As a tribute to Women’s History Month, this story was provided by the Sherman Room of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library and originally published by the Mansfield News on May 14,1922 on Page 10 of the Social Section. Those interested in more history should check out the Sherman Room at the Mansfield/Richland Public Library or visit this link.
Beginning work as a very young girl, at the time when adding machines and bookkeeping ledgers were unknown, Miss Jeanette C. Hoffman, who is assistant secretary and treasurer of the Security Savings and Trust company, has seen many interesting and progressive changes in the business world.
In those days book-keepers and stenographers supplied the brain power for adding up columns of figurers, they were the machines which verified the results. Today all this is done by machinery and business girls are, as a rule, unused to finding sums for columns of figures which sometimes run a whole page length.
Miss Hoffman paid a very fine tribute to one of Mansfield’s teachers in telling of her work.
“I owe much of my success,” she said, “to the influence of Miss Sarah Marvin, who taught me in the eighth grade. Before going into her room, I was not interested in figures and had no intention of becoming a book-keeper.
But Miss Marvin had a way of teaching us that impressed me. She never let out a class without every one in that class at least acknowledging that they understood what she had taught them.
When I began to think of working it was she who persuaded me to take up stenography, since I did not want to teach. Under her influence, I entered the business college and studied stenography. I got along splendidly in that line, but when I was ready for a job I entered the Farmers bank and started right in doing book-keeping. I liked it so well, that I have continued in that work ever since.”
It was on Dec. 12, 1906, when the Security Savings and Trust company opened that Miss Hoffman became bookkeeper. Since that time she has gradually worked up until she holds the position she has today.
Miss Hoffman speaks highly of the associations she has in her work. When asked as to the special duties she has charge of, she answered:
“We all help each other. There is no one in the bank so up in the world that they are afraid to help someone else. Of course, there are special things I must do. I have charge of the general book-keeping. I don’t suppose you know just what that is?”
When I acknowledged that I didn’t she explained: “Individual bookkeeping, which I
did when I started working, is the keeping of the books for the depositors. It is checking up each account, and having charge of all individual accounts. General bookkeeping is taking charge of the books of the bank, and that is what I do now.”
“What part of your work do you like best?”
There was no hesitation on Miss Hoffman’s part. “Book-keeping,” she replied, “To me figures have always been something rather personal. I like the cage work and have many interesting experiences there, but for so many years I had charge of each depositor’s account that I learned to know them by their handwriting, just as others know people by their faces.”
In speaking in a general way of work, Miss Hoffman stressed particularly one point. “Any girl, to succeed, must have faith in the company she works for.
Then, of course, she must work. The officials and board of our company are very appreciative. If we do something that pleases them, they tell us about it and that helps a great deal.”
We discussed outside activities and in the discussion Miss Hoffman pointed out that she possesses one very admirable and enviable trait, the habit of being able to throw off her work outside banking hours.
“Particularly at this time of the year,” she said, “I love to drive my car out into the country between the hours of 5 and 8 o’clock and just enjoy myself.”
When asked if her work ever became monotonous, she answered quickly, “Oh, yes, I don’t think there is any job that does not at some time or other get that way, but one day’s absence will make me so glad to get back that I never think of changing my work. Perhaps that is due to the fact that I am nerveless, I never worry. If something has happened that I cannot help, why worry about it?”
Why indeed?
