“MADAME HOMER AS A HEROINE “Louise Homer, the popular contralto of the Metropolitan Opera Company, who was the soloist at the Symphony Society’s concert in the New Theatre,” writes a New York critic, “proved herself a heroine. SHE TOOK OFF HER HAT! To herself and to every woman in the house, probably, the big creation, or confection, or whatever it is called, which she wore as she came upon the stage was a triumph in the art of millinery. Mere men knew only that it hid her lovely face. If the audience hadn’t been as well bred as it was musical, there would have been a demonstration when she pulled out the pins, removed the hat and placed it at the foot of the conductor’s stand. Instead there was only an audible sigh of delight. Is it too much to hope that Mme. Homer’s sister artists will hasten to follow her example, and that the hosts of her sex who attend concerts and recitals may be moved to accede to the request of the managers: ‘Ladies will please remove their hats’?” The “hat question” would not down, but in Philadelphia the situation was nothing to what it was in Boston, for the management was obliged to put the following alarming announcement in the Programme Book: “His Honor, the Mayor, has notified the Management of Symphony Hall that, unless the law relating to the wearing of hats by ladies at public entertainments is obeyed at the Symphony rehearsals and concerts, he may be forced to revoke the license of Symphony Hall!” “THE HAT AT THE CONCERTS “AN EARNEST REQUEST OF OUR WOMEN PATRONS “A number of complaints have reached the Orchestra Association regarding the practice of women wearing their hats at the Orchestra Concerts, particularly at the Friday afternoon concerts, despite the notice printed each week in this program asking that for the comfort of others the hats shall be removed. This complaint has become so general that it now bids fair to result in a city ordinance, the same as in Boston and in Chicago, enforcing the removal of hats at all occasions of public amusements. This legal enforcement of what should be a matter of polite request ought not to be made necessary and the Orchestra Association earnestly asks of all its woman patrons that they will not permit this very simple matter to reach this acute stage. The Association would exceedingly regret to be compelled to carry out such an ordinance and it is within the power of each of our woman patrons to keep what after all is a matter of simple thoughtfulness within the bounds of politeness and consideration for others.” Hats today are small, but all the listeners are not yet converted. The next most disturbing element was, and is, the restlessness of the audience.