the history of the telephone-µÚ20ÕÂ
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ed¡¡in¡¡a¡¡game¡¡of¡¡fox¡¡and¡¡geese¡£¡¨¡¡In¡¡the¡¡same¡¡year¡¡E¡£¡¡J¡£¡¡Hall¡¡wrote¡¡from¡¡Buffalo¡¡that¡¡his¡¡exchange¡¡with¡¡twelve¡¡boys¡¡had¡¡become¡¡¡¨a¡¡perfect¡¡Bedlam¡£¡¨¡¡By¡¡the¡¡clumsy¡¡methods¡¡of¡¡those¡¡days£»¡¡from¡¡two¡¡to¡¡six¡¡boys¡¡were¡¡needed¡¡to¡¡handle¡¡each¡¡call¡£¡¡And¡¡as¡¡there¡¡was¡¡usually¡¡more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡of¡¡a¡¡cat¡and¡¡¡dog¡¡squabble¡¡between¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡and¡¡the¡¡public£»¡¡with¡¡every¡¡one¡¡yelling¡¡at¡¡the¡¡top¡¡of¡¡his¡¡voice£»¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡imagined¡¡that¡¡a¡¡telephone¡¡exchange¡¡was¡¡a¡¡loud¡¡and¡¡frantic¡¡place¡£
Boys£»¡¡as¡¡operators£»¡¡proved¡¡to¡¡be¡¡most¡¡com¡¡¡plete¡¡and¡¡consistent¡¡failures¡£¡¡Their¡¡sins¡¡of¡¡omission¡¡and¡¡commission¡¡would¡¡fill¡¡a¡¡book¡£¡¡What¡¡with¡¡whittling¡¡the¡¡switchboards£»¡¡swearing¡¡at¡¡subscribers£»¡¡playing¡¡tricks¡¡with¡¡the¡¡wires£»¡¡and¡¡roaring¡¡on¡¡all¡¡occasions¡¡like¡¡young¡¡bulls¡¡of¡¡Bashan£»¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡exchanges¡¡did¡¡their¡¡full¡¡share¡¡in¡¡adding¡¡to¡¡the¡¡troubles¡¡of¡¡the¡¡business¡£¡¡Nothing¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done¡¡with¡¡them¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡immune¡¡to¡¡all¡¡schemes¡¡of¡¡discipline¡£¡¡Like¡¡the¡¡MYSTERIOUS¡¡NOISES¡¡they¡¡could¡¡not¡¡be¡¡controlled£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡general¡¡consent¡¡they¡¡were¡¡abolished¡£¡¡In¡¡place¡¡of¡¡the¡¡noisy¡¡and¡¡obstreperous¡¡boy¡¡came¡¡the¡¡docile£»¡¡soft¡voiced¡¡girl¡£
If¡¡ever¡¡the¡¡rush¡¡of¡¡women¡¡into¡¡the¡¡business¡¡world¡¡was¡¡an¡¡unmixed¡¡blessing£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡when¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telephone¡¡exchanges¡¡were¡¡superseded¡¡by¡¡girls¡£¡¡Here¡¡at¡¡its¡¡best¡¡was¡¡shown¡¡the¡¡influence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡feminine¡¡touch¡£¡¡The¡¡quiet¡¡voice£»¡¡pitched¡¡high£»¡¡the¡¡deft¡¡fingers£»¡¡the¡¡patient¡¡courtesy¡¡and¡¡attentivenessthese¡¡qualities¡¡were¡¡precisely¡¡what¡¡the¡¡gentle¡¡telephone¡¡required¡¡in¡¡its¡¡attendants¡£¡¡Girls¡¡were¡¡easier¡¡to¡¡train£»¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡waste¡¡time¡¡in¡¡retaliatory¡¡conversation£»¡¡they¡¡were¡¡more¡¡careful£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡were¡¡much¡¡more¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡give¡¡¡¨the¡¡soft¡¡answer¡¡that¡¡turneth¡¡away¡¡wrath¡£¡¨
A¡¡telephone¡¡call¡¡under¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡regime¡¡meant¡¡Bedlam¡¡and¡¡five¡¡minutes£»¡¡afterwards£»¡¡under¡¡the¡¡girl¡¡regime£»¡¡it¡¡meant¡¡silence¡¡and¡¡twenty¡¡seconds¡£¡¡Instead¡¡of¡¡the¡¡incessant¡¡tangle¡¡and¡¡tumult£»¡¡there¡¡came¡¡a¡¡new¡¡species¡¡of¡¡exchangea¡¡quiet£»¡¡tense¡¡place£»¡¡in¡¡which¡¡several¡¡score¡¡of¡¡young¡¡ladies¡¡sit¡¡and¡¡answer¡¡the¡¡language¡¡of¡¡the¡¡switchboard¡¡lights¡£¡¡Now¡¡and¡¡then£»¡¡not¡¡often£»¡¡the¡¡signal¡¡lamps¡¡flash¡¡too¡¡quickly¡¡for¡¡these¡¡expert¡¡phonists¡£¡¡During¡¡the¡¡panic¡¡of¡¡1907¡¡there¡¡was¡¡one¡¡mad¡¡hour¡¡when¡¡almost¡¡every