The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-02
SCHOOL FOR HELLO GIRLS.
IT HAS JUST BEEN OPENED
AND rs ALREADY CROWDED.
THE Telephone Company Hopes TO Get
tho supply Of Expert Operators Il
Needs without Trying the Temper
OF the ~Pubiie-The Professor Training.

tA@N
falls In line with theory the evolution Of
the perfect hello girl Ia only a matter Of a
short time.
The school Il only a week old and In not
yet In thorough running order, but already
the little waiting room 10 crowded with
applicants for admission, and In the SCHOOL
room a long row OF intelligent-looking girls
are desperately struggling with SWITCH
board problems. II takes an intelligent and
courageous young woman to face a switch-
board for the frat time undaunted and
undiscouragod.
Any faint heart that accidentally gets
past the examiners. Is likely TO stop beating
during the first lesson. Only the fttest
survive the shock. II each subscriber
to the telephone system could be forced
to take one lesson in the new school re-
spect for Central would rup up above par
and even the alleged comic papers would
drop their hello-girl jokes.
After a few lessons a clever girl begins
to zee light In the darkness, but only care
full study and practical experience can
produce an expert operator. Before the
opening Of the school the practical ex-
p~erience was obtained at a greater or less
cost TO the public.
W wv "N'N ~ - hAiN
Offices. Each beginner was placed as
understudy 20 an expert.
She listened in,' studied the experts
work, f~amiliarlzed herself as far as possible
with methods. When she had TO a certain
degree mastered the theory. she had 70
have practice, and that's where trouble
for the public began.
The beginner was put at work during
n-Ls $500. .rIAn tIaE- xr4xa NAav all -
be handled. Supervisors watched hor and
helped her but. Of course. she mado mis-
takes. was slow, easily confused. nervous.
The temper OF the public as expressed 10 her
over her line wasn't calculated to allay her
nervousness.
With the phenomenal growth OF the
telephone business the demand for opera
tors increased. In order to I'll vacancies
caused by resignation and provide for the
increase Of business the company at present
requires on an average fifty new operators
each month.
To break 10 many girls In. according TO
! the old method, was manifestly impossible
without great Inconvenience to both com
pany and subscribers. The now school
, Is 10 solve the problem. and within the next
few months n marked improvem ent in
the temper Of the New York public il 10 be
confidently expected.
The school has its home In thu new build
ings NJ Eighteenth street and Irving place,
The rooms are large. light and have all
the latest improvements in ventilation.
sanitation. &c.
THE work requires close attention md
quick understanding said the superin-
tendcnt. we couldn't expect girls TO
give us good SERVES II they were breath
ing impure air aud working under unsani-
tarv conditions.
We've tried to provide the right sort Of
comforts in all our central Offices. and IN
this new building there isn't much room
for criticism. Every particle Of air in this
room is char god once every two minutes %
In the aute-rOom a crowd Of applicants
was waiting for examination. 4 knoNl-
edge Of French. music and the classics
isn't "a condition Of success, but the eXaWi-
nation isn't simple and abOutp per cent.
of the applicants 90 down Defore It.
\Oice and manner cut a large figure In
the test. 4 clear, agreeable voice j. prac-
! tically au essential for the ideal telephone
girl. 4 fair common school education IL
required for the examination. Good health
IL needed.
But ID is by that elusive quality known
az NA 90 AHH' 80 '.N "HAH' NV 49,
or falls. J. II easy 60 determine whether
a girl h quick. alert. intelligent.
II she l. aud las. In addition, the requisite
voio. aud tact. sho may share IN the luck
! 81 10 per cent. II not, nhe must give VI
all idea 81 telephone service.
Once admitted 90 the school the girl 10
paid from the start. hhs las her choio.
Of work hCurs
Might OPERATOR receive higher salaricf
! than aay ~oIsTatDrs, but mann girls are
.MA.LHAa - HH.NaHNN 49, HNWNN MnTL az
| the company dues not ask any ouo 10 M q
night place unless sbs wishes To Do Il 10
/ orisr to earn the extra money
Tie ztIusuts Tor night work get o. q
week. tuos" who take The hours from moon
until 10 y n go o. TIE morning siuasr's
have o. Later ths saIrus' salanos az,
graiod an tl" satin" SAFE
Al ttpru might operator has so . vosk
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ar tying $40 h. rsIuifyi - - "a dur
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