The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-07

along with hard afternoons work before
them on a doughnut and ice cream soda
Nobody can do good work on fare like that
So the company established the lunch rooms
There we give wholesome, well cooked food
at exceedingly low prices Expert dieticians
plan the meals and they are prepared in
modern kitchens.
Here is a sample menu in the Dey street
lunch room:
Vegetable SOUP. .OS Raspberry jelly.
Roast beef. .12 ......... .06
Mashed potatoes. .O2 Marble cake. 80. .O4
Combination salad OF Ice cream. $50. .O6
Milk (glass) ...... .0i
You will note that efforts are made by
means of proper food to preserve the health
of the operators In the same way effort is
made to keep their spirits up and increase
their confidence in the future. That aim is
behind the benefit plan above referred to.
1t is maintained by the company without
cost to the operator. The anniversary pay
ments are cash allowances of from s25 to
500 each year after the second year of ser
vice.
I'm the training period the student OPP
orator Is paid SIS a week. The course lasts
about two weeks, and the beginner receives
encouragement and assistance We increase
the girls pay quite rapidly, certainly as rap
idly as they give us reason to by their eff
cheney and 1t is not long on an average be-
fore the new operator gets up to $50 and
500 a month. OF course the voice with a
smile stands the best chance of raise"
Recruiting for Next Year.
Vice-President Sylvan is quoted saying
that while the company has enough opera
tors to fill all of its switchboard positions at
present it will require 16 per cent. more next
year 1t is therefore necessary to recruit and
train new operators constantly-1,S76 new
switchboard positions will be opened by Jan
uary of next year.
Gently described and illustrated in THE New
YORK HERALD will be in use in New York city
early next year in the Pennsylvania, Acad-
envy and Lispenard centres It's operation
will be watched with considerable curiosity
and the future switchboard is sure to be of
this type. 1t is mistake, however, to think
that the change from manual to machine
switching Is to come quickly. Ten or twelve
years at least will be required for the transi-
ton
What is to become Of your accomplished
hello girls when manual switching becomes
old fashioned?"
This question brought quick answer
showing that the point had been raised be-
fore Here is the answer:
I'VE need all our employees and all will be
absorbed in the different lines of duty. No
body need worry about the closing up of
jobs"
transportation During Car Strike.
1t is a record of pride with the telephone
company, the accomplishment during the
transportation tie-up in Brooklyn early in
this year. Ten thousand persons were trans
ported every day the strike lasted. This in
cluded 5000 to and from New York. Eighty
nine were used in the automobile fleet
and 315 men were required to work these cars.
Forty company cars were used and forty
nine out of town buses. The average speed
of each bus, including waiting time, was
ali milo hOttr
pany cars beat this time by an hour.
In spite of the adverse conditions, a regu-
lar bus schedule was maintained. Everything
was sacrificed to the successful operation of
the hastily built up transportation system.
The men of the company worked hours over
time and spent every energy in making
things go as comfortably and quickly as pos
sible because they were doing it as a service
to the hello girls. 1t Is computed that during
the strike there was an increase in telephone .
calls in the twenty-six exchanges In Brook
lyn of % per cent
In the Wall street disaster the girls at
the switchboards that serve the great finan-
cial district proved themselves true soldiers
and worked hours on end to bring help and
relief to the victims of the explosion II oc-
Cured just before the girls were to go to
lunch Fortunately they had not yet left the
board and in the ensuing excitement lunch
was forgotten. 1t was said of the operators
at these switchboards that they gave such
efficient cooperation TO distracted callers on
the wires that the latter, by force of ex-
ample. became cooler These hello girls in
deed, are said TO have kept their heads better
than operators at swtchboards much further
away from the scene of the disaster
On that afternoon 76,761 calls were put
through the Beekman and Hanover central
Office and the annex. This was about 10000
more than usual. The operators said that
they were able to do this work because the
her
cult situation they were in and to cooperate
wherever possible A total Increase over the
average day in this busy region was 40 per
cent
Unmoved by Curiosity.
And the surprising trait the hello girls
showed on this trying occasion was their
own restraint OF curiosity. As the calls
came pouring in with cries from the sub
scribers of What's the matter7" the girls
who refused to leave the board would reply:
I'VE don't know. except that II is something
terrible"
They didn't know. and the explosion might
have taken place in the very building where
they were working. nevertheless they would
not let fears drive them away from doing
their duty. Members of the Stock Exchange
are loud In praise OF these girls. especially
those OF the Rector central office. From
the moment the explosion took place this
central Office was literally flooded with calls.
but the hello girls ran true to form. kept
their heads and made their connections.
Whatever fault Is to be found Justly with
the service now being rendered by the com
IL.