SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 1963
ft f
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON
New York Miss Nina Lawson, left above,
head of the wig division and chief hair
dresser at New York's Metropolitan Opera
Company, is shown adjusting a wig for a per
former. (UPI pholo)
Wigs Play Important Part
In Production of Operas
By GAY PAULEY
' NEW YORK -(UPI)-Once
upon a time there was this
tenor and soprano on stage sing
ing a love duet from an opera.
Suddenly, the extra curls pad
ding out the soprano's coiffure
began to slop off.
A pretty Scottish-born woman
In the wings watched benumbed.
She had pinned on those curls
earlier.
But the tenor with a stage
presence the girl in the wings
hadn't expected casually reach
ed up, took the dropping curls
and stuck them in his pocket. As
far as those on stage knew, the
audience didn't know. .
Today, recalling that incident,
Nina Lawson remarked, "I nev
er thought much of him as an
actor until then."
The performance was Verdi's
"Simon Boccanegra" by the
Sadler's Wells opera company
in London. Miss Lawson at the
time was in charge of the com
pany's wig department. Now,
she heads the wig division of
the MetroDolitan Opera Co.,
which opened its 1963-64 season
Monday night.
Anything Can Happen
She knocks on the nearest
wooden head block when asked
If she's had any other such
crises. "But, she said, "opera
singers are getting more actto
nnrh season on stage. SO ... "
Wins are as much a part of
the operatic world as tempera
ment, nign u ana nuaon Bins.
"Aida." which opened the
Metropolitan's season, required
54 wies for soloist and chorus,
she said. "Manon," coming up
soon, will require 135 full, head
covering wigs and 55 hair pieces.
Miss Lawson figured that in
the 1963-64 season she and her
staff will dress, and re-dross,
close to 1,500 wigs or partial
wigs.
The job stnrls literally from
the voots. Th-y weave the hair,
a few strands at a time, into
the wig base, much like doing
crochet, until the "scalp" is
covered abundantly. They dye,
bleach, cut ,dry clean, style and
set just as a beauty salon
docs. And finally, they help the
soloists get Into their head
dress, fastening It across the
forehead with spirit gum be
cause so many of the wigs are
swept back from the brow. The
sum does not show.
The Met, which used to get
its wigs from outside sources,
opened its own department with
Miss Lawson as cniet nairaress
er in 1957-58 season.
There are four on her staff
anothcr haidrcsser, Budapest
born Mrs. Charlotte Magyar
plus bakeup artists.
Yak Hair Often Used
The hair of wigs is both
human and lower animal, and
according to Miss Lawson, the
human type is getting scarcer,
and costlier, because of the in
ternational fad for wigs as a
supplement to women's ward
robes.
Yak hair often is used alone
or combined with human. She
explained that yak hair is
stronger and can better stand
bleaching.
Miss Lawson is a slim, small
woman in her early 30's. She
has strawberry blond hair "no,
I don't own a wig," blue eyes
and a pleasant burr in her voice.
Born at Lanarch, between
Glasgow and Edinburgh, she
graduated from a hairdressers'
college in her homeland. She
had worked for Sadler's Wells
in England and the Stratford
Shakespeare Theater in Canada
before she joined the met.
I asked Miss Lawson if she'd
had any problems with opera
stars, notably temperamental
types. "Not here," she said. "If
they get cross with us, who
else !o there to do their hair?
"I could just make a wig too
light the next time."
Homemakers Save
By Using Prepared
Foods, Is Claim
CHICAGO (UPI) - Studies
of individual convenience foods
have shown that items such as
frozen concentrated orange
juice, canned and frozen peas,
and devil's food cake mix save
the consumer money as well as
time, the Grocery Manulactur
ers of America reports.
By using such "convenience"
foods, American housewives
save kitchen work and also
about 7 per cent of the money
they would otherwise spend to
buy the raw ingredients to pre
pare the same dishes "from
scratch."
This study is based on a sur
vey ot 158 convenience ioocis
released In 1962 by the U.S. De
partment of Agriculture.
For every $100 spent in gro
cery stores for food, $14.03 is
spent for what USDA lists as
convenience foods.
If homemakers purchased the
ingredient items needed to pre
pare the equivalent foods at
home, their cash outlay would
be $15.10, USDA said.
