The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-09
TELEPHONE OPERATORS
IN WHEELING HANDLE
$4,000 CALLS A DAY

"Never again Will criticize the tele-
phone girl. after seeing her ut her work
plugging thousands Of blinking lights.
always pleasantly asking number:
please" was the verdict OF n we'll
known business man yesterday after he
had gone through the operating depart
ment OF the Chesap eakc & Potomac
| Telephone company.
in my estimation" he continued, III.
would be well worth any mans time to
80 through the offices, accepting the IN
vitation OF the company official and
watch the young ladies busily working"
Many persons form the opinion, II the
operator is few seconds behind expec-
tatien in answering the call, that She is
knitting. sewing, calmly chewing gum
or reading a book, but one needs but II
Peep into the busy office to ascertain
how false these ideas are.
From the time the little maid goes on
duty, until relieved. she has not a mo-
ment TO spare. As she takes her seat.
the lights burn before her, and the board
is continually blinking with calls. When
one considers there are more than 5000
! phones in use In Wheeling alone, each
easily understood how the 20 or 80 girls
work.
According to the business mon. the
life of the telephone operator Is Il hard
one. 1T is wonder there are not neT-
/ vous breakdowns on the job said BE-.
for ! certainly felt queer and dizzy
watching the plugs working with always
that CHEEKY number please or tho
line Is busy"
In addition to the lights blinking In
! their faces. the chief operator or super
visors keep walking guard in front OF
the big board watching that the girls
keep busy.
In explaining the switchboard the
are arranged in sets of three with G,ooh
calls listed. Each operator can work
the board In front of her or TWO on eith-
or side, and they arc continually pass-
own board. The holes whrrc connections
, are made. are each mark'd If there
il Il little green spot in tn. urper right
corner, there Is u letter W. II The lower
left an NJ. II the upper lsIt, az r. or in
the lower right, Il J. Thr locks arc
arranged handily, but IT mos tho
girls need reach far dist, - Making 4
few mistakes in the numh
According to +. Il. u : :. local
manager of the company. .rn calls
are handled on normal days v. ir oper
ators in WheelInE's central "lt,'" alone.
About $4,000 originate in Wy" Eng and
10000 in Mart ms Ferry. Bri' =. Bel
laire. Bcnwood. Moundsville. N..rwood
Woodsdale and Elm Grove.
The figures arc taken from :. me-
trrS in the office showing RI':y call
handled on each board. som. running
AS high rs $500 alone.
the operators there arc thousa nds going
through long distance and other bran"h-
cs of the office.
The average girl at the end Of six
months training becomes so per cent AZ
fcicnt according to the traffic opYrl.iu%
officials Of the local office. while il taxi
0 year to reach the go per cent efficient
mark
The average Of numbers given wrong
are about \ in every 100 calls nard-
led, according to the records In n" vt
flee. These according 10 II. d. Ander.
son, operating manager, are 333 largely
due to the MISUNDERSTANDING of the
numbers. five and nine often being con-
fused as we'll as two eight.
Telephone operating Ia one OF the Al
tractive positions for the young girls
of today, according to tho local rffi-
Gals. With clean surroundings. easy
hours, being relieved frequently. nnd
having good rest rooms. quiet rooms and
restaurant. with matrons In charge.
| many go to work but the critical pub
| lie ofttimes causes a girl to lose heart
| and give up the work.
IF half the public understood the
| conditions IN the telephone office in
| stead OF criticizing." said the business
| man. there would be moro cooperation
and better service. Everyone should
| pay a visit to the office and learn what
the telephone operator does"