Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-19
WOMAN BANKER TALKS
Address by Mrs. Church of Jop-
-. lin, Mo. lz.-
QUALIFICATIONS OF HER SEX.
Last Days Session of the st. Louis
Convention.
INVOCATION BY DR.. BITING
Ladies Were Present in Considerable
Force for the First Time of
the Meeting.
BY DR.. BITING

ST. LOUIS, October 19.-There was not
the usual diminution Of attendance on the
last day when the final session of the
American Bankers Association convention
was called to order this morning, owing
to the fact that the currency question hau
not come before the convention during the
preceding day, in anticipation of a session
that would be characterized by heated and
possibly acrimonious discussions, the full
convention delegation was present, and
many OF the delegates were accompanied
by their wives. During the preceding days
comparatively few women have appeared
at the convention owing to the program of
the entertainment occupying all their time
and attention.
President John L. Hamilton was tempo
rarily absent when the hour to assemble
had arrived and former President Logan
c. Murray, president of the American Ma
tional Bank. Louisville. KY, called the
convention to order. and introduced Rev.
DR.. W. c. Biting, pastor of the Second
Baptist Church. St. Louis, who offered
prayer.
The convention was addressed by Mrs
A.. V. Church. cashier of the Bank of Jop-
lin, Mo. on the topic "A Woman's Quail
flea tions Bank Official"
Mrs. Church said in part:
Inc qualifications of a woman In occupy
ing official positions In a bank are many,
and while do not feel that l posses all Of
them. by any means, yet l will endeayor
in the brief time allotted me to state some
of the qualifications as I see them.
The first prerequisite for any bank official
Is that of absolute honesty, and l believe I
am justified in saying that women. as a
rule. possess this qualification in a very
marked degree. Perhaps there are reasons
for it, such as their environments etc. but
whatever the cause may be l feel warrant
honest than men.
Sterling integrity is most certainly an
other qualification for the bank official; and
right here again l claim for woman that
she possesses this qualification In its high
est form AS a rule women are reared and
trained to bear themselves above reproach
ana lew or them would condescend to do
anything that would lower them in the es-
timation of their friends or acauaintances
or In the business world; therefore it would
indeed be rare to find a woman holding an
Official position in bank who would stoop
to do anything that would tarnish her name
or reflect upon her reputation. Not even
fattery or a division of the spoils would
tempt her to be otherwise than sincere and
honorable in handling the funds intrusted
to the safekeepng of her bank
We all cannot be bright, we all cannot be
wise and sagacious, but we all can If we
viii. be faithful and to be faithful in the
performance of the duties imposed upon a
bank official is one of the qualifications alb
soiutely essential, and surely no one will
deny it that of all the qualifications that a
woman possesses that of faithfulness is her
highest and best.
.--.e Need of Courtesy. ~
To be affable polite, civil, courteous is
most essential for bank official, especially
one who comes in contact with the CUSTOM
ers of the bank, and all Of you will bear
me out In the statement that many a good
bank account has been lost because of some
disoourtesy or nattention. and while 1t is
true that cur best bankers have this char
aoteristic, and some of them in very
married degree, yet 1t is also true that some
of them are quite uncivil, impolite and dis
ourteous-especially when It is the morn
ing after the night before and they may
not be feeling in the best Of humor. 1 hold
1t TO be true that woman by nature en-
bodies this characteristic, and that 1t is
exceedingly hard and unusual for her to
be otherwise than affable, polite and ex-
tremely courteous to all with whom she
comes in contact. This characteristic Is not
only desirable with the male customers of
the bank. but is especially advantageous in
dealing with ladies, who are by nature diff
dert, timid and retiring. Such a one who
might go before a man with fear and trem-
bling, would approach a woman officer of
the bank with as much grace and ease az
ing room.
banking institution being depository
for the funds of the people must of neces-
sity be careful. What the public thinks OF
Ii is what the people think of its officials
Therefore it is extremely important and
absolutely necessary that the habits, that
is. the general conduct, Of the officials Of
bank. be such as to commend the inS.itu-
ton to the confidence of the people who
leave with 1t their savings. 1t is not my
purpose to condemn the lives or habits of
my fellow bankers-that may not be best
for the good of their institutions-but l
think you gentlemen will agree with me
that the average life and conduct Of a
woman Is as good If not better than that Of
a man. Without disparaging man, I want
to say that believe woman possesses this
characteristic Of good conduct In such a
pronounced degree as to pre-eminently
qualify her for an official position with any
banking institution.
Womanly Intuition.
If time permitted could give other quail
fcations that woman possesses to make her
a good and safe officer of a bank, but l
will mention in conclusion justN one other,
and that is. I believe, peculiar to herself
l speak of woman's intuition; and while
I speak of 1t and dare to call 1t perhaps
her chief asset in business life yet 1 ac-
knowledge my inability to describe or ana
lyze 1t. Somehow, when the Lord made
woman he gave her peculiar insight into
persons and matters that enables her to
discern at once, without logical deduction,
whether man or proposition Is good or
bad. You may ask her why and she will
probably say because" and this NAV be
the only reason she can give you. and vet
/ will risk the truth of my statement re-
garding this matter upon the experience of
every man before me, II at some time in
his life. If not many times he has been
forewarned against certain persons by a
faithful wife, sister or mother, which would
have been well for him to have needed A
woman seems TO have the power to divine
the purpose that actuates or the insincerity
lurking behind an affable smile or cordial
handshake, and having this power of dis
cernment she declines what MANY men
would accept, and what would and has
been the ruination not only Of men but of
the institution they represent.
/ therefore conclude that woman is a
valuable adjunct and asset to any banking
institution, and that she possesses in a very
marked degree the foregoing qualifcat ions.
which here again enumerate: Honest in
tegrity, faithfulness. affability. good habits.
intuition and for that reason believe she
should be given such posts of honor an
trust. and believe that any banking instt-
tuition doing so would not regret the step
taken
Building Permits Issued.