El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-05-31

greatest accuracy possible to anything
operated in part by human hands
Must Walt Their Turns.
When customer enters a store.
he does not become abusive II he has
70 wait even a period OF several
minutes for attention. He realizes
that customers must be waited upon
IN the sequence OF their arrival and
II he has to wait. he may become i'm
patient but is too well bred and
conscious OF appearances TO break Que
into anger But IL is a curious
psychological fact that the unseen
presence of central" coupled with a
nation on the part Of the laymau as
to the operation OF a big exchange.
makes a subscriber demand instant
attention with never a thought that
the operator has but two hands and
one pair OF lips to serve him with.
and that il the light which flashes
ms ufting the receiver is a moment
later than some ones else light. he
must wait until the earlier subscriber
IS attended to. just as though he were
being served in a store.
or course, there are mistakes made
The general worldwide unrest has
affected telephone operators as II
has workers in other lines and they
are hard to get as are other skilled
workers 1t takes a period OF four
weeks for a beginner to complete her
school course She IS then put on a
board. under the close direction OF
supervisor and gradually gains in ef-
ficiency. but f. takes from six months
to year for girl to become a really
expert operator. The girls work in
shifts so that the largest number
and most efficient type OF operators
are on duty az the busiest hours.
which are between s and II o'clock
HHH - H.
$50 o'clock in the evening.
Given Rest Periods.
An operator works two hours. then
she has a Is minute recess, then
works for an hour and three quarters,
Followed by an hour for luncheon.
The remaining time is divided in the
same manner so that she Is on duty
only seven and one half hours in all
and never for more than two and
hours at a time. This method
Of working shifts. together with the
elaborate facilities for the comfort
and pleasure OF the operators. cost the Z
companies a great amount
Of money, but Il makes for efficiency !
and contentment among the employees
and for better service to the sub
5cribers.
At the FL Paso exchange. there IS |
J cool, airy restaurant where meals I
an be obtained any hour Of the day. 4
Coffee, tea, milk and sugar are fur /
1lshed free to all operators and .
well-cooked simple foods 1
ire obtainable at cost. Any employed I
sirl knows what a large percentage |
II her weekly paw check must 90 for I
inches. and telephone operators ]
igure that at least SO weekly is /
'aved for each OF them BY this at 4
ention on the part OF the company. |
Dancing Floor Provided.
Besides the restaurant. there Is a
lancing floor and a photograph with 1
many popular records. there is a big i
est room, with comfortable touches |
hover and tub baths. lockers. three 4
natrons whose sole work II IS to at
end to the wants and wishes OF the
girls and there Is a typical school i
Dom. where the girls are taught /
The wage scale for telephone opera
ors compares favorably with that OF i
ny class Of workers. There are IN
United opportunities in many DIFF
erent lines. including paid vacations.
'enefit systems and incomparably fine
working conditions which combine 70
make the position Of telephone opera
OF rank among the foremost avail
BILE for young women
The average age for telehone ope-
ators is IS years. The FL Paso ex-
80 operators. They handle an aver
lge Of $4,000 calls a day, or 10h
ais for each phone in the city.
Board Looks Complex.
To the unlnitiated the huge boards 7
ook tmpossibly complex They are
eally simple. however. but the many
thousands OF lines, some party, some
olive much skin to be handled well.