71 Regional Clearing House Association for the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Warren and Shenandoah. Justifications included “banks may compete for business within proper and prudent bounds but experience has shown certain methods of competition to be imprudent and injurious to the banking health of the community. One of the purposes of the clearing house will be more complete cooperation among banks in providing credit information and in the adoption of rules and practices which will afford the public more efficient banking facilities as well as the soundest facilities possible. One ambitious bank offering too much for nothing in its drive for business tempts other banks to indulge in unsound practices.” The Clarke Courier responded with an editorial that the new clearing house regulations were extreme and stringent to small depositors. Bank of Clarke County replied that clearing house banks are only following provisions that have been followed in other parts of the country and are necessary for good, strong and conservative banking, brought about by government laws and regulations. “Because of new economic conditions, one challenge has been to find a fair and satisfactory way of rendering checks without loss. A recent survey showed that more than two thirds of the checking accounts in the banks of the country were being carried at a loss to the banks.” A fee of 3¢ per check was established on balances of $50-$99.99 after 5 checks. Balances below $50 allowed 5 checks with an additional fee of 50¢ per check over 5. 25¢ was assessed on checks presented which were refused due to insufficient funds. Each time the check was re-presented, 25¢ was assessed if the account was still in arrears. 1937 also saw monthly payment installment loans added to the product list. Interest at 6% on the total loan was calculated at the time the loan was made and principal and interest divided into monthly installments. A fraud case occupied the employees in late 1937. Police conducted a search for a man who defrauded the Bank of Clarke County out of $350 in traveler’s checks after presenting himself as the buyer of a farm the bank owned – North End Farm. The man, who gave his name as Bruce J. Morror, presented himself as a horse owner from Florida who was unhappy with the Florida climate and soil for his horses. He had learned that the bank had a farm they wanted to sell. After looking at the farm with one of the bank’s directors, he agreed to buy the farm but only if he could also buy two adjoining fields from John Fenton. This was arranged and he deposited a check drawn on an Orlando, Florida bank for $8000 and then asked for traveler’s check totaling $350, giving the bank a check for that amount. After the man had left the bank, bank officials called the Orlando bank to discover the man had no accounts there. Morrow had drawn checks totaling $25,000 against the Florida bank, having operated a bit in West Virginia as well. He was described by the employees as 6’, glasses, a light grey overcoat, dark hat and “suave.” As part of the bank’s response to the 1937 Commissioner of Insurance and Banking examination, it was stated that “we make no very strong defense against the slowness of a large part of our loans. Many of them have come down to us from Depression days.” A $10 contribution was made in the summer of 1938 toward the printing of a road map routing tourists from Gettysburg and points north directly through