Their Comely Colleagues

The Banker brought home a vintage 1961 issue of The New Jersey State Safe Deposit Association quarterly magazine The Time Lock. Some of the old ads are so charming. One article in particular was so politically incorrect that it is just adorable. At the same time it reveals some timeless insights. Can you even imagine this getting published today? Read On:

Why Are Gals Suited To Banking Careers?

by Joy Miller

AP Women's editor

Since it's generously conceded women control about 70% of the nation's wealth, it seems only fair that a majority of bank employees should be women too.

They would take a personal interest, so to speak.

Not too long ago banks wouldn't hire women. As recently as 1940, men outnumbered their COMELY COLLEAGUES in the banking business three to one. But word finally got around that WOMEN AND WAMPUM HAVE A NATURAL AFFINITY, and now it's ladies, two to one.

THE GIRLS are good standing in the higher circles. too. There are 160 LADY bank presidents across the country, and one in ten bank executives is a woman.

There's no doubt banking is now a woman's field. And it has no greater champion than Mona Reid Brice...of National Bank of Commerce...she thinks women are admirably suited for banking today because they are easier socially and have more equanimity in surprise situations(there are other surprise situations in a bank than holdups).

"Independent studies have shown," Mrs. Brice points out with pride, "that women have more patience, and a penchant for detail, deductive reasoning and analysis. That's why banks are using more use of women. A sympathetic, attractive can explain to a man, for example, just why his bank book doesn't balance and at the same time keep him from feeling stupid."

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By the way, "Equinimity in surprise situations" and social ease? Those sound like the characteristics of a great V.P. candidate. Go Sarah.