receive at least one day's rest during the week and that not more than eight hours' work is assigned in any one day. With certain periods' of relief, efficiency is expected. In return for good services, fair wages should be paid the girls. The better the pay the better the results. The girl in the box office has proven to be an improvement on men. With three girl cashiers we have been able to handle a crowd of 14,000 people in a day, without a single complaint or mistake in the cash. In the box office the manager requires girls of high intelligence who are thoroughly familiar with the meaning of the word " COURTESY." It is well worth while for managers to employ the most efficient girls for this post. Every patron of your house {Continued on page 2016)