¡¡telephone¡¡in¡¡Wall¡¡Street¡¡region¡¡was¡¡being¡¡rung¡¡up¡¡by¡¡some¡¡desperate¡¡speculator¡£¡¡The¡¡switchboards¡¡were¡¡ablaze¡¡with¡¡lights¡£¡¡A¡¡few¡¡girls¡¡lost¡¡their¡¡heads¡£¡¡One¡¡fainted¡¡and¡¡was¡¡carried¡¡to¡¡the¡¡rest¡room¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡others¡¡flung¡¡the¡¡flying¡¡shuttles¡¡of¡¡talk¡¡until£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡single¡¡exchange¡¡fifteen¡¡thousand¡¡conversations¡¡had¡¡been¡¡made¡¡possible¡¡in¡¡sixty¡¡minutes¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡always¡¡girls¡¡in¡¡reserve¡¡for¡¡such¡¡explosive¡¡occasions£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡the¡¡hands¡¡of¡¡any¡¡operator¡¡are¡¡seen¡¡to¡¡tremble£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡has¡¡a¡¡warning¡¡red¡¡spot¡¡on¡¡each¡¡cheek£»¡¡she¡¡is¡¡taken¡¡off¡¡and¡¡given¡¡a¡¡recess¡¡until¡¡she¡¡recovers¡¡her¡¡poise¡£
These¡¡telephone¡¡girls¡¡are¡¡the¡¡human¡¡part¡¡of¡¡a¡¡great¡¡communication¡¡machine¡£¡¡They¡¡are¡¡weaving¡¡a¡¡web¡¡of¡¡talk¡¡that¡¡changes¡¡into¡¡a¡¡new¡¡pattern¡¡every¡¡minute¡£¡¡How¡¡many¡¡possible¡¡combinations¡¡there¡¡are¡¡with¡¡the¡¡five¡¡million¡¡telephones¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Bell¡¡System£»¡¡or¡¡what¡¡unthinkable¡¡mileage¡¡of¡¡conversation£»¡¡no¡¡one¡¡has¡¡ever¡¡dared¡¡to¡¡guess¡£¡¡But¡¡whoever¡¡has¡¡once¡¡seen¡¡the¡¡long¡¡line¡¡of¡¡white¡¡arms¡¡waving¡¡back¡¡and¡¡forth¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡switchboard¡¡lights¡¡must¡¡feel¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡looked¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡very¡¡pulse¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city's¡¡life¡£
In¡¡1902¡¡the¡¡New¡¡York¡¡Telephone¡¡Company¡¡started¡¡a¡¡school£»¡¡the¡¡first¡¡of¡¡its¡¡kind¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡education¡¡of¡¡these¡¡telephone¡¡girls¡£¡¡This¡¡school¡¡is¡¡hidden¡¡amid¡¡ranges¡¡of¡¡skyscrapers£»¡¡but¡¡seventeen¡¡thousand¡¡girls¡¡discover¡¡it¡¡in¡¡the¡¡course¡¡of¡¡the¡¡year¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡most¡¡particular¡¡and¡¡exclusive¡¡school¡£¡¡It¡¡accepts¡¡fewer¡¡than¡¡two¡¡thousand¡¡of¡¡these¡¡girls£»¡¡and¡¡rejects¡¡over¡¡fifteen¡¡thousand¡£¡¡Not¡¡more¡¡than¡¡one¡¡girl¡¡in¡¡every¡¡eight¡¡can¡¡measure¡¡up¡¡to¡¡its¡¡standards£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡cheerfully¡¡refuses¡¡as¡¡many¡¡students¡¡in¡¡a¡¡year¡¡as¡¡would¡¡make¡¡three¡¡Yales¡¡or¡¡Harvards¡£
This¡¡school¡¡is¡¡unique£»¡¡too£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡it¡¡charges¡¡no¡¡fees£»¡¡pays¡¡every¡¡student¡¡five¡¡dollars¡¡a¡¡week£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡provides¡¡her¡¡with¡¡a¡¡job¡¡when¡¡she¡¡graduates¡£¡¡But¡¡it¡¡demands¡¡that¡¡every¡¡girl¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡in¡¡good¡¡health£»¡¡quick¡handed£»¡¡clear¡voiced£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡poise¡¡and¡¡alertness¡¡of¡¡manner¡£¡¡Presence¡¡of¡¡mind£»¡¡which£»¡¡in¡¡Herbert¡¡Spencer's¡¡opinion£»¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡taught¡¡in¡¡every¡¡university£»¡¡is¡¡in¡¡various¡¡ways¡¡drilled¡¡into¡¡the¡¡temperament¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telephone¡¡girl¡£¡¡She¡¡is¡¡also¡¡taught¡¡the¡¡knack¡¡of¡¡concentration£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡she¡¡may¡¡carry¡¡the¡¡switchboard¡¡situation¡¡in¡¡her¡¡head£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡chess¡¡¡player¡¡carries¡¡in¡¡his¡¡head¡¡the¡¡arrangement¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chess¡men¡£¡¡And¡¡she¡¡is¡¡much¡¡more¡¡welcome¡¡at¡¡this¡¡strange¡¡school¡¡if¡¡she¡¡is¡¡young¡¡and¡¡has¡¡never¡¡worked¡¡in¡¡other¡¡trades£»¡¡where¡¡less¡¡speed¡¡and¡¡vigilance¡¡are¡¡required¡£
No¡¡matter¡¡how¡¡many¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡dollars¡¡may¡¡be¡¡spent¡¡upon¡¡cables¡¡and¡¡switchboards£»¡¡the¡¡quality¡¡of¡¡telephone¡¡service¡¡depends¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡girl¡¡at¡¡the¡¡exchange¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wire¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡she¡¡who¡¡meets¡¡the¡¡public¡¡at¡¡every¡¡point¡£¡¡She¡¡is¡¡the¡¡de¡¡¡spatcher¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡talk¡¡trains£»¡¡she¡¡is¡¡the¡¡ruler¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wire¡¡highways£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡is¡¡expected¡¡to¡¡give¡¡every¡¡passenger¡voice¡¡an¡¡instantaneous¡¡express¡¡to¡¡its¡¡destination¡£¡¡More¡¡is¡¡demanded¡¡from¡¡her¡¡than¡¡from¡¡any¡¡other¡¡servant¡¡of¡¡the¡¡public¡£¡¡Her¡¡clients¡¡refuse¡¡to¡¡stand¡¡in¡¡line¡¡and¡¡quietly¡¡wait¡¡their¡¡turn£»¡¡as¡¡they¡¡are¡¡quite¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡do¡¡in¡¡stores¡¡and¡¡theatres¡¡and¡¡barber¡¡shops¡¡and¡¡railway¡¡stations¡¡and¡¡everywhere¡¡else¡£¡¡They¡¡do¡¡not¡¡see¡¡her¡¡at¡¡work¡¡and¡¡they¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know¡¡what¡¡her¡¡work¡¡is¡£¡¡They¡¡do¡¡not¡¡notice¡¡that¡¡she¡¡answers¡¡a¡¡call¡¡in¡¡an¡¡average¡¡time¡¡of¡¡three¡¡and¡¡a¡¡half¡¡seconds¡£¡¡They¡¡are¡¡in¡¡a¡¡hurry£»¡¡or¡¡they¡¡would¡¡not¡¡be¡¡at¡¡the¡¡telephone£»¡¡and¡¡each¡¡second¡¡is¡¡a¡¡minute¡¡long¡£¡¡Any¡¡delay¡¡is¡¡a¡¡direct¡¡personal¡¡affront¡¡that¡¡makes¡¡a¡¡vivid¡¡impression¡¡upon¡¡their¡¡minds¡£¡¡And¡¡they¡¡are¡¡not¡¡apt¡¡to¡¡remember¡¡that¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡delays¡¡and¡¡blunders¡¡are¡¡being¡¡made£»¡¡not¡¡by¡¡the¡¡expert¡¡girls£»¡¡but¡¡by¡¡the¡¡careless¡¡people¡¡who¡¡persist¡¡in¡¡calling¡¡wrong¡¡numbers¡¡and¡¡in¡¡ignoring¡¡the¡¡niceties¡¡of¡¡telephone¡¡etiquette¡£
The¡¡truth¡¡about¡¡the¡¡American¡¡telephone¡¡girl¡¡is¡¡that¡¡she¡¡has¡¡become¡¡so¡¡highly¡¡efficient¡¡that¡¡we¡¡now¡¡expect¡¡her¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡paragon¡¡of¡¡perfection¡£¡¡To¡¡give¡¡the¡¡young¡¡lady¡¡her¡¡due£»¡¡we¡¡must¡¡acknowledge¡¡that¡¡she¡¡has¡¡done¡¡more¡¡than¡¡any¡¡other¡¡person¡¡to¡¡introduce¡¡courtesy¡¡into¡¡the¡¡business¡¡world¡£¡¡She¡¡has¡¡done¡¡most¡¡to¡¡abolish¡¡the¡¡old¡time¡¡roughness¡¡and¡¡vulgarity¡£¡¡She¡¡has¡¡made¡¡big¡¡business¡¡to¡¡run¡¡more¡¡smoothly¡¡than¡¡little¡¡business¡¡did£»¡¡half¡¡a¡¡century¡¡ago¡£¡¡She¡¡has¡¡shown¡¡us¡¡how¡¡to¡¡take¡¡the¡¡friction¡¡out¡¡of¡¡conversation£»¡¡and¡¡taught¡¡us¡¡refinements¡¡of¡¡politeness¡¡which¡¡were¡¡rare¡¡even¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Beau¡¡Brummels¡¡of¡¡pre¡telephonic¡¡days