The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-06-05
GOOD TELEPHONE OPERATORS

Being telephone operator in New
York means much more than shar.
ing the j9,500,000 telephone GALA
made each day. 1t means more than
uttering a fair proportion of the
225, 100000 words spoken daily in
the mere establishing of connections,
at least 90,000,00O of which fall to
the operators lot. If girl wishes
to hold her job at the exchange,
she must play her part at the switch
board with clarity, a courtesy and
cheerfulness that come only thru
arduous training and constant prac-
tice in speaking with a SMILE"
In the early days of the telephone,
strength of vocal chords was the
criterion by which operators were
picked. A boy invariably got the
job, and learned in the school of ex-
perience to shout thru the wooden
instrument, called butter stamp"
which served as both transmitter
and receiver Today shouting has
gone out and training has come in,
so that Number, please?" and 1.-THE
line is busy may become easier and
more natural instead of harder and
more monotonOus at each repetition.
Girls on other jobs may bid for
the favor of customers in variety
of ways. With the telephone opera
tor her voice alone is her fortune,
and so the company sees that she
makes the best of it. Every operator
must go to the, voice school, Tone,
enunciation and voice placement are
the courses she must take. The
tone of her voice, she is told, must
be as carefully selected as the color
of her frock. Enunciation must be
watched as painstakingly as the cut
and style of her costume.
1t is up to the operator, whu
speaks first with her Number,
please?" to pour the lubricating oil
of pleasantness upon the business
Of getting a phone connection. Her
tone will strike the keynote, her in
structor points out. Thus she can |
be almost sure to strike a. respon-
,ive chord in her listener The i'm
portance of enunciation, too, is stres-
,ed. If she enunciates correctly the
other end of the wire will initiate |
Ter example unconsciously.
This is especially important to
In operator in New York City," ex-
planned one of the instructors in the
voice school. ANY one who lifts
he receiver may ask for a telephone
erved by some enc of the more than
100 central offices within the metro
'olitan area. The operator must
ecOgniZe the names of these offices,
poken in any accent of the twenty
TX nationalities represented in the
population of New York. Such CEN
raj office names as Blythebourne
nd Decatur often become Blitabore
nd Decaktour At these times the
perator must summon her magma
ion and intuition as well as her
est vocal technic."
The class in enunciation is first
Did to delve into its pockets for any
my mirrors and watch itself talk.
hen are laid down the rules for
special daily Dozen" to be prac-
ICED at home, in some secluded spot
ut of range of small brothers
harges that SISTER Is making faces
herself The first essentials of
roper enunciation are laid down as
exible lips, tongue and jaw.
Reading aloud at home is an
her good way to develop this fiexi-
llity of voice." the instructor con-
nued. And the young voice stu
ents are schooled in the principles
resonance, 1t is proper formation
tones that allows the future OPP
'ators to keep the smile in the
39th number please" without get
ng tired. A voice which for lack
resonance is forced in the throat
likely to tire.-New York Times