Page:The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living (1909).djvu/149

 while the woman past twenty-three who has never had any sort of business training is not always adaptable. But in exceptional cases, where the applicant betrays alertness and capability during the course of her interview, the age limit does not bar her out.

The girl who thinks she is physically and nervously able to stand the work—for especially to the beginner, handling a switchboard is no easy matter—should ascertain by inquiry at the traffic department of the local company where to apply for work. She will be given the address of the school of instruction or the exchange where applications are received. Here she fills out a blank, giving name, address, education, previous employment if any, condition of her eyesight and hearing, and references.

When the latter have been investigated, the girl is summoned to the school and interviewed by the manager, generally a woman. Her hearing and eyesight are tested, and her enunciation and pronunciation are passed upon critically. Her general appearance of neatness and alertness has much to do with her acceptance or rejection. Only twelve per cent. of the applicants for positions succeed in passing this examination for admission to the operators' school connected with the New York Telephone Company.

Once the girl is accepted she enters the train-