Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-02
CURTIS SECRETARY IS FIRST
WOMAN TO HOLD HIGH OFFICE
Lola M. Williams Life Is
Marked by Spirit of
Determination.
Has Worked Hard for Things
She Wanted, but Scored
Success.

A slight, pretty, blonde woman in
her early thirties. who has worked hard
all her life for the things she wanted
and pretty generally gotten them, will
60 into high official Government
position on March 4. which since the
birth of the Nation always has been
held by man.
She is Miss Lola M. williams. for
the last five years private secretary to
Senator Charles Curtis. Vice President
elect, who today was named to the
position OF private secretary to the
Vice President. She will succeed f.
Ross BARLEY, secretary to Vice PreSi-
dent Dawes. Miss Williams has spent
the last few weeks famiiarizing herself
with the routine of the Office held by
Mr. BARLEY.
From her early teens Miss Williams
has modestly gone about her own
business to get what she wanted When
she was ID she wanted TO visit relatives
in California. She lived in Columbus,
kans.. and the fare to California was
real money
To get the money she planted. grew
and harvested a small potato patch on
her fathers 10-acre farm From the
proceeds of her house to house sale of
the potatoes she earned enough money
for a three month trip to the Raciflc
Coast.
Proves Ability as Collector.
Recognizing the business acumen of
his daughter, Mr.. Williams suggested
that he had lot of sloW-pay debts
which he would share on $3.50 basis
If she would collect them. She col
lected all the debts except one That
one was a hard-boiled proposition, she
SAYS, and wouldn't come across.
Repeated visits having failed, Miss
Williams got horse and cart. went
to the debtors farm and loaded it with
produce. Selling the vegetables and
fruit, she realized enough to account for
the debt.
Later she won a trip to Europe SELL
ing subscriptions to local paper.
She went to the public grammar
schools and the county high school, from
which she was graduated. She won dis
tinction as a debater. Il used to prac-
tice my debating in the pasture, before
the mules, cows and horses. and in this
way really learned to talk on my feet
she declared.
Miss Williams first regular work was
in the Office of AL F. Williams, now
United States district attorney She
left that position to come to Washing
ton in the Spring of 1918, when bust
ness men were at war and accomplished
business women at premium in the
Capital. With her she carried letter
of introduction to Senator Curtis from
Mr.. Williams, her former employer. The
district attorney is not related to Miss
Williams.
She met and talked to Senator Curtis,
and was told that she would get first
consideration II there was an opening
In his Office. In the meantime she
passed civil service examination and
went to work in the War Department.
A few months later she was called to
fill a vacancy in Senator Curtis Office,
and she went to work there as a stenog-
rapher. About five years later she be-
came Senator Curtis private secretary
Is Proud of Honor.
"Oh. yes" she added, II play golf:
shoot around 100" District sports rec
ords show that in 1923 Miss Williams
was runner-up for the District womens
golf championship. Last year she was a
vice president of the Kansas State So
ciety of the Capital She has always
taken an interest in the society and at
tends all its meetings
"Of course" she says, I'm proud to
be chosen for a position that no woman
ever has held before. / am particularly
proud of being the secretary to Mr..
Curtis. But I'm most proud of
tribute paid me in my hometown
paper" She handed over a newspaper
clipping and pointed out the lines:
"Honors have not gone to local girls
head"