“Fly?” queried the dean. “My dear young lady, I have enough to do with several hundred students as it is. Motor cars brought trouble of their own. Now I certainly am not going to add any more by admitting airplanes, too. No, you may not fly.”
Despite her arguments, she could not change that decree. So Ruth abandoned Wellesley for one year and took her flying lessons off campus. Her instructor was Harry Rodgers and in a short time he soloed her on seaplanes at Port Washington, Long Island. Later, with Captain Rodgers, she made the first non-stop flight from New York to Miami in twelve hours.
After graduation—she returned to college to get her degree—she became assistant to the head of the woman’s department of the National City Bank of New York. This was the beginning of her business career. She subsequently became the first woman director of a large aviation corporation.
In 1928 Miss Nichols had an important part in the organization of Aviation Country Clubs, formed by a group of sportsmen pilots who wanted the advantages of a country club with flying added. The first of these clubs was opened at Hicksville, Long Island. In their interest Ruth made a 12,000 mile solo flight with an escorting plane. On this long journey she landed in 96 cities and 48 states without a forced landing.
She was one of the competitors in the famous 1929 transcontinental derby. And since then she has done her share of distinguished flying. In solo