Accomplishments of UN
Reviewed by Civic Club
Head and Toe
Party Given
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Duce
and Mrs. Curtis Neshelm won
prizes for the silliest hat and
foot wear at the Head or Toe
party held recently by the
Kiwanian Club. The event, at
tended by members and their
wives, was held at the Knights
of Columbus hall.
Table decorations were shoes
and boots, ivy and mils sprayed
with silver and gold glitter.
Large cartoons of feet depict
ing nursery rhymes decorated
the walls. Mrs. Robert Balk was
decorations chairman and Mr.
and Mrs. Willinm Slnglcr were
in charge of the program. Mrs.
Edward Barnctt and Mrs. Adam
Richtcr were general chairmen.
To Remove Gum .
To remove chewing gum from
shoe soles, take off as much as
possible with a wad of absorb
ent cotlon soaked In hot water.
Then saturate another with tur
pentine anu rub off remainder.
Two Books
Reviewed
ASHLAND-Fortnightly Club
members meeting Monday af
ternoon at the home of Mrs.
John Billings, 1140 Jackson
Road, heard two book reviews.
One was presented by Mrs.
Herbert Specht the other by
Mrs. Frances Worth.
During the social hour pre
ceding the program refresh
ments were served from a tea
table at which Mrs. It. L. Cros
by and Mrs. Forrest Lesher
presided.
"Is Anybody Happy?" by Nor
man Lobscnz was the book
Mrs. Specht chose to review.
The author takes a long look
at American pleasures and is
frank in his opinions of modern
leisure.
"Although Americans of today
have more time for relaxation
they seem to find little real
enjoyment," comments the au
thor, who asks the question
"Are we missing the point?"
Mr. Lobsenz combines wit and
wisdom in his analysis of mod
ern life in which long weekend
holidays find employes and em
ployers working hard at enjoy
ment that seldom acnieves re
laxation. Mrs. Worth read and com
mented upon excerpts from
Richard Gump's book "Jade,
Stone of Heaven," a work by
a member of the Gump family
of San Francisco.
The rare stone has ever been
prized in the Orient as having
magical attributes and has
many legends surrounding its
history. The book is a guide for
jade collectors who wish to
recognize quality and value in
the stones they purchase, said
Mrs. Worth.
' Hot Bread Topping
This cream - cheese - based
sweet spread is tops for topping
French toast, pancakes, or other
hot breads as well as for spread
ing on fruit breads, homemade
or otherwise.
Mash one 3-ounce package
cream cheese; mix 1 tablespoon
orange juice and teaspoon
grated orange peel, freshly grat
ed or from a jar. Gradually
work in 2'4 cups sifted powdered
sugar. Beat until smooth and
fluffy.
A good way to light the kitch
en counter work areas is with
a 30-watt fluorescent unit at
tached 1H to 22 inches above
each work surface.
ASHLAND Mrs. Elden Cor.
thell, chairman of international
relations for the Ashland Wo
men's Civic Club, Oregon Fed
eration of Women's Clubs, and
Mrs. Roy Nye, the state chair
man, were speakers Wednesday
afternoon at the monthly ses
sion held in the clubhouse on
Winburn Way.
From numerous sources Mrs.
Corthell read excerpts from ar
ticles in which accomplish
ments of the United Nations
were stressed and a report by
Mrs. G. Mennen Williams in
which she analyzed conditions
in Africa.
According to the speaker, the
UN has been effective in the
prevention of war in Cuba, the
Suez and Korea and has been
effective in stemming the tide
of Communism, bhe discussed
the program of UNICEF as well
as that of UNESCO and urged
the purchase of books and mate
rials offered by the two organ
izations.
Criticism Noted
Mrs. Corthell remarked that
in spite of criticism the UN
offers an opportunity for blow
ing off steam as well as pound
ing shoes. She confessed to
agreeing with Sen. Wayne Morse
when he said "The United
States is still pouring money
into countries that are now
economically stable and pros
perous, but we cannot .buy
friendship. Essentially all coun
tries pursue their own inter
ests." "Health and education are
prime needs in the new inde
pendent nations of Africa,"
writes the wife of (he assistant
secretary of state after travel
ing on that continent.
The state chairman of inter
national relations, Mrs. Nye,
continued the program with a
talk on the work of the Ameri
can Field Service and its im
portance in developing better
understanding between nations.
She told of the student exchange
program which has been so suc
cessful in this area over recent
years and called the young par
ticipants "Teen-age Ambassa
dors."
