Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-05-10
j|R[ NEEDS 4 NATE
'oung Woman Has Profession
She Cannot Practice.
Operator, Only One of Her
Who Possesses Government
o'eense-Must Be Two Opera
tors in Same Quarters.

,,al sdret A. Douahue. demure
on onu miss of twenty. is a living ex-
pie OF the fact that in these Dro-
berso,s 'iihes woman can perfect
n n.isen IN trade or profession at
na she may not practice. Miss
naiiue Is the only woman wireless
operator In the United States nosses-
a s nrStgrade government license
@4u yet she may not receive or SEND
So eSs messages for pay for the yea-
'"dt she Is the only woman wire
'ess operator in the United Ststas
u' Il there should be another wire
'e'' operator of the female sex BOSSES
ing d government frstg-ede license.
oo'h that young woman and Miss Don-
anue would be in Position to draw
oaiaries forthwith. As a wireless on.
orator Miss Donahse has nothing inst
now but glory.
Inc reason lies in the laws govern
ing the human equipment of wireless
stations aboard ship and ashore whtah
were passed last summer after the a.
.@Hic disaster These laws provide
mat 'Here must be at least two wire
'ess operators in each station. and that
'nese operators shall occupy quarters
"llhln touch Of the wireless room and
'Hd' one or the other shall be on duty
at all times.
obviously Miss Donahue cannot be
assigned to share a ship or shore sta
uoh with man. And that is why she
is anxious that another ambitious girl
may learn the wireless teiegraphv
business.
There are thousands of woman
telegraphers on land wire lines but
all these operators have to know is
now to pound key and take a mes
sage from the sounder. In wireless
telegraphy it is necessary that the Cd.
orator be fully grounded in knowledge
OF the apparatus and electricity Wire
less telegraphy is a complicated de-
Velopment constantly passing through
Z StdSeS vi Improvement.
Miss Donahue became interested
two years ago while on a visit to
Atlantic City. The wireless station on
Young's pier attracted her and she
was soon spending much Of her own
time and the time of the operators in
patient investigation. Although she
hnfnrn hnop int in
telegraphy or electricity, the idea of
propelling messages through the ether
fascinated her and she determined to
make herself proficient in the fascinat
ing work.
Two months ago Miss Donahue trav
eled from Boston to Florida and back
on a steamer equipped with wireless
On that trip she learned the alphabet
and, with the permission of the oper
ator, flashed occasional hating signals
to other ships or shore stations.
On her return to Boston she entered
school of telegraphy and qualified
as an operator in record time.
She took a postgraduate course. as
it were. in the station of signaling
company. on the roof of the Boston
Board of Trade building, and before
long was proficient enough to handle
regular messages between Boston ans
the Bush Terminal In South Brooklyn
Miss Donahue passed the necessar!
examination for a government license
at the Boston navy yard last February
, Officials of the signaling company. whit
: had watched her progress with inter
/ est were anxious to give her station
: but the regulations would not permit
; an6 until another womaL wireless op
orator Qualities, or Miss Donahue mar
ries a male wireless operator-whici
she might do; there's no telling-sn'
) must perforce practice her profession
} without monetary return.
\ Miss Donahue was born in Kenmore
e County Kerry, Ireland, the natly
5 Mace of the BIG Tim" Sullivan cial
: of New York and Boston. she wa
Z brought to this country when oap
: and is a graduate OF the bosto