The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-11-14
W some WOMEN
RNEliiRE COUNTRY
endid Record Made By
Girls Who Enlisted in
the Navy.


1ongh there are no women at pres
enlisted OF enrolled in the Navy
layaI Reserve, there are numbers
are assisting the Navy Depart
t "a q civil capacity at various
e stations.
the file room OF the Bureau OF
igation where the record OF eV-
nan who has enlisted in the Navy
,ept hundreds OF young women
& employed to keep these rec
straight 50 that the Department
la have an accurate record as 10
Ne each and every man was serv-
during the war. This work was
died In an efficient manner.
the mail room of the Bureau OF
igation there is a branch post
&c where letters for officers anu
ted men Of the Navy are sent
the Department to be directed to
II proper address. This work was
RED on almost entirely by women,
the mail was rushed through as
idly as If handled in a regular
ernment postoffice.
when the war started the Identifi-
Ion Division Of the Bureau of Nav
ton had to greatly increase its
ce In order to classify and file the
litsation record of every man who
listed in the navy in order that in
Is Of accident his identity could be
medlately established. The first
limitation for finger print classifiers
held in New York city. There
re about 40 men and 2 women who
ok this examination. To the great
fprise Of every one a young girl,
ss Marie s. Dahm, % years of age
ssed number one in this examina-
ln, and was the first woman to be
rolled in the Naval Reserve Force
a finger print expert, with the rate
chief yeoman. Miss Dahm report
for duty on April 5, 1917 and re-
aimed in this office until December
1918, when she resigned and re-
fned to her home. She assisted in
very efficient manner in handling
g large number of Identification rec
Dis required tn be handled daily in
der to keep the work OF this Divi-
1n rp date.
Right after tie war was declared
was found pecassafy to increase the
roe SO that there would be u suffi-
an5 Number of clerks to CARR on the
1rk. The force was eventually in
easod to lis, about IS per cent of
1fch were women. AS there were
sch as. where Ire NJ. Of classify
s tti1I,r prints cvGt1 b. learned 1t
rs i!esails.v 10 ~ 2"hool in
& bur Al 10 teach -. Young women
rolled for duty in the Identification
EfscE Il: u t'w y search and file
ratification records. Miss Gather
Mary Spruce was assigned to duty
! this purpose and throughout the
II she instructed women without eX-
rience how to search and file iden-
ication records. This painstakin2
sition was very ably filled by Miss
lruce, and In a very short time she
d force Of young girls under her
70 could search and file large
mber OF Identification records daily
Miss Spruce is a young
u, being only 20 years Of age, and
III her assistance the efficiency for
Itch the Identification Division is
stly noted was maintained.
Miss Blanche G. Stansbury, one of
8 first women to be enrolled for
ty in the Identification Division, has
W become chief of ;A9 classifying
CUP. Thisyoung lady supervises the
lssifcation Of hundreds of records
ily and she is considered one Of
O. hest in the division.
Another young girl who came in in
I'll, 1917, Miss Elsie P. Schwarz-
Inn, has qualified as finger print
pert and Is now in, charge Of one OF
8 filing groups, having IL other
ing women in her chSTge.
Strange to say, all of these women
10 have proved to be successful
ye.heen either high school graduates
had at least one or two years in
IleSa. and they have proved con-
lsiyely that they can cope with the
installing work formerly accom-
shed by men.
AT the different aviation plants
roughout the country the Navy en-
,yed women to make wings for
roplanes. They covered wings for
roplanes with silk, linen, and Sea
and cotton and were classified as
brio workers. These accomplished =,
Is painstaking work in such an able
amer as to receive the commenda
IA Of all who had to pass upon their
irk.
Miss Emma Blount, information
lrk IA the Bureau Of Navigation, had !
arduous task throughout the war
furnishing visitors to the Bureau
Navigation with the information
~ desired This vOunp lady had to