Debbie Parker, age 12, of Visalia, Calif., for her question.

HOW DID THE BARBER POLE GET ITS STRIPES?

Hundreds of years ago a visit to the local barbershop might have meant more than just a shave or a haircut. Since barbers were also surgeons, a client could have a tooth pulled, or a wound dressed, or he might even have had some of his blood drained  a practice common in those days. Until a century or so ago, barbers performed surgical techniques in many European countries. Today, as we know, barbers and surgeons practice completely different skills and have totally separate organizations.

The white pole with the red spiral stripes was placed outside the shop as an emblem of the barber's craft. Especially useful for people who could not read, the white background signified the bandages used, while the red stood for the blood the patient lost during surgery. Originally the pole had a basin at its base, representing the vessel in which the blood was collected. Most American barbershop poles do not have the basin any more, and some of the poles have a blue stripe in addition to the red, perhaps in keeping with our red, white and blue Flag.