125 Years of the ABA: Saluting Our Lady Bankers

Women have long been a staple of the banking industry — in Arkansas and across the country. The following are selected excerpts from a series that ran in The Arkansas Banker during the mid-1930s, “Saluting Our Lady Bankers.” I have often wondered how many women executives are serving Arkansas banks. Having a little time on my hands, I “thumbed” through my Bank Directory the other day and discovered that there are 42 lady banker presidents, vice presidents, cashiers, and assistant cashiers. There may be more, not listed in the Directory. Then there are scores of girls working in the banks as stenographers, file clerks, etc. ...The thought came that it would be an interesting feature to have something on this order in each Banker, or as often as material can be assembled. Women have been doing much of the work in our banks and we feel that everyone would be glad to become better acquainted with these bankeresses. Therefore, watch for a photograph and article to appear regularly.

Carolyn E. Gardner The Arkansas Banker Office Editor July 1935

R ob erta Fulb right Mrs. Roberta Waugh Fulbright may well lay claim to being one of the busiest women in America. She is the president of the Citizens Bank of Fayetteville, the Fayetteville Mercantile Company, Fayetteville Ice Company, KUOA, Inc., radio station, and Phipps Lumber Company. Mrs. Fulbright picks her own executives, checks up on her own businesses, and is a keen observer of human nature and events. Mrs. Fulbright is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, and a number of civic organizations. July 1935

Mattie Edwards Mrs. Mattie Edwards is President of the Citizens Bank, Booneville. She has been connected with the bank since its organization in 1910. She was a stockholder in the old Farmers and Merchants Bank, which failed early in that year, and her work in effecting reorganization caused her selection for the Vice Presidency, which office she held until the death of President John C. Cotner in 1920. In addition to being a bank president, Mrs. Edwards for years has owned and managed her farm near Booneville, and other outlying lands. She is truly a native Arkansan, having been born and lived all her life in the state. August 1935

A gnes Bass Succeeding her husband, J.W. Bass, on his death, Mrs. Agnes Bass has been president of the Security Bank, Harrison, since July 1932. She spends part of each day in the bank and deeps in close touch with all its affairs. Mrs. Bass owns and operates a 1,600-acre farm and is raising white-faced Herefords. She owns several business houses and residential properties in Harrison, personally handling the rentals. When asked about club affiliations, Mrs. Bass laughingly said she was a member of every club that would have her...the Business & Professional Women’s Club, Book and Library Club, Twentieth Century Club, Apollo Music Club, and the Arkansas Federation of Women’s Clubs. November 1935

L illian C ook In June 1918, Mrs. Lillian Cook joined the staff of the Cross County Bank in Wynne. She was put in charge of collections, helped on the books, and did the many odd jobs of the bank. In June 1933, the bank rewarded her years of ability and faithfulness by making her assistant cashier. In her eighteen years with the bank, Mrs. Cook has worked in practically every department. Prior to her bank work, she taught in the St. Francis County and Cross County schools for ten years. She attended Mississippi Women’s College in Columbus. July 1936

Jewel L eggett For thirteen years, Mrs. Jewel Leggett has been Assistant Cashier of the Bank of Cabot. The duties of Assistant Cashier in a small town bank are many and varied, and Mrs. Leggett’s life is a busy one. Helping with the books, acting as teller, doing most of the typing and the thousand and one other things necessary to banking are some of her daily tasks. She is the only woman employee and the bank force agrees they could hardly get along without her. She took a course at Draughon’s Business College in Little Rock, and was bookkeeper for the Ford dealer in Cabot before going with the bank. In March of 1933, Mrs. Leggett was the only employee on duty when the bank was robbed by two men. She later had the satisfaction of identifying one of the robbers, who was then sentenced to six years. February 1937

H attie Freem an Ms. Hattie Freeman is Cashier of the Bank of Mount Holly, where she has worked since 1923, serving as bookkeeper until 1933. Cashier Freeman doesn’t sit behind a desk all day, as one might be led to think. In reality, she is several persons combined into one — doing everything from janitor work to lending money. She has complete charge of the bank, handling both the inside and outside work. Attends to the renting and upkeep of the bank’s 25 farms, collecting rent in the fall. Also looks after the sale of timber, oil leases, etc. Ms. Freeman graduated from El Dorado High School and attended Arkansas College at Batesville and Draughon’s Business College in Little Rock. June 1937

Zula Freem an Mrs. Zula Freeman is the oldest bank employee in Magnolia — and that doesn’t mean in age. She has been in bank service in Magnolia longer than any man now there. She began on May 7, 1918, with the Peoples Bank, and since May 1934, with the Citizens Bank, which grew out of the other banks. Her principal work is bookkeeping, but she is capable of doing and does almost any of the work that comes up. Often she acts as teller. Mrs. Freeman graduated from Magnolia High School and attended Magnolia A&M College. She took a business course in Little Rock before joining the bank. Over 19 years of active banking in one town is a pretty good record. Mrs. Freeman is the only woman employed by a bank in Magnolia, is highly regarded by her fellow bankers, and the citizens of Magnolia. July 1937

Fay C astleb erry Mrs. Fay Castleberry has been with the Bank of Salem 28 years. For a time, she assisted her husband, Cashier Rex Castleberry. She proved an able helper and was made Assistant Cashier. In 1932, she was elected Cashier and a Director. Mrs. Castleberry’s bank training has been through actual experience, and she is capable of handling any part of the work. Mrs. Castleberry is deeply interested in the work of the Arkansas Bankers Association and attends Group Meetings and State Conventions, unless unavoidably prevented. Last year, she served as Vice Chairman of Group 2. January 1938

Esther G ettle Ms. Esther Gettle had planned to be a school teacher, but during her senior year the Arkansas County Bank in Stuttgart needed extra help after school, and Esther took the job. So well did she like the work that, while her school mates were leaving for schools and colleges after graduation, banking took first place in her life. It was in May 1922 that Esther began with the Peoples National Bank of Stuttgart. Machine bookkeeping and teller were her tasks in the beginning. Now she works on the general ledgers, keeps the Federal Deposit Insurance records, has charge of the savings accounts ledger and continues to serve as a teller. Ms. Gettle was one of three employees tending the bank when it was robbed by the notorious Wilbur Underhill and two others in 1933. She has been assisting a customer with his safety deposit box, and coming from the vault, walked almost into one of the robbers before she saw his gun. She thought him a bank examiner or “machine man.” February 1938