Indianapolis Times, Volume 32, Number 306, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 May 1920 — Page 3

jffS \ne Business (burse {hat Girls are Paid to Jake

(k Costs Money for a Girl to Learn Stenography and Bookkeeping ButShe is Well Paid While Learning Telephony \ H \ Permanent Positions Guaranteed. Good Pay. Splendid Chance for Advancement “A free business education for every girl who would like to equip herself for the most fascinating work offered to the feminine sex'’—that might well be the preface for a “want ad” signed with the name of the Bell Telephone Company. Without exaggeration, it is exactly what the phone company ofTers to girls who are anxious to increase their earning abilitv. For it is trup that the telephone company does give its* employes a free business edu cation. And it is equally true that the work for which this specialized business course prepares them—namely, that of telephony—is in lbe opinion of its votaries, positively the most fascinating employment a girl can secure. /

WHAT MARGARET SALTSMAN V** THINKS ABOUT IT. s If you are inclined to doubt that statement, listen to what Miss Margaret Saltsman has to say on the subject. Incidentally, it may interest you to know that back in the spring cf 1915 this young lady was a student in the high school at Knoxville, Tenn. In April of that year she came to Indianapolis and answered to the call of telephone work. She was enrolled as a student in one of the beginner’s classes, in what is often called the most pra< tical business school in existence devoted to education in a single liu*. of industry. Less than two years later Miss Saltsman had passed through the several stages of promotion from operator to supervisor, which lucraUh* position she held with great '"success. For several months during the year of 1919 she was transferred to the employment department, where she served as a recruiting officer and was exceptionally successful in obtaining new employes. All of which varied history proves that the graduates' of the Telephone School face ample opportunities for advancement and salary increases. Miss Saltsman says she would not trade places with any girl she knows in any other occupaiton. This brings us back to the original statement that telephone employes insist theirs is the most interesting of work. On this subject Mis3 Saltsman says: “The work around the telephone exchange is positively the most fascinating in the world. Until you have had a taste of it you can "not begin to imagine how it stimulates the imagination. “Just think of it, the telephone girl has at her finger tips the whole commercial and social intercourse of the community. She really feels the pulse of all that is going on in the vicinity of the exchange. ' In case of accident or fire, her work Slacks up. The wires are literally kept hot with the excitement of the community. And through it all she feels the great responsibility of service to all who make use of the telephone. When you look at it that way, there can not be any occupation more fascinating than that of the telephone girl. TELEPHONE WORK IS NOT AT ALL MYSTERIOUS. “And really, there is nothing mysterious about it, at all. The work is very easily learned. Most girls graduate from our training school in as little as two weeks. But whether they take two or three weeks longer, they are paid while learning. I think in many cases student telephone girl receives much as the finished stenogagSjher or bookkeeper gets on her position, after she has gradufrom a business course that |3HKken her anywhere from one ✓' r months to acquire and has anywhere from thirty to a dollars in tuition fees.” tj WL . -/a

.e w.■il -\ telephony Ag' ,{ * $75 EDUCATION FREE TO her own education, or even con- HUNDREDS OF GIRLS NEEDED faster and faster, and with increas- WONDERFUL REST AND REC- |§> PHONE GIRLS. tribute towards Its expense, she is FOR ADVANCED POSITIONS. ing speed and accuracy she per- REATION FEATURES I'' " Y y?: ■'**&&' S9KhR A coropari.oD ot condition. be- ■>*“ As „ „,a,.er of foe. hundred. ol to Utaa. ,b. For .coor., .be res. ..'on. .a I Sglf U ween the opportunities open to va- M _ R, rls aro needed at all times to fill school. If it were not for the fact tho main building is glass-enclosed, 1? ‘ •ious lines of female help, reveals -> ALARY INCREASED I MM ED- these higher positions, and enroll- that her salary had beep Increased J ust ko a sun parlor. And, for all bo fact .bat b,,c ft no o.bct <>N ORAOIMT.ON. . , .bo acbooU. d rs . 'a,on SR X llR.: .-. less training of similar attractive- As soon as she is declared pro- on the ladaer of advancement. the big switchboard room an exact lightful wicker furniture. I than can be acquired so easily ficiont her salary is increased, and Ahead of the student aro .ppor- counterpart of those she left in tho Great wft-ker chairs and rockers T\\ - ; //' is that of telephony—that is so con- nere also, if her day-time duties tunitles to become 'operators, toll higher grades of the school. aro scattered all about, the rug- . / v\\ 1H / jenial in its surroundings—or that prevent her from taking up the operators, information operators. , sh e is started on the real road of strewn hardwood floors. Here and ' s —'-Jpf tffere speedier and steadier oppor- work during the ordinary working trouble clerks, assistant supervisors. mTwhirh [h-- girls ' can Toeing Jfli unities for advancement. hours, employment wifT be found supervisors, assistant instructors, while listening to the music of tho *IJ\WV _ 4 for her every day at such hours as instructors, recruiting officers, weK wnou- cach w piano or victrola. ( " ~ ' * _. ) m ws#/ At !f a girl declde9 to take P Bt * may best fit her convenience. fare workers, etc. !n addition ACQUIREO. one or the other of these instru- M MISS SAITSMAN lography or bookkeeping as her graduates of the school rlten fnH The work is of a nature that can ments Is constantly In use. Atone WHO ENTERED Wt t/ANA ife work she is required to dedicate Those who know say that this ia . , 1 easily ho ucquired by any girl of end of ,he room tho floor is kept T UV crunnr 7 717 7/111 i specified period of her life to the trua of no other occupation a worn- 1 con £° nial occupations .n tho average intolligonce. But this does clpar of r 6 s and furniture. Here THE SCHOOL IN 190 WsSMlllllf % y . , ' .. ~ , an can enter many clerical departments requir- not deter girls of finished eJucai lon there are always a few couples go- AVD RPTAMF icquirement of the rudimentary an can enter. ing skilled help of a highly special- from taking it up. At tho top i! Ing through their danco steps. In- AND BECAME enowledge of the profession. In Another appealing feature is the {zed nature many exchanges will be found the deed - dancing seems to be one of SUPERVISOR ltllQH —**—***^ iddition she pays what in many fact that the girl can find work products of some of our test ie most popular forms of “off- y /

