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 WOMAN'S WORK Jlfe No. 1.— HOW TO BECOME A TELEPHONE OPERATOR By ALFRED BARNARD Author of" Every Way of Eariiing a Livitig^^ •' Our Sons and Daughters^ etc. An Attractive "Way o£ Earning a Living — Open to Women between Sixteen and Twenty-five Years of Age — Conditions of Service — How Employees are Paid and Fed — Prospects — Sickness and Holidays " MuMBER, please ? " ^ The question from the Exchange over the wire is a familiar one, yet few people are acquainted with the conditions which govern the employment of the telephone operator. There are many young girls who would like to enter this sphere of labour if they knew how to go about it. and for this reason we have chosen the telephone service for our first article in this section. Since 1882, when in London there were only about thirty-five operators, exchanges have sprung up everywhere, and thus a fresh field of labour has been created which is to be commended to the attention of These two services will be merged into one at the end of [911. The Post Office then either may issue a new set of regula- tions to govern both staffs, or may decree that the existing regulations shall apply to the combined services. As there is, however, still plenty of time in which to enter the service of the National Telephone Company, it is worth considering how a girl between sixteen and twenty-five may do so. The National Telephone Company The National Telephone Company, which now employs about two thousand operators, Gerrard Exchange. Swirch-room A> permission of the National Telefihottf Coiufiatiy girls who are required to earn their own living. There are at present, and will be until the end of 191 1, when the Postmaster- General takes over the control of all tele- phone systems, two distinct services, each with its own regulations, age limits, and rates of pay. stipulates that candidates must be between sixteen and twenty-five, of a minimum height, without shoes, of 5 feet 3 inches, and of good education and address. Young women possessing these qualifications should write for an application form (which must be filled up in the candidate's own hand- writing) to the Trafh.c Manager, National