The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-03-15
In Capital All Winter

the American consulate general.
In Capital All Winter
Miss Willis has been in Wash
ington since September taking the
instruction given by the Foreign
Service School in the State Depart
ment to it's new outgoing mem
hers. With her mother, Mrs. B.
J, Willis, she has had an apart
1nent at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Mrs. Willis is returning with her
daughter to California, but she
will not accompany her on her
new mission to Chile.
The consular branch OF the
Foreign Service is the commercial
end abroad. but since there are
no diplomatic officials in Val
paraiso-their headquarters being
Santiago. the capitalize social
side is more prominent in the life
of a consular officer.
In preparation for her residence
in Valparaiso, Miss Willis has
been much occupied with getting a
wardrobe. It will be autumn--as
the seasons go on the other side
of the Equator-when she arrives
at her new post. And so she has
had to get supply OF winter
clothes. This has not been easy
with the smart shops on this side
showing only spring and summer
{ things. "a
.. Miss willis IL young-not yet 80
and very attractive. She is tall
and slim. A brunette with brown
eyes and dark brown hair. She
combines charm of manner with q
keen intelligence that should make
her have little difficulty in COM
batting the obstacles in her new
profession.
Cosmopolitan
She was born in Illinois, but
her parents moved to Memphis,
Tenn, soon after her birth, so
that she regards Tennessee,
where she spent her childhood
and early girlhood, as her native
State. She is a graduate of lie.
land Stanford University in Cali
fornia. And after that she took
a years graduate work in the
University of Brussels. With this
training she, of course, speaks
French. She Is just learning
Spanish, which she win need in
Valparaiso.
When Miss, Willis took the ex-
aminations for the Foreign Service
she was an instructor in political
science at Vassar College. Be-
fore that she was a teacher of
history in Goucher College in
Baltimore.
This third woman to be en-.
rolled in the Foreign Service did
the very unusual thing in not
being tutored for the examina-
tons. It is rare that any one at
tempts these without highly spe-
cialized coaching. And even with
this many try and fail. Her two
predecessors-Mis Lucille Atcher-
son and Miss Pattie FNld-went
through the, usual grind NNth the
very capable expert in Washing
ton that most of the men who
are successful in passing the ex-
aminations have employed as
their tutor.
Ignorance Is Bliss
Miss willis, however, did not
know anything about the inn
portance Of this tutor. In fact, she
did not know the "inside" Of the
State Department. She only knew
that she was interested in the
booklet sent out by the depart
ment announcing the require
ments and qualifications neces-
sary for entrance into the Ameri-
can Foreign Service. And she be-
lieved she was eligible.
This was in November, 1926.
Four months later she was IN
Washington taking the written
examinations. Later came the ora:
And in september, 1927, she found
herself passed" and back IN
Washington for the preliminary
instruction in the State Depart
ment before being assigned abroad.
The pet argument used by Of
ficials of the state Department
against having women in the
Foreign Service was the attitude
OF other governments toward haV-
ing them sent as representatives.
And especially valid was this argu-
ment held to be as regarded the
Latin-American countries, where
emancipation of women from the
home and all it's works was be-
lieved to be less pronounced than
in this country.
And as consular officials in a
seaport town, women were regard
ed as particularly undesirable.
Yet Valparaiso Is among the most
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