The position of the cashier in a bank really involves all the duties usually attaching to the office of secretary, chief clerk and treasurer combined. While the position of secretary can be found on the staff of any ordinary corporation, this office rarely appears in any banking institution other than a trust company. The cashier of the bank acts as secretary to the board of directors and at times is a member of this body. In this capacity he prepares reports and statements for the consideration of the board and compiles the minutes of meetings. As chief clerk he has general control over internal operation and responsibility for carrying out the policies dictated by the board, the president, and the vice-presidents. He therefore has jurisdiction over the clerical staff, routine office corre-spondence, files and records of the bank. As his name implies, the cashier has control over the funds of the bank and so is empowered to sign checks for paying debts assumed in the course of daily business. In fact, the cashier in every respect is treasurer, for he is in charge of the bank's safety vaults. As it is thus essential for the cashier to know the intricacies of bank routine, he is always an internal appointee with wide experience in banking technic.

The president, vice-president, and cashier of the bank are the only officers recognized by the National Bank Act, and they alone may serve as legal agents with authority to bind the bank. These general executives may be aided in their duties by various other officers. On the staff of the large banks are found assistant vice-presidents and assistant cashiers and department managers who may serve as personal aides to their respective superior officers. In addition, there are a number of tellers and clerks connected with the various departments of the bank. Their duties are determined by the workings of their separate departments described in detail in the following chapter.