New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02

xperience-practically all absolute beginners
so that the only quaifica tons be inquired about
are those that will insure the beginner a fair
chance TO qualify an expert operator These
good eyesight, good hearing, distinct enunci-
alton fair penmanship and general neatness. At
least medium height is required. and bit over is
an advantage. Recruits should be at the teachable
age say, between seventeen and twenty and
should have good common-schoo education. OF
course satisfactory references to general good
character are Indispensable and are always forth
coming
With this not very formidable list OF qualifca-
tions to face there naturally always plenty Of
applicants, and OF these eligible list or goody
length Is kept file In the Office OF the super
intender. OF traffic. To be placed this list Is as
far the woud-be operator gets at first. When
vacancies occur when through increase OF sub
scribers additions must be made to tho operating
force. which is. indeed the normal condition of the
New-York Telephone Company, letters sent
out 10 the eligible requesting them report for
duty II they still Of the same mind
THE FIRST STEP.
The beginner is nomnally appointed 20 the night
force whose work is naturally light. and s put on
the payrolls from the day she starts to learn the
business. Not very large pay at first. but still
a definite weekly salary during time which
varies with the natural capacity OF the
learner but averages about three months. when
atng. but Is simply watching. listening and learn.
Ing.
TRAINING PROCESS.
The training process Is gradual A. first the
learner sits close up a busy operator and watches
the work Wearing OF the regular operators
head telephones she Listens 10 the calls coming In
and notices how the operator dsposes Of them;
how she handles the various plugs and cords and
KEYS and little indicators Of which the complicated
hal irefr nn Ia
given her as the Of the different parts OF the
switchboard and gradually she learns to follow
all that goes on. She learns that when an indi-
Gator falls a subscriber has called and that the
operator must put plug in certain hole and
promptly say into the transmitter. Nv hat num-
herr" The number being given, another plug Is
seized and pressed into a hole picked out among
ranges OF hundreds OF holes In the upper part
of the board. key is pressed which rings the
bell OF the second number, and the two plugs are
left in position until another Indicator falls sgni-
flying that the subscribers connected have rung
of the two plugs are then puied out anu oioppeu
In their sockets.
The learner sees every variety OF this simple op-
Grafton and hearing through her head telephone
the demands and replies Of subscriber ana oper-
ator soon acquires an Intelligent idea Oh wha' 10
going on In a large system like that OF New
York she has a good deal TO learn, as out OF the
hundreds OF thousands OF telephone connexions
made every twenty-four hours only a small MI
nority are the simple connection described ABOVE
beginning and ending in the same exchange SUD
r,,ors talk ali over the city and indeed. all over
tho country so the operator has 10 learn the po-
si,ion o. the various wires that lead from one ex
change TO a dozen others and to the suburban
and long-dstance switchboards She must be able
% connect say n cortlandt subscriber not only
-, o,h.r cortiandt numbers but with numbers |
in Rroad. Spring. Eighteenth-st Thirty-eiShth-
at Harlem Westchester Yonkers. Brooklyn. Jer-
sew CITY Elizabeth, Buffalo. Boston. Chicago. or |
onv ore Of a thousand other exchanges and she |
must be able TO start the connection IN 'he r'eh'
vav without an instants loss OF time
n, course to reach this point takes long practice.
and our learner has acquire the many details ~