Evening star., 1940-06-08
Miss Laura Harlan
Has Won Distinction
In Real Estate Field
Leaves Social Secreturiul
Work to Establish
Business of Her Own
By JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
Miss Laura Harlan. daughter Of
the late Associate Justice Harlan of
the United States Supreme Court,
has achieved distinction in her own
right.
Miss Harlan was the first woman
In Washington to establish a realty
firm of her own.
Previously she had served as social
secretary at the White House where,
during the Harding administration
and for the first two years of Presi-
dent Coolidge's term of Office, she
had entire charge of all the official
mail of a social nature. Her career
has included similar service at
Washington's various embassies,
notably at the British Embassy dur
ing the regimes of Ambassadors
Reading, Geddes and Gray. Miss
Harlan has declined repeated offers
to write about these experiences.
Miss Harlan feels that the real
estate business in which she is now
engaged is especially interesting be-
cause it has to do with "one of the
things in life most vitally important
to people-their homes" Securing
for families homes within their
means and where they can be really
happy is one of the most engrossing
occupations in the world, she says.
at keeps one in touch with all the
modern improvements and progress
In the building trades, in home
making and in planning
Public Better Informed.
In Miss Harlan's opinion the real
estate business is much more exact
ing today than it was in the past
because the general public is in
finitely more discriminating and
happily much better informed as to
the building and planning of houses
There is no place in the United
States where greater business is done
in the renting of furnished homes
than in Washington. This is so be-
cause of the presence here Of Gov
ernment officials of our own and
other nations"
Miss Harlan pays genuine tribute
to young matrons as homemakers in
Washington's rented homes. She
has had some very pleasing expert
ences in having homes turned back
to her in better condition-if that
were possible-than they were when
their owners rented them.
One of her first real red letter days
In business life came when a promi-
nent washington society matron
known as difficult to please called
her up just after retaking possession
of her home after it had been rented
during three-year stay abroad.
Il have never seen house"-Miss
Harlan held her breath, fearful that
all had not gone we'll despite her
belief to the contrary-"in such
divine condition" concluded the
owner, to Miss Harlan's relief.
Began in Own Home.
Not feeling too sure about the
wisdom of what was then reather
daring business adventure, Miss
Harlan began her operations in her
own home at 1907 Nineteenth street
NV. She has never changed from
this base. Three telephones now
augment the general family phone
which she put to use during those
first days. She has now built onto
the home an office which by means
of folding doors can be shut of
from the living quarters, although
Miss Harlan does admit that Eve
have way of overflowing and TAX
ing entire possession of the lower
floor at times" Her "one- woman
business has expanded so that 1t
requires a staff Of assistants.
Of the first weeks of her business
venture she says she can never
be sufficiently appreciative of the
kindness and good will evidenced by
her business associates in other
firms. This has continued through
the years.
Her original idea was to devote
her mornings to her real estate
venture and her afternoons to con-
tinuing on with her work at one
of the embassies but after just one
week she discovered that one OF
the other would have to go. She
decided to be an all-day business
woman.
Miss Harlan tries to keep her
business day within the bounds of
9 to S, but admits that it has a
way of claiming many of her eve
nings. She has, however, always
kept up her own social life in
Washington. just for the JOY of it
and says that she finds nothing
more restful than meeting and be-
ing with interesting people.
Fine old paintings. italian vases
q grand piano, Bokhara rugs and
other heirlooms of one of Wash
ington's distinguished families lend
. sense of ordered peace and calm
to Miss Harlan's home.
She refers to herself as "the
man of the family" her sister
Miss Ruth Harlan, being the home
maker.
Fond of music, Miss Harlan is q
devotee of concerts and is happy
In the success of the campaign for
the Washington Symphony Or.
chestra. Before entering upon g
business career she used to sins
and still occasionally plays for hel
own diversion. Her greatest hobby
is their cottage on Murray Bay ir
Canada, where Miss Harlan anc
her sister go for short vacations.
Kentucky born. this successful
business woman was reared In the
inner circle of Washington offlcia
life and has spent all of her life ir
this CITY.