Telephone exchange
Telephone and telegraph communications. 1919. Women and girls in training session – two women at desk – switchboard, women operators and supervisor – women at opposite sides of table – (Slate: Telephone GRK. Distributing the tickets to operators) – switchboard and operator – (Slate: Coin collect) – switchboard, operators hands – (Slate: Coin Return) – rows of box doors with number windows (some film upside down) – switchboard, operators and supervisor – infirmary, nurse examines throat of woman worker, weighs her – switchboards, operators – switchboard with parts labeled – worker on telephone pole – girls in waiting room fill out forms, more girls and women enter, sit down (same as first scene) – woman lectures to group, demonstrates use of head phone – (Slate: Telephone Girls. Long Distance. Directory for Long Talks and Routing) – girls at directory desk – (Slate: Telephone Girls. Chief Operator) – women at switchboards – supervisor teaches operation to group at switchboard – girl at switchboard – operator’s hands at work – views of switch- boards, operators and supervisors.
Historical context
The telephone exchange in 1919 was part of a rapidly growing telephone system that was developing in the United States. At that time, telephone exchanges were used to switch telephone calls and transfer calls between different subscribers.
In a typical telephone exchange, there were several operators called switchboard operators. These operators sat at a series of switches and cables and were responsible for manually connecting calls. When someone made a call, it was first answered by a switchboard operator, who then determined the desired line and made the connection by connecting the appropriate cables in the switchboard.
Working in a switchboard required skill and attention, as the switchboard operators usually had to handle several calls at the same time. They had to answer calls, make connections, take down information and disconnect calls when they were finished.
It is important to note that telephone systems around the world were not yet very automated at this time. There was still no direct dialling by users; instead, telephone exchanges and operators were needed to transfer calls. However, this changed in the following decades with the introduction of automatic exchanges and the gradual replacement of manual telephone switching.
In 1919, the telephone system was still in a transitional stage between manual switching and increasing automation.