¡£¡¡Who£»¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡until¡¡the¡¡arrival¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telephone¡¡girl£»¡¡appreciated¡¡the¡¡difference¡¡between¡¡¡¨Who¡¡are¡¡you£¿¡¨¡¡and¡¡¡¨Who¡¡is¡¡this£¿¡¨¡¡Or¡¡who¡¡else¡¡has¡¡so¡¡impressed¡¡upon¡¡us¡¡the¡¡value¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rising¡¡inflection£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡gentler¡¡habit¡¡of¡¡speech£¿¡¡This¡¡propaganda¡¡of¡¡politeness¡¡has¡¡gone¡¡so¡¡far¡¡that¡¡to¡day¡¡the¡¡man¡¡who¡¡is¡¡profane¡¡or¡¡abusive¡¡at¡¡the¡¡telephone£»¡¡is¡¡cut¡¡off¡¡from¡¡the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡He¡¡is¡¡cast¡¡out¡¡as¡¡unfit¡¡for¡¡a¡¡telephone¡¡¡using¡¡community¡£
And¡¡now£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡there¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡no¡¡anticlimax¡¡in¡¡this¡¡story¡¡of¡¡telephone¡¡development£»¡¡we¡¡must¡¡turn¡¡the¡¡spot¡light¡¡upon¡¡that¡¡immense¡¡aggregation¡¡of¡¡workshops¡¡in¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been¡¡made¡¡three¡fifths¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telephone¡¡apparatus¡¡of¡¡the¡¡worldthe¡¡Western¡¡Electric¡£¡¡The¡¡mother¡¡factory¡¡of¡¡this¡¡globe¡trotting¡¡business¡¡is¡¡the¡¡biggest¡¡thing¡¡in¡¡the¡¡spacious¡¡back¡yard¡¡of¡¡Chicago£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡are¡¡eleven¡¡smaller¡¡factoriesher¡¡childrenscattered¡¡over¡¡the¡¡earth¡¡from¡¡New¡¡York¡¡to¡¡Tokio¡£¡¡To¡¡put¡¡its¡¡totals¡¡into¡¡a¡¡sentence£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡an¡¡enterprise¡¡of¡¡26£»000¡man¡power£»¡¡and¡¡40£»000£»000¡dollar¡power£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡telephonic¡¡goods¡¡that¡¡it¡¡produces¡¡in¡¡half¡¡a¡¡day¡¡are¡¡worth¡¡one¡¡hundred¡¡thousand¡¡dollarsas¡¡much£»¡¡by¡¡the¡¡way£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Union¡¡REFUSED¡¡to¡¡pay¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Bell¡¡patents¡¡in¡¡1877¡£
The¡¡Western¡¡Electric¡¡was¡¡born¡¡in¡¡Chicago£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡ashes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡big¡¡fire¡¡of¡¡1871£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡has¡¡grown¡¡up¡¡to¡¡its¡¡present¡¡greatness¡¡quietly£»¡¡without¡¡celebrating¡¡its¡¡birthdays¡£¡¡At¡¡first¡¡it¡¡had¡¡no¡¡telephones¡¡to¡¡make¡£¡¡None¡¡had¡¡been¡¡invented£»¡¡so¡¡it¡¡made¡¡telegraphic¡¡apparatus£»¡¡burglar¡alarms£»¡¡electric¡¡pens£»¡¡and¡¡other¡¡such¡¡things¡£¡¡But¡¡in¡¡1878£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Union¡¡made¡¡its¡¡short¡lived¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡compete¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Bell¡¡Company£»¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Electric¡¡agreed¡¡to¡¡make¡¡its¡¡telephones¡£¡¡Three¡¡years¡¡later£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡brief¡¡spasm¡¡of¡¡competition¡¡was¡¡ended£»¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Electric¡¡was¡¡taken¡¡in¡¡hand¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Bell¡¡people¡¡and¡¡has¡¡since¡¡then¡¡remained¡¡the¡¡great¡¡workshop¡¡of¡¡the¡¡telephone¡£
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