The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-09-27
"Central" and Her Work.


"Central" and Her Work.
The telephone company is engaged
In what has become one of the most
important Of public services. Its pur-
pose is TO put people into communiea-
ton with each other in the quickest
way possible and 10 maintain COM
munication without interruption.
Above all IL endeayors TO perform this
function-always performed under ex-
acting conditions aud frequently in
the face OF considerable difficulties
with unfailing courtesy.
The New England company, having
provided a most efficient plant for the
needs ot each individual community,
trains its operators painstakingly be-
fore IL allows them 10 handle the pub
lies business, and supervises their
work closely after they are assigned
To the regular switchboards of its ex-
changes Applicants for positions as
operators must meet high personal
standards before they are accepted
even as students. The care with which
the raw material. SO TO speak, is Sc
lected appears in the fact that only 60
percent OF the applicants who present
themselves are finally employed Que
OF the advantages of the training sys-
TEN is that II enables a young woman
who finds her ideas about the work to
nave been wrong 10 withdraw without
waste OF time or embarrassment, and
allows the company to determine pret-
~ definitely the ultimate fitness of the
candidate before the interests of tele-
phone users have been entrusted TO
her.
AS students the operators are taught
To do their work ntelligently as well
as with mechanical precision They
are given practice In the actual oper-
alton of the switchboard. special ap.
paratus being provided for that pur-
pose. and are educated TO meet the
almost lnconceivably varied situations
likely TO arise when they become the
composite young person known as
Central They learn not 10y rote
alone, but by observation and expert
ence as well, their teachers taking the
place of the public for the time being,
and presenting, so far as they can, the
public's various phases. Even the
most skilful training cannot, OF
course, Immediately make a beginner
as efficient as an experienced hand. II
does insure uniformity Of meth
ods, however, and equips the novice TO
become an adept much sooner than
she otherwise could. Ii makes her
self-reliant and enables her to deal
understandingly with the emergencies
constantly arising in the work of the
exchange.
The discipline Of the central Office is
strict, but every employe is treated
with the utmost consideration. The
amount of work each operator has 20
do is determined with great care that
no one shall be overloaded and there
by affect unfavorably the quality Of
the service. Besides the chief opera
tor there are supervisors, their num-
ber depending upon the size Of the
exchange, who keep the work of op-
orators under constant observation,
see that ii is done in accordance with
the rules adopted by the company as
necessary 10 good service, and act as
mentors in cases of difficulty.
The New England company takes
great pride in it's operating force. II
believes that in no industry is there to
be found more efficient, earnest,
faithful set OF employes-faithful
alike TO the company and TO the pub
lie to which the company is responsi-
BILE. The work of the telephone oper-
ator has taken no mean place among
| the professions OF women, and IL Is
source OF great satisfaction that the
public's appreciation of "Central's"
| character, and the greater considera-
tion which follows better acquaintance
and understanding. a.e more general
and more apparent each year.