Fraternity-Testvériség, 1963 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1963-03-01 / 3. szám
10 FRATERNITY end of the day’s journey, he discovered that the pressure of walking had transformed the fur into a solid inner sole of felt. However, felt didn’t become fashionable until the fifteenth century in Paris, when Charles VII paraded into Rouen wearing a hat of felted fur, decorated with red velvet and a large black feather. Shortly after this grand display, the process of felting was in full swing, and has continued to the present day. Modern-day felt making still follows the same basic steps, using pressure, heat and moisture. Today it’s done with machines, not feet. Mr. I. Benjamin Parrill, president of Miller Bros. Hat Co., Inc., reports that one Adam fur felt hat requires six rabbit pelts, 90 craftsmen, 120 processes — including refrigeration — and 84 gallons of water before the finished product is ready to be worn. Felt hats came to the New World on the heads of the first settlers. Perhaps best known were the somber hats of the Quakers. They were not permitted to wear anything of a “frivolous” nature. The colors were always grey or brown, with fine details of pleat and flare designating the various sects. The Puritans and Pilgrims all had their own hat styles, as did the Confederate soldiers and the Yankees. As constitutional governments replaced monarchies, the social customs that had dictated hat styles faded. Headwear was accessible to everyone, and men were free to choose their own styles. Today, a construction worker is easily recognized by his “hard hat”, a baseball player by his peaked cap and a businessman by his felt chapeau. Yet the status aspect of hats has not completely disappeared. Look at the academician’s mortarboard. His rank is denoted by the color of the tassel and the side on which it hangs. Army hats are also classified according to the rank .... all the way from the private’s unadorned cap to the General’s full dress hat with high crown and gold braiding on the visor. Some men have become known for their hats. Golf pro Ben Hogan will wear nothing but a plain white linen cap. He has 24 of them! Remember A1 Smith’s derby and W. C. Fields’ straw boater? Hats top off a man’s attire. They come in a great variety of styles, to please an even greater variety of tastes — a far cry from the hats of olden days. QUOTABLE QUOTES A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in the experience. Elbert Hubbard An ounce of enterprise is worth a pound of privilege. Frederic R. Marvin The mark of a true executive is usually illegible. Leo J. Farrell, Jr.
