CORPORATIONS: Black Batches & Beards

When he went to New York on a business trip recently, William W. Smith II, the president of Smith Brothers Cough Drops, was refused a hotel room until he paid in advance. The reason was his scraggly beard, which made him look like a vagrant.

Last week Smith's beard was in bushy bloom. So, after three embarrassing months (during which one man was mistaken for an escaped convict), were the beards of many males in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. To go with them, womenfolk dragged out their grandmothers' dresses. With beards, bustles and a banquet,...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!