The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-28
HEADS Of
FUTURE BEING
TRAINED NOW
Younger Men in Financial In
stitutions Taught ''HoW
to Meet People"
By RICHARD HATTON

VIII they De trained! what sort OF
business men viii they make, what
sort Of bank officials? These quss-
ticns are important, not only to the
present generation, but to those
who will follow the present genera.
ton and carry on the bank connec.
tions already established or to be
established.
Today the heads OF the banking
institutions in Washington are well
known to the banking public. A
great majority OF the bank presi-
dents of today grew up in Wash.
irgton and passed through the sew.
era! stages of bank work before ar
irving at the supreme command.
Others came to Washington to head
great financial institutions after
esta blishing enviable records in
other fields. Taken as a whole the
leading bank officials in this city
today, presidents, vice presidents
ard cashiers represent the very
highest type OF financier, courteous.
affable, thoroughly trained to the
Job and representative of the best
manhood as found In the business
life Of the country.
IF the banking public does MOI
know the bank presidents and othe"
high officials it Is not because these
gentlemen are surrounded by barbed
wire entanglements. Bank offici ais
are the easiest men in the business
world to meet and the mos.
gracious. The amount of time
given by the average bank official
to the other fellows problems AMI
troubles is beyond measurement.
The interest taken by bank officials
In the affairs of their clients is al
ways helpful and unselfish
New Generation Coming Up
IN the ordinary course of human
events the big men in the financial
life of the city win pass their work
generation, even now, in training to
take over the tremendous job OF
directing the financial future of the
city and its business. Even as did
most of the older bankers this new
generation is already working is
way up through the many depart
rnents and the various grades that
exist in large financial institutions.
There are innumerable elementa g.
requirements before any young man
may aspire to even g. subordinate
position Of trust in & bank. The
man who has the personality.
coupled with determination and
ability can start at the bottom IN
almost any large banking instiru-
ton with a reasonable expectation
of someday occupying the presi-
dents chair.
In one or two notable instances
the heads Of the larger banks today
received exceptional training by
reason of relationship to former
- to- hA-
cause of special interest taken iE
them by higher officials. These
men are particularly fortunate and
they admit the great advantages Of
such intimate association with the
working heads Of the business
Many Of the present higher bank
officials had the advantage Of
training under older men coupled
with the courses provided by the
American Institute of Banking.
Seine of the future bank presidents
will have the same advantages
Others may, undoubtedly will. come
to the top, who have not had these
advantages. but the greater proper
ton OF bank presidents vice-presl'
Gents, cashiers and other higher Of
ficials of the future are today
occupying subordinate positions In
the banks and will be promoted
through their own efforts and be-
cause Of their own personal ability
and adaptability.
Personality a Factor
Adaptability will count for a
great deal. It counts for a great
zeal in any business or profession
Ability to meet the public and to
handle the public will. also, be
large factor in making for success
IN higher banking positions. In
some banks, today the future pres
idents are receiving, possibly their
daily contact with the public.
MANY bank presidents of the future
will owe their elevation to their
personality and their success IN
meeting the banking public and
retaining it's confidence and friend
ship. 80 a.,
4eraat 70 financial institutions IN
general and those banks whose d.
Tectorates are wisely looking ahead
to the future requirements OF the
institutions are not ignoring the I'M
nortance of giving the younger Off
ciaIs opportunity to meet the PUBIC
/ to "sit in while the more expert
enced officers transact their business
or smooth out seeming difficulties.
There is no better school for the
future heads of the city's great
financial institutions than that OF
understanding the man on the job
today.
Push Youth Forward
Grinding over account books and
vouchers is necessary as prelimt
nary. The study of credits, OF
"paper," of profits and percentages.
the courses of the American Insti-
tute of Banking, are all part of
the bankers education, and g. very
important part. Personality is,
also, important, and judgment and
lc gical reasoning powers. But quite
az important as any OF these is
the matter of public contact and
the bank that is building for the
future is not keeping its young
men submerged. but is pushing
them forward into the limelight' of
public contact, or, at least, permit
ting them to stand in tho wings
and observe the trained intercourse
with the public which Is The duty
of the higher officials.
With the higher bank officials to-
day rests much of the responsibility
for the success of their institutions
in the future insofar as that success
is effected by contact with The pub
lie and 1t is due to the younger
men in the banks and to the bank.
ing public of the future that these
young men be given opportunity to