The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-19

When the telephone user takes down his
receiver and the voice of the central OPP
orator is heard to say Number, please,
the telephone user has an idea of the per-
sonality behind that voice that is more or
less vague. He knows 1t is a woman's
voice, but usually he regards il imper-
sonally and merely as part OF the ma
chine that serves his convenience. He
never sees central" and he does not
conceive her as personality
Yet central is not only much-alive per-
sonality, but interesting from many view
points. She is always bright, neat in APP
pearance. rapid and accurate in move
ment Almost always she is pretty-in
many cases in Salt Lake she is strikingly
handsome. She has the art of concentra-
ton well learned. She must combine
quick intelligence and machine-like deX-
terity. She has no time for formal cour-
tesy, but she is always as courteous as
the duties of her position permit. Her
courtesy is not always reciprOcated and
not always appreciated, but she has no
time to worry about that She has no
time to explain that it is easier for her
TO complete connection than to say THE
line is busy although this is the fact
The telephone operators in Salt Lake
in most instances come from good homes,
and pleasant, respectable surroundings.
Many of them are good women who
might have remained in idleneSs at home,
nut look instead employ support
themselves. Others are required to earn
their own livelihood. Both classes. chose
the telephone service instead of seeking
positions as clerks in stores. etc, because
the remuneration in the telephone service
is greater the publicity less and the en-
ployment, although exacting, is not
wearisome and not so conducive to phys
ical injury. 1t is 'ciean" work, and once
the operator becomes accustomed to the
routine the nervous strain is not so great
as many imagine it to be. The successful
telephone operator must be optimist
and no person working under a continuous
mental strain can be an optimist That
the operators as class are opti-
nists is easily proved The older ones
in point of service are full of the bub-
bling cheerfulness that is at once the chief
charm and the unfailing proof of healthy
young womanhood.
Health and Morals.
Every possible safeguard to the health
and morals of the young women is en-
ployed. In the case of the Rocky Noun
tain Bell exchange in Salt Lake City, each
applicant is required to furnish satisfac-
tory proof of responsibility and health
Written endorsements are not accepted
Instead, representatives of the company
make the necessary physical investiga-
tons. After entering the company's en-
plOy operators are under the care of
Mrs. Mamie Fugate, local chief and Miss
z. R. Robson. toll chief both of whom
keep well advised regarding the move
ments of the operators not only when on
duty but when off duty Occasionally an
applicant who comes up to the company's
requirements as expressed in the rules
and succeeds in passing the examinations
IS found to be undesirable. If any spe-
cffic reason can be assigned the person is
dismissed, hut if she proves to be only
generally undesirable" the other girls
manage to make il desirable for her TO
leave the company's service. The girls
themselves have a large part in maintain
ing a high standard in Salt Lake, where
the standard is unusually high.
Must Answer Questions.
Applicants for positions as operators of
the Rocky Mountain Bell company are
required to state. in addition to the usual
facts TO name, age, etc. whether they
have had experience In the telephone bus
mess, the nature of their work in the
business. their salary. length of employ
ment, date of leaving il. the reason for
leaving, their height the state of their
eyesight. hearing and general health, the
nature of their education. whether they
have been married, and TO give other in
formation tending to place the company
In position to judge accurately as to the
candidates general fitness for the posi-
ton. In addition to this the applicant
must name two citizens of Salt Lake as
references. These citizens are con-
suited personally by a representative of
the company. One of the questions which
the references must answer to the salts
faction of the company is, Would you
yourself trust applicant with employ
nent requiring undoubted fidelity?' All
these questions must be answered salts
factorily before the applicant may hope
TO enter the companys employ The APP
plicant must not be less than sixteen
years of age. The average age in the Salt
Lake operators room is about twenty-five
years.
A Month of Practice.
After she has been employed. the ap-
plicant puts in one month on the prac-
tice board, the operation of which is like
that of the board which is regularly used
in transact;ag the business of the eX-
change. Sns Is paid from the time she
begins work, and her earlier efforts, or
her school period" are under the SUI
pervisfon OF a trained operator. She gets
II cents an hour during the first month.
Il cents an hour during the next two
three months, il cents an heur during
the next four months, 10 cents an hour
during the next five months. Is cents an
hour during the next six months, and
II cents an hour during the next four
months BY that time she has become a
senior operator and gets IS cents an
hour. The shifts are of eight and one
half hours duration, with fifteen minutes
relief on pay in the middle of the shift.
The girls have an hour and a half off
for lunch. and receive 30 per cent addi-
tional pay fer overtime, for Sunday work
and for holiday work After one years
service. the operator receives a weeks
vacation with pay each summer. The
average period of service at present is
about twenty-five months; and the aver
age pay throughout the force is f5.4 cents
an hour, about $S7 month Twenty
eight days constitutes a months work
h. -