The New York herald., 1922-01-01
War Brought Vast
Number of Feminine
Workers Into Hither-
to Uninvaded Field
Many of Them Made
Good and Stayed

Art War Relief Surgical Work headquarters
at 661 Fifth avenue an organization of
painters writer's and sculptors. Previous to
the war she had written number of short
stories and articles and had published book
for children.
Dotted about New York to-day there are
so many women bank officials that 1t isn't
1T all possible to take a complete census.
Miss Virginia d. Fl. Furman is an executive
with the Columbia Trust Company. Miss
Melissa Smith is an assistant secretary with
q trust company. Mrs. George Crainer
Dodge who has been for some time with
the Bigelow State Bank. is now in the bond
department of Bigelow & Co. Miss Martha
c. Sears is manager of the womens depart
ment of the Bank of the United States. Miss
Minna Brueres is with the Union Trust
Company of New York in the women's de-
partment.
Many New York women who have chosen
financial careers have associated themselves
with bond houses and banking firms. Mrs.
Jacob Refs is with Bond Bright & Co. Miss
Alice Houston is with Brumlegh. Cham
berlin & Co.
Perhaps the most recent addition to the
ranks of local women financiers is Miss
Alexa Stirling Of Atlanta, Ga. Until the
late fall Miss Stirling never moved very far
away from a golf course. She was five
times woman golf champion of the United
States and occasionally she annexed the
Canadian crown. Now Miss Stirling is
bond saleswoman and is making no future
plans for golf championships.
Miss Adele H. Kirby is assistant secretary
and treasurer of the Plainfield Trust Com
rany, Plainfield, N. ]. Miss Kirby delivered
an address at the annual convention of the
New Jersey Bankers Association held at
Atlantic City in 1918.
II iS peceSSary outside of the metro
politan district to find women bank presi-
dents. In the South and the West women have
been in the banking world for several years
AS early as 1912 there were enough women
bank officials in Texas to warrant the for
nation Of the Texas Women Bankers Asso-
citation. A few years ago Illinois, Iowa and
Kansas had more women bankers than any
of the other States.
The first woman official in Atlanta was
Miss Jay Spencer Knapp, who had been
connected with the Lowry National Bank for
seventeen years. She was made assistant
cashier In indianapolis Miss Grace Jack
son worked up from stenographer to cashier
in the Meyer -Kiser Bank. In 1914 she
was elected to the presidency. Mrs.
JEANNE Kafka was elected member Of the
board of directors of the Citizens Savings
Bank Of Washington d. c., in recognition
of her successful commercial career
AS far as the available records CO. the
first bank in the country to be founded and
run exclusively by women is the First
Women's Bank of Tennessee. at Clarksville,
Tenn 1t was founded by nine women and
opened its doors to the public on October 6.
1919. The first days deposits amounted to
100000, which exceeded the capitalization by
$4,000 The Chemical National Bank is the
New York correspondent.
Women's Bank in Tennessee
Has a Woman President
Mrs. f. ]. Runyon, the wife of a prom
inent Clarksvlie physician, is the president
and was one of the leading figures in found
ing the bank. During the war Mrs. Runyon
was active in various organizations. With
the close of the war she looked around for
something more to do. She consulted with
the president of one of the local banks
why don't you start a bank?" suggested
the official.
"All right" said Mrs Runyon. How do
you start q bank?"
Apparently the banker must have told her
all about the game for in short order Mrs.
Runyon had group of women interested
and ready to go ahead with the project. The
capital stock was all subscribed and the
bank organized before the public learned
through a local newspaper that Clarksville
was to have q first women's bank in Ten
nessee. Mrs. Matt Lyle, the wife of an at
torney. was elected cashier and Mrs. Ernest
Elder was the first vice-president.
The annual statement at the end of the
first year showed that the bank was doing
a thriving business. Among the banks Gus
toners there was a fair proportion of men.
The bank does an extensive baby business
in the savings department Mrs. Runyon
inaugurated the practice of sending letter
to each new born child in the community
The letter ran as follows:
DEAR LITTLE CHARLIE:
You are beginning life just as we are, and
we writing you this letter to say
that we think II would be splendid idea for
you to start savings account with the
First Women's Bank in Tennessee-in fact
the first womens bank In the United States
Then when you get grown up and we get
grown up you will have a nice account to
start your grown-up life with. for we will
pay you three per cent on all the money
you put in that department of the bank"
The First National Bank Of Lidgerwood. n.
d., is operated entirely by women, although
whether not II was founded by women Is
not written down on the records. The bank
celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 1921
Miss NJ. o. Movius Is the president. Miss
Agnes j. Olsen is the cashier
The Industrial Savings Center Association
at st. Louis is run for women by women
The entire office force Is composed of women
and II is the boast Of the q. .-enization that
even women scrub the floors. Ohvia Brugge-
man serves as its president.
Iowas first woman savings bank president
was Mrs. Teresa McElhenny Trumbauer
Shd was elected president of the Security
Savings Bank at Waterloo. Iowa
In figuring the number of women who
have risen TO positions of trust in the bank