The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-16
i $ IS
TELEPHONE NUMBERS SOCIETY EDITOR.
Met With Mrs. Bennett.

AsASV
The bapllsL married ladies Sun
Gay school class spent a most pleas
ant time yesterday afternoon at the
home OF Mrs. l.. NJ. Bennett.
Music was to have been one OF
the main features of the afternoons
but as the weather
was SO disagreeable those on the
program were unable to attend.
After the study OF the lesson,
which was led by Mrs. Sims, Mrs.
Bennett served salmagundi and
macaroons. which were enjoyed by
all.
Those present were Mr.. J. H.
Cammack, Mrs. A. Potts, Mrs. J. L..
Sims, Mrs. Fred O'Dniel, Mrs.
Hale, Mrs. l. N. Green, Mrs. L. NJ.
Bennett. The next meeting will Oc-
cur next Friday at p. m. at the
home of Mrs. Sims.
Woman Bank President.
There are several women bank
presidents In the United States. and
several hundred women work as bank
clerks In various parts of the coun-
try, but there Is only one bank In
America that is run entirely by wom-
en-. 1t is at Joplin, Mo. In the
Ozarks, a town whose great indus
try is the mining of lead and zinc.
Mrs. F. V. Church is the head OF
this institution, the Cunningham Ma
tional bank, and the entire inside
staff is composed of women. The
only man about the place--and he
isn't there very much-is one who
IS employed to make outside collec'
tions all over the town.
When Mrs. Church began working
at the Cunningham National, not SC
many years ago, she was a slip OF q
girl. Her hair was done in braids
which hung down her back. She
started as a bookkeeper, and was tbs
first women employee. Thomas Gun
bingham was the president of the
bank then-he is the principal own
er in it still-but he was a firm be-
lever in the efficiency of women II
business. When he was running
little store in Joplin his wife used t
come in and help him. Because o
his wife's aid, he says. his business
increased SO rapidly he was able t.
found the national bank that bear
his name. Mrs. Church, as time wen
on. climbed the various rungs OF th'
ladder. She filled every post in tn
bank. Through her influence. as on
male employe after another dropped
out, each place was file dby women
Now there are six besides Mrs
Church-two assistant cashiers ant
I four bookkeepers The bank ha
flourished amazingly under her man
agement.
Mrs. Church sits at a big roll-to
mahogany desk in a private office, jus
like any other bank head. To ne
come, day after day, the usual PRO
cession of people asking for loans
joplin, aside from its bank conducte
by women, is an old-fashioned town
and therefore all the borrowers ar
men. There are no women in busl
J ness there who have risen mig
enough financially to establish credl
relations with a national bank. Blu
to the men borrowers Mrs. Churc
presents as cold and calculating
lfront-though far more attractis
. one-as any financier in Wall stree
She examines the basis of every PR
posed loan with the eyes OF an e.
pert. She knows the resources ofJol
|, lin and all that part of Missouri. an
the financial standing OF every Pc
son for hundreds Of miles about. 81
> makes her decisions quickly. 1t
either ives" or mo- and whatevs
1 / answer she gives Is final and admit
Ioe NO arguments or appeal.--s