Putnam patriot., 1926-01-29
4 Humorous Entertainment
 With q Serious Purpose

New London. who gave q trouble . talk and F. J McGorty. Jr., formerly with the Putnam exchange. now in New London.
 Local Calls
 Miss Seriven explained the switch board and by the use of the telephones arranged on the stage. demonstrated how local calls are handled. She said I that there are 2.3s6 telephones in the i Putnam division and that 10. 500 calls { are handled daily She would lift the receiver from the. hook and show | how the little lights on the board de- note that the call is being made, show ed how she plugged in on the jack and how she could tell when the line was free again; also how she told when the line was busy. The exag- gerated manner in which central re- peats some of the numbers given was explained It is done where, over the numbers sound alike, and to avoid confusion. The operator IS taught to say thrrree. seven, ni-en, fou-er, etc, for a purpose. and the can help the operator by using the same method. When the call comes in the operator says, Mum Der please" and when the number is given repeats it. This is the sub scriber's cue to say. right" or that right so that the operator will know that she has the number correctly Many more little details of the opera ion were explained and, everday af- fairs in the use of the telephone, brought home to the audience the les son intended and in each instance one might see what had actually occurred in his or her experience and how little troubles may be avoided.
 The Toll Line
 Miss Murray then demonstrated the toll line system. The call coming in and being transferred to the toll operators board. The ticket system showing the connection and iength~of conversation Also explained the sta ton calls and the personal calls and the cheaper night rate in all but per sonal calls IL was also shown how the company seeks to find the wanted party and the methods of keeping on record call where the party IS out. if the subscriber wants the party on the other end to call when located. The taa zae system, as k the local lines, is worked with a system of small lights on the board.
 A-B Calls
 The only A-B toll call in the Put nam division is to the Danielson eX- change. This is a direct call when a number and not a person Is wanted and iS almost the same as local calls. .fss tals ba from the hook and says: "Danielson l45. 10 calling - The receiver Is held to the ear while the Putnam operator calls the Danielson operator and re beats the number and the connection is made almost as quickly as local call.
 The Humorous Side
 The little troubles that are every day occurrences were shown with tel ephones al each side of the stage. The subscriber on the left of the stage lifts the receiver and calls, we will say. l567. He gets the number and starts to order bale of hay and finds he has q delieatessen store. He hangs up. thinking the operator has made wrong connection. He then calls
  gets the same wrong party It Is then he thinks possibly he nas made mis- take himself, looks in the book, and finds the number wanted 1876. He calls it and gets immediate service. He may have been bit put out at what he thinks was carelessness on the part of the operator and even when he finds out his own mistake is loath to take all of the blame.
 Says It With Mouth Full
 Then there is the man who calls up | with cigar in his mouth. Or lady | with a pencil in her mouth. Trying to | talk plainly over the wire under such | is indeed impossible. After a few requests by central to speak louder or plainer the cigar or pencil is removed and no more trou- ole.
 Then there Is the man who. with twisted telephone cord. gives it yank .o straighten it out. Result, the line goes out of order. A call is sent rom another phone and the trouble nan appears and fixes the break.
 Sullivan's Troubles
 In the evenings exhibition Edward Sullivan of New London was the trou- ole man. He fixed the subscribers telephone and started to leave the stage. Manager Booth asked Sullivan % say a few words about his work. I can't talk before an audience says Sullivan. But they want to hear rom you" says the manager. "All light, if they can stand it l can. says he trouble rectifier, and launches into m interesting lecture to phone users IS how not to use the telephone instru- nent. One of the biggest causes of rouble. Mir. Sullivan said. was the leaving the receiver off he hook or partly off.