The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-08

part OF an aTtlcic ALOUD. Mess she Is
able to do this in an intelligent manner.
with a clear understanding Of its mean
ing. she is considered below the standard
OF intelligence. Her ability to think and
act connectedly is tested also in the read
ing of ordinary English prose.
An application blank filled out in the
girls own handwriting shows her ability
to write and spell. The majority OF the
applicants, even those who are able to
fulfill the educational requirements. are
sadly lacking in animation They sit
all in a heap, as the head Of the school
expressed it, and look and act as If they
were only half awake.
a girl needs to be very wide awake in
deed at the switchboard. and only the
bright ones are accepted by the examiner.
Very few of those favorably passed upon
by her fail TO qualify for positions after
the tuition period of one month
AS rule no girl over twenty is re-
ceived. The theory OF the work could be
much more easily impaired to a mature
woman, but the actual manipulation OF
the switchboard seems to be impossible TO
the majority of women past the forma-
tive period of life. This calls for a cer-
tain dexterity, an accuracy of touch that
becomes perfectly mechanical. 1t seems
to can accepted fact that it is possible
to acquire these in early life, but very
rarely afterwards.
The course of study is both theoretical
and practical. The switchboard is first
explained by means of a large colored
chart, and after the student has general
Of itS Sb lie N a
long room occupied by some twenty &C.
tual switchboards, and six or eight tall
desks representing telephone stations.
Teachers sit at these desks and send
rapid fire of telephone calls 10 the student
operators at the switchboards. Supervis-
ing teachers stand behind the pupils and
show them how to answer these calls.
how to handle the long rubber-covered
wire plugs corr, tly, and how to do their
work in the quickest possible manner.
After an hours work at the switchboard
the students go into classroom where
they learn the names and locations Of all
the telephone districts and acquire gen.
eral knowledge of the whole system. The
greater part of the four weeks course is
practice work at the switchboard. When
the class is finally distributed among the
different exchanges. every member of it
Is a competent operator.
To become an expert operator requires
long practice and superior ability. The
rank and file Of the girls remain simply
competent For those who, by virtue of
exceptional intelligence and character. ex-
eel their fellows there are opportunities
for advancement. Each central Office has
a chief operator. and a number of super
visors. one to every nine operators, and
these positions command good salaries.
They are all supplied from girls who
show ability at the switchboard and are
possessed of strong characters and intelli-
gent minds. aturally sharp lookout is
kept for promising material and no girl
who deserves it ever misses promotion.
There are opportunities also for good
operators who are not qualified for the
highest positions. Every outside switch
board calls for an operator trained in the
central Office. and these positions often
pay larger salaries than the central Office
girls receive. Whenever an application
for an operator comes to the Office the
manager and the chief operator consider
the girls whom they deem competent to
fill the position. The girl to whom they
offer it. accepts or declines as she wishes
Some of these outside switchboard posi-
tons are sinecures. The salaries are sell
dom less than ten or twelve dollars
week, and are often more.
The student operator is paid $ week
while in the school. and from s. to SO
afterwards. The supervisors and chief
operators receive as high as s25 a week.
There are fifteen central offices in connee-
ton with the eNw oYrk city system. each
having from ten to twenty supervisors.
so that the higher positions are by no
means beyond reasonable expectation.
If the average salaries paid telephone
girls are deemed rather small the fact
should be considered that operators are
under less expense than many other work
ing women. They are not under the ne
cessity of wearing expensive or elaborate
uniforms. as are the high-salaried clerks
In department. stores. young woman in
one of the upper departments OF store
must wear d stylishy made. silk-lined
black gown. The gown must trail on the
carpet a prescribed number OF inches.
and it must be frequently renewed. Such
q thing as patched or mended gown
would not be tolerated in some stores.
Now young woman who wears a dress
of this description at her work is not like
lv to wear anything less elaborate on
other coca sions. The telephone girl has
no such expensive ideals. and her salary,
therefore. goes farther.
The switchboard is more or less trying
10 the nerves of the operator. but this
is Offset by the consideration with which
they are treated by the company. The
farce is divided into three sections. the
first one going on duty at : o'clock in
the morning and working until 4.S1
O'Clock. This is the coveted assignment
and the girls take turns in filing il. The
evening force goes on at noon. and the
might force At nine O'Clock. Each force
IS allowed two half-hours periods for
resting during their working hours. In
most 81 the central Offices rest rooms
comfortably furnished with willow easy
chairs tables with writing materials.
daily papers. and magazines. Here
groups OF girls meet during the rest peri
DDS. and have n merry little chat. do bits
OF sewing OF fancywork perhaps and gen
orally relax from the strain OF work
The lunch-room is furnished with hard
wood chairs and tables. and hot tea or
coffee is furnished free
Operators are required TO work OF. Sun
day IN four but this is not considered
hardship. for the Sunday force IS given
a holiday during the week following The
same allowance is made for holiday duty.
CASTORIA