The AFS was established 16
years ago and now has 2,560 ex
change students from 56 coun
tries in the United States.
Learning of each others cus
toms and cultures goes tar to
ward influencing good will de
clared the speaker.
Closely related to the day's
subject and discussed during the
business meeting is the CARE
tea to be given in the club
house November 20 from 1:30
to 4 p.m. Mrs. Lee Cormany,
chairman, urged members to
take guests and to invite the
public to the benefit event which
each year raises funds to assist
in educational work among
children in foreign countries.
Literacy kits are to be sent to
needy nations serviced by
CARE.
Convention Reports
Mrs. Henry C. Dooms gave
a report of the recent district
convention and state board
meeting held in Ashland and
told of the projects being em
phasized in the state. Mentioned
as one of interest to the Ash
land club was the community
improvement contest. Also dis
cussed by Mrs. Dooms and Mrs.
Nye was the art scholarship
which is open to high' school
senior students, but based upon
work done any year.
Mrs. Myrtle Reed, vice presi
dent, conducted the club meet
ing and presided over the lunch
eon introductions. Mrs. Lor-
many was chairman of the
committee that served a cov
ered-dish luncheon in the dining
room Irom a tame decorated
with chrysanthemums and au
tumn leaves. .
Vegetable Cookery
To get the most nutrition from
cooked vegetables cook them in
as little water aspossible. Cook
them rapidly and take them
off the heatas soon as they're
tender. Serve promptly.
An aerial view of Paris inspir
ed this all-cottnn area rug by
Wunda Weve. The rug comes in
various hues, each one reflect
ing a particular time of day.
Today
2:30 p.m. Messiah rehearsal,
First Christian Church, 1900
Crater Lake Ave.
Monday
10 a.m. Beehive Club, IOOF
Hall.
12:30 p.m. Adarel Past Ma
trons Club, Jacksonville Masonic
temple.
7:30 p.m. Degree of Honor
Protective Association, Girls
Community Club.
8 p.m. Scottish Rite Wom
en's Club, Medford Masonic
Temple.
8 p.m. Chrysanthemum Cir
cle, Neigbhors of Woodcraft,
Eagle Hall.
Tuesday
9:30 a.m. First Presby
terian Church Women's Associ
ation Circles, Hope, Mru. How
ard P'-illips, 228 Sunrise Ave.;
Mercy, Mrs. John North, 2639
Hillcrest Rd.; Temple, Mrs. Otto
Frohnmayer, 1656 bpring St.
12:30 p.m. First Presby
terian Church omen s Associa
tion Circles, Bethany, Mrs. Walt
er Stockburger, 53 Ross Court;
Faith, Church Fireplace Room;
Grace, Mrs. Eugeue Ferrell, R.
1, Box 246, Central Point.
12:30 p.m. Women's Fel
lowship, First Baptist Church at
church.
Chapter AA
A report on a supreme PEO
Sisterhood convention will be
made at a meeting of Chapter
AA, Wednesday, November 13
at 12:30 p.m., in the home of
Mrs. R. L. Casterline, 45 South
Modoc avenue. Mrs. Florence
Durland, Grants Pass, will give
the report.
Support for 'Climbers'
Climbing foliage plants can
be properly supported by wrap
ping sphagnum or peat moss
around a broom handle and
covering with meshed hardware
cloth. Anchor the pole firmly in
a sturdy, tip-proof clay pot. You
will also find attractive profes
sionally grown climbing plants
that come with their own sup-i
ports of bark, cedar, redwood
or bamboo cane.
Keep Stairways Free
Prevent falls at home by
keeping stairways and passages
clear, providing good lighting in
halls and on stairs, wiping up
spills at once, fastening rugs
securely and thinking s-a-f-e-t-y.
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jefferson
School PTA dinner, school cafe
teria. 6:30 p.m. Lone Pine PTA
open house, at school.
7:30 p.m. Pioenix and Tal
ent Elementary Schools, open
house at each school.
7:30 p.m. First Presby
terian Church Women's Associa
tion Candlelight Circle, Church
Fireplace Room.
7:30 p.m. Jacksonville PTA
open house, Primary Building,
Multi-rurpose Room, Hueners
Lane.
8 p.m. AAUW, Rei Cross
Building.
8 p.m. Pythian Club, Mrs.
