Local Barbers Help Fight Inflation, Hold Price Line

Steel may be up. Food may be up. Wages may be up. But, contrary to rumors, haircut prices in Harvard Square shall not be moved, according to the local tonsorial community.

Owners of the four main barber shops in the Square said yesterday that they had no intention of raising haircut prices in the forseeable future. Boston newspapers have been playing up the fact that some members of the Massachusetts Master Barbers Association had announced that they would raise haircut prices from $2 to $2.25.

"I can't speak for any other areas, but I know of no shops in the Square who are going up," said Charles F. Ferranti, owner of the Harvard Barber Shop.

A sign currently in the window of the shop expalins that "in recent extended negotiations with Gardner Ackley, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Willard Wirtz, secretary of Labor, were we persuaded not to aggravate the current inflationary trends in the national economy? Yes! Haircut prices shall remain the same."

Spokesmen for the Holyoke Barber Shop, Laflamme's and the University Barber Shop also said that they would keep prices at $2.

"We like students and know they don't have much money," said Al Moloney, co-owner of the University Barber Shop.

Sort of gives you a warm glow, doesn't it?