AT&T Archives: Good-Bye, Central

[Music] number place hey what's the story here there's no dial on the phone so you don't need a dial inflating long before anyone knew about dial telephones everyone knew the phone operator we used to call her central central was always there nimble fingers connecting one phone to another a familiar voice offering personal service but more customers kept calling and more until sheer volume brought about the dial central almost faded from the scene Catalina Island California is going to be the last Bell Telephone office where operators still connect local calls the residents like it this way for some old-time switchboards elsewhere the dial tone is sounding but here there's no plan or reason to change the mahogany switchboard was installed on Catalina in 1923 in the resort's heyday 15 busy operators switched the calls just a few provide the same service now the islands quiet charm matches the personality of its phone service gone are the flappers of the Jazz era who flocked to the famous Avalon Ballroom today's visitors find escape from the crowded mainland a spot where kids can romp in the open Square Catalina retains a way of life much of the country is passed by the island community is modern yet unhurried peaceful somehow serene Virginia City Nevada is different it's growing and dial phones are coming Marcella Goodman is an operator there Virginia City I'll ring it for you when I first started work in 1949 I don't think we had over 100 telephones we didn't handle over maybe 30 calls an hour no we handled from all the way from 60 to 80 calls an hour it's really too busy for one operator yet two operators can't work the system because it is not we like to give the best of service that sometimes we can Jack Flanagan is the county assessor hello Marcella would you get me the Shirley's I was born and raised here since a child growing up I've seen cut over the changes in the town way back in the early days way everything was horse team drawn not too long ago in Virginia City were returned download villains to use them up for firewood but now we're rebuilding on account of the increase in the population coming into town the vast movement to the west why had starting endured of off of Virginia City and responding newcomers coming into town and they just kind of fall in love with Virginia City and want to make their home here though things have changed quite a little bit telephone system that certainly has changed to the child growing up we've used the old Frank system here in Virginia City all up you never have to bother about giving any number II just say operator give me this junctions with the Smith and you get them on the phone but I think now with the town grow and the girls in the office are really overworked but the service that the girls have given us in the past have been really wonderful and we're going to certainly miss the operators in Virginia City number please st. Ignace Michigan like Virginia City is joining the dial network until recently a glowing lamp still met a caller on the line the operators answered marking circuits with plastic rings in the peak tourist season they had trouble keeping up calls were recorded on tickets whizzed over head on a clattering track the system stole the operators time and they had little time to give [Music] so Western Electric installers have completed a versatile electronic switching system for st. Ignace craftsman wired thousands of connections linking the millions of components hours of testing ensured peak performance on the data system was placed in service when all the work is completed direct local dialing became available for the first time calls can be switched instantaneously records kept automatically the new equipment will not only improve service the complex system also contains the foundation for new telephone conveniences which can be introduced in the future so the clatter of the old record carrier now is silent in st. Ignace operators have recorded their last long-distance call darkened the last switchboard land modern electronics can handle the service but the style was set by central 1 3 3 & 4 did you st. Ignace because we don't have Daniel system here yet well we have a manual a person driving the number for you a switchboard works by hand [Music] you you

Channel: AT&T Tech Channel

Views: 80,978

Rating: 4.9357276 out of 5

Keywords: AT&T Tech Channel, AT&T, AT&T Archives, History, Dialing, 1970s, Operators, Telephone, Communication

Id: 7qLU_urEYVE

Length: 7min 44sec (464 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 18 2012