Joe Fritsch, 301 Crrter Lake
Av
8 p.m. Oregon Nurses As
sociation, office of Dr. J. C.
Luie and Dr. W. G. Bingham,
33 North Central Ave.
8 p.m. fivita Chapter,
OES, Central Point Masonic
Temple.
W'nesday
10:30 a.m. Central Point
Navy Mothers Club, Mrs. L. D.
Booth, 134 Alder St., Central
Point.
12 noon Misteltoe Club,
RNA, Girls Community Club.
12:30 p.m. Chapter AA,
PEO, Mrs. R. L. Casterline, 45
South Modoc Ave.
12:30 p.m. Women of Ro
tary, Mrs. R. A. Naumes, 602
Oakdale Dr.
1:30 p.m. Oak Grove Neigh
borhood Club, Mrs. G. C. Wint
er, 3595 Jacksonville Hwy.
7:30 p.m. Little Garden
Club rf Medford, Mrs. Herb Val
lee, 724 Alder St.
7:30 p.m. Phoenix High
School, open house, at school.
Thursday
12 noon Medford Sojurners,
Girls Community Club.
7 p.m. Washington School,
open house, at school.
7 p.m. Roosevelt school,
open house, at school.
7:30 p.m. Wilson School,
open house and PTA meC'-.g, at
school.
8 p.m. Past Noble Grands
Club, Girls Community Club.
8 p.m. Reames Chapter,
OES, Medford Masonic Temple.
Friday
1:30 p.m. Medford Fifty
Plus Club, St. Mark's Guild Hall,
Fifth St. and North Oakdale
Ave.
LADIES APPAREL Eveni-O-The-Year
CLARA & DOREEN
HAVE CUT PRICESI
DRESSES
SUITS
KNITS
PRICES
SLASHED!
SPORTSWEAR
COATS
We Feature Good
Selection in ALL Sizes!
"Only the Look Is Expensive".
A
You are invited to attend an Autograph Party,
Wednesday, November 13th from 2:30-4:00 p.m.
at
Meet Hedy Kraemer, Author of, "More Time Than
Money," the story of a retired couple's travels
around the world for 20 months on freight ships
Have 'Hedy' autograph your copy!
217 East Main Street
Medford, Oregon
NITEYNITE
WARM "TOE-TOPPER" PLAYMATES -fl i"
PLAY HOST TO SWEET DREAMS
M
Tip-top-toe fun In the newest, gayest,
toe-topping sleepers. Here's wonderful
Nitey Nite warmth, with frolicking
playmates at the tip of the toe, for
boys and girls and Infants, too. See
our entire selection of NITY NITE5
Sizes 6 months to 8 years.
Infants and Children's Wear
Downstairs at Modford Pharmacy
6th and Central Phone 772-6253
SCHOOLS ARE NOW OPEN - MANY CHILDREN ARE ATTENDING FOR
THE FIRST TIME! DON'T LET IT BE THEIR LAST! YOUR CAUTION CAN
SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE ... SO PLEASE .. .
Li m 1
V. .'-' :t-. ...
. Stonehonge Is the name of the design for this run. Inspired
bv the Sun Temple ereeled on the Salisbury Plain In Knglnnd
In 1850, B.C., this rug by Wunda Wcve drapiatlcally translates the
olrlt of the sun worshippers' temple Into striking color and
it :.s' w rN htv nra
DRIVE CAREFULLY around schools and clav-
grounds! Be on the lookout for children when
they walk to and from schooll Your vacation from
school children is over nowl
BE ON THE ALERT when you are near a school
bus. Of course, they have to obey all traffic rules!
But, give schoolbusses a break anyway . . . they
carry a priceless cargo!
PARENTS! NEVER STOP TELLING children about
the many traffic dangers! Only then can we hope
to help reduce traffic fatalities! One out of seven
fatalities involves a schoolchildl One out of ten
fatal accidents is caused by a teen-age driver!
O DRIVERS! DON'T HURRY when you drive! We may
as well face it! We cannot reduce traffic casual
ties unless we slow down! The lives of others are
in the hands holding your steering wheel. The
minute you may save, isn't worth the life of a
schoolchildl
HAVE YOUR CAR CHECKED by an expert! Any
car that is not in perfect mechanical condition is a
potential murder weapon! The few dollars you
spend may save a life!
Published in
cooperation with the Medford Traffic Safety
Council by the
Medford,
Tribune
texture.