Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-01-06
4 NEW YEARS THOUGHT AND
 NEW YEARS RESOLVE.

was realized. The development of the operator has kept pace with the growth of the business. The work of the telephone operator is to-day rcco%- nized as profession. Special tra1il- ing is necessary for every young woman who become an operator i'll the Southwestern Companys employ hence it has been found eNpedient 70 establish schools, so that ambitious young women may be afforded the op- portunity to learn in q thorough ana systematic manner her duties at the switchboard.
 The telephone operator is tralneo to give quick and accurate service, and that is what the public pays Tor and expects. Ii is what the South western Company is in business to Furnish.
 It is not possible, however, to pro vide an operator for each individual subscriber any more than 1t IS eX- pected that store will provide clerk for each individual customer.
 When a great many people are call ing at the same time it is not possible 4o give instant service But the Southwestern Company does give elf 4,ient service, as will be found if you will hold stop watch ill your hand, when it will be discovered that what seems like minutes to you are really but few seconds.
 The operators in the employ of the Southwestern Company are, as q rule, residents of the town ill which thelr occupation lies. They are members of highly respectable families, and 9hey are selected with care and dis a,riinination and having ill view their possession of exceptional intelligence and capablity. They have undergone mental and educational tests and have shown an aptitude for the business in which they are engaged and they are governed by strict rules, from whlch they are not, knowingly, permitted to <leviate.
 As a rule, it will be found that they are patient and obliging. but they, in common with the telephone user, are only human and when human nature asserts itself. no matter who is right or who is wrong, there is presented to the telephone management problem of no small proportions and not al ways easy 10 solve.
 The pay Of the efficient operator is equal 10. and i'll many eases in ex- cess Of that c. the woman who work in =he average department store She is seated all the time she is at work; there arg liberal periods of rest for her, and there is Q supervisor ready at all 1iIDes 10 render her assistance. She j. provided with comforts and convenJencts during here rest periods rarely accorded by other establish znents to th4r female employees, and fhe whole attitude of the Company toward her j. one or kindly interest and htl9fuIness.
 We desire 10 enter piea with the telephone user for the exercise of pa 1ienee and tolerance towards the tel sephone operator. What man would speak face 10 face with young wom- an. stranger or otherwise. and indulge 1n language often heard over the tele- phone? If sueh persons would stop 10 reflect that u ebe other end of the line is s young iad7 refined and sen ssitiee so &UseeHtue 10 uHjaSt criti- esism that sine hus often been known Q burst iuto tears ou account of this, -ehere would mare Frequently occur l hesitaney ou tat part of the aggrieyed subscriber II giving expression to his feelings in i4aguaee often thought lessly seyefe and soroetifr7es profane.
 -And wotueu too are not exempt from the obarg7 ol 0eine nd1ly inn tzatient with tie operator No doubt eexasperatiHg things do oet ur iIf the andeayor to gel service 2ut i, can 5ruly he sad a.hat tn ninety inc eases out of hundred the operator is ,r..-- ing to perform her duty conscientious Y and ef7eitatlH. She is#eH2ased n an occupation toe duties e which are e,t all times exacting and ten nerve racKing, and 10 add tg her difficulties oy impatienty chiiing hes is unjust. if not cruel.
 T can Ike truthfu1ly said H9t in the South chivalric deferenee E usually shown on tle part of ma" patrons towards the operators; r43 o0ly this, but it would proye res,fgl.sn to the general pubic If ot. ristmas fnorning they could re the great profusion ol gifts sent to the central offices to be distributed among the 4o1r Df aini6