The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-22

There goes one of the busiest little women in Birmingham, and one hold Ing a most responsible position" said the man who knows things. And through a doorway she fitted as ir sne might be walking Into her garden instead of up a flight of dingy old steps to the compos- i ing rooms in a Birmingham newspaper office. The door closed and the man who knows things talked on of the little wom- an who transacts as much business in an hour some times as the biggest corpora ton does in a week. Then the door open- ed and the woman who writes things for the newspapers got up from her desk and learned from the lips of the little busi- ness woman who fitted through the doorway so much that she could tell the man who knows things a great deal that he had forgotten
 But it isn't for the paper" said the little business woman. It might suggest an advertisement, and should not like" And this remark interrupted by the newspaper woman who never wrote an advertisement in her fife expressed the reticence and the retiring nature of the bright and interesting young woman whose business responsibilities seem en- tirely too great for her youthful ap- pearance.
 She is Miss Mary Speck and in the capacity of advertising manager of one 1 of the largest dry goods houses in the south she fills a most responsible posi- tion, one which seems unusual to be held by woman
 Five years ago Miss speok came to Birmingham from Chattanooga. where sre was employed by a prominent dry goods firm in that city. She accepted posi- tion advertising manager of the largest department store in Birmingham and only resigned it recently to accept a sim liar position with another large establish- ment.
 Just wlat the duties of an advertising manager are, what responsibilities such | position entails and to what extent the rerson holding it must rely on his own judgment and experience are probably less known and less appreciated by the general public than almost any other specialization, since a specialist is re- quired in the mastery of the many tech nicalties of advertising.
 Advertising has become such a fea- ture in the newspapers and magazines that it is recognized as an art and the space now devoted to it is so much greater then formerly that both the newspapers and monthly magazines as advertising mediums enlarge their publications in or- der not to entirely overlook their special literary features.
 In city the size of Birmingham some of the business firms aggregate $25,0O0 a year in their advertising This includes cnly the daily advertisements in the newspapers, an does not represent the amount expended in the printing of cir culars and catalogues. The smaller firms possibly aggregate anywhere from $5oOo to $l50o0 yearly. It will be readily seen | that the advertisement department of n business house could not be entrusted to any one who did not possess business | capacity and marked judgment The real responsibility rests naturally upon the heads of the firm, but, as the selec- tion of the stock in the various depart ments is left to the heads of these 9e. partments so the methods of advertisinx are left in the hands of the advertising manager.
 Miss Speck is the first woman in Br- mingham who has managed successfully | this end of a large enterprise. She has advertising rates at her tongues end, knows just when and how to advertise. and has such fine business acumen that she makes all contracts
 It seems remarkable that in one small head could be stored so many details, | and that in a few years time she has so completely mastered the system of advertising that she is considered to be without an equal in the southern states
 Tn a department store" said Miss of everything.
 For instance. tacks
 Packs down to face powder" she said laughingly. There isn't an item that you could mention-everything sold in department store must be known to the advertising manager. The special sales in each department, the silks the lingerie the millinery. rugs, draperies, curtains, toilet articles, books, stationary every
 
 the advertising manager and the heads of department have had conference, but where the head of a department is respon- sible for only his immediate department, the advertising manager must familiarize herself with the entire establishment in order to satisfactorily adjust the space In the newspapers.
 Tn addition to the newspaper adver- Using. said Miss Speck, "I have done a great deal of circular advertisements and this autumn I am going to be in charge of catalogue issued by my firm"
 There is really no branch of legitimate advertising that this bright young woman does not understand and understand thor oughly.
 M'LEoD-WooD.
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