Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-20

telephone in manner to take the SUBJ
jeet off his guard. If Prof Muensterberg
could hypnotic persons over the tele-
phone, how much more effectively could
hello girl" with nice voice do it.
Contrary to the older theory of animal
magnetism. personal contact is entirely
unnecessary for hypnotism, and the
mere suggestion, conveyed by writing or
by telephone is sufficient to induce hyp-
nosis. Prof. Pierre Janet, of the Univer-
sity of Paris, hypnotized Nine B. by
telephone, and induced her in a hypnotic
trance to leave her house, in a distant
part of the city of Havre and go to the
house of Dr. Gilbert. Out of a series of
% experiments 10 were successful.
Now, these experiments have most
important relation to those carried out
upon the hello girls at Cambridge
One of the most interesting facts brought
out by the Cambridge experiments was
that Cupid was the most serious factor
in upsetting the mental processes of the
girls. Not only was their attention dis
tracted by sentimental affairs already
in their minds, but the voices of strange
men having a certain emotional affinity
for them heard over the telephone for
the first time, exercised an extremely
pertHrbing influence upon them
The average telephone girl only stays
in the service three years, matrimony.
being the cause of her leaving in 80 per
cent of cases. During all this period the
girl has her mind more or less on the
possible man of her choice and to that
extent her attention may be distracted
from the calls of the public There are,
of course, many girls who can have an
engagement and yet answer calls eff
GENTLY.
The Gifted Phone Girl.
When man gets married 1T usually
intensiiies his interest in his work, but
with woman even the prospect of this
event commonly ends ali thoughts of
work. For many reasonsN the "hello
girls" are especially desirable as wives
and this helps to derange the service.
Before. starting work they must pass
an examination. showing that they pos
sess good health, intelligence, and gen
eral capacity. They are usually gifted
physically, as they are required TO be
ambdextrous. For instance, they are
called upon to use both hands with equal
facility in handling the plugs of the
switchboard. This training fits them 10
hold baby and handle a carpetsweeper
at one and the same time.
Very frequently a man becomes inter-
ested in n girl simply through hearing
her voice over the telephone, Expert
ments have shown clearly that there is
something peculiarly fascinating to
man in nice girls voice heard over the
telephone He hears the voice, but dees
not see the girl. and imagination comes
into play.
If girl is good natured, a man can
tell 1t as a rule by the infection of her
voice over the phone and also by the
character of her reply TO a remark
Thus the telephone company is robbed
of its most agreeable employees by Cupid
As the girl can exercise so much infiu-
ence upon men by her voice over the
phone, it follows that the men possess
a similar power. The truth of this was
established by experiment.
Mems Voices Affect Service.
A vigorous young man OF 3D. or quick
mind. agreeable manners, and strong vi
tality, was instructed to call up the eX-
change and ask a question requiring
more than the usual amount of attention.
The girls Were, of course. ignorant that
any such experiment was being made.
a scientific observer was present in the
exchange to note the result of the expert
ment.
please call 500 Chelsea and give a
good, long ring, because the party Is
likely to be upstairs said the young
man.
eyes, sir" said the operator, with a
bright-eyed. cheerful expression.
An elderly man. with auerulous voice
and a feeble constitution, was then in
strueted to chll up the exchange and ask
certain questions.
"Give me 290l Brookline and tell them
10 put Mrs. Jones on the phone. Don't
want to speak to anybody else,' said the
old man.
1--WE don't deliver messages" replied
The operator. with a distinct note OF
vearincss in her voice, as she cut OF
the inquirer
,..,,o. t,,ents ainne this line were re-