A $75 EDUCATION FREE TO PHONE GIRLS. A comparison of conditions between the opportunities open to various lines of female help, reveals the fact that there is no other business training of similar attractiveness than can be acquired so easily as that of telephony —that is so congenial in its surroundings—or that offers speedier and steadier opportunities for advancement. If a girl decides to take up stenography or bookkeeping as her life work she is required to dedicate a specified period of her life to the acquirement of the rudimentary knowledge of the profession, fn addition she pays what in many cases is a burdensome fee. When she is out of school she is forced 4o seek employment. Since the desirable positions always go to the experienced girl, she may or may not get an immediate position. Usually she is forced to change positions often before she is established in a place where both she and her employer are satisfied. At best, her lot in the early years of her business life is one of chance. ' And —as is so often the case with business women—after she has reached a certain stage in life, if she is not fortunate enough to have contracted a happy marriage, she finds it increasingly more difficult to find and keep employment as she grows older. Not so with the telephone employee. Her training is quick and certain —and is entirely at the expense o’ the employing company. If she has other obligations in life which she must fill —such as completing her high school or college education, she can do so and at thesame time learn the telephone work. For the hours can be adjusted to suit her convenience. Better still, if she is trying to pay for

her own education, or even contribute towards its expense, she is paid while learning. SALARY IS INCREASED IMMEDIATELY ON GRADUATION. As soon as she Is declared proficient her salary is increased, and nere also, if her day-time duties prevent her from taking up the work during the ordinary working hours, employment wilT be found for her every day at such hours as may best fit her convenience. Those who know say that this is true of no other occupation a woman can enter. Another appealing feature is the fact that the girl can find work near her own home if she so desires. For instance, in Indianapolis there are seven different telephone exchanges, each located in a different part of the city, and each complete in its appointments. Any girl who has finished her training course can be transferred to the exenange within easiest reach of her place of residence. Still another advantage accruing to the graduates of the telephone school are special insurance benefits and pension features. As for the school itself, it is a remarkable institution, occupying a large area of floor Space on the fourth floor of the “Main" exchange building at Meridian and New York streets. There are regular class rooms, equipped with the convenient onearm chairs, and the blackboards found in all well-equipped business and academic schools of higher education. Competent instructors teach the beginners all the duties and accomplishments of the telephone operator, and point out tp her the many opportunities for advancement that awkit those who become rroficient.

INDIANA DAiLi TiMLS, SAluliDAi, MAY i, 1920.

HUNDREDS OF GIRLS NEEDED FOR ADVANCED POSITIONS. Asa matter of fact hundreds of girls are needed at all times to fill these higher positions, and enrollment In the school is the first step on the ladder of advancement. Ahead of the student are ,pportunities to become •operators, toll operators. Information operators, trouble clerks, assistant supervisors, supervisors, assistant instructors, instructors, recruiting officers, wek faro workers, etc. !n addition graduates of the school clten find most congenial occupations in the many clerical departments requiring skilled help of a highly specialized nature. The ground work of all these well paid higher positions Is laidduring the timo the girl is being paid to learn her new vocation. This ground-work consists in a detailed knowledge of the switchboard, and instructions in its operation. The students are taught to find any numbei quickly and surely. By the time they have finished the earlier classes, each girl is thoroughly familiar with the fundamentals of the work. Then comes the practice operating, in a room that duplicates in appearance a section of the actual switch board room. Here the girls are seated before regulation switch boards and in practice perform every conceivable operation that can be necessary in the work of telephony. Instructor-operators, seated at a switch board in another part of tho room, pick up the receiver, shake the hook, call for numbers, and complain about perfectly good service—just as do regular telephon* subscribers. In a surprisingly short time all trace of, timidity has left the student. She becomes thoroughly accustomed to the situation. As her efficiency is increased, the calls are sent through to her

faster and faster, and with increasing speed and accuracy she perforins her tasks. Now she Is ready to leave the school. If it were not for the fact that her salary had been increased she would be scarcely aware of the change. She finds conditions".ln the big switchboard room an exact counterpart of those she left in the higher grades of the school. She is started on the real road of accomplishment as a finished votary of telephony. WORK EASILY ACQUIRED. The work is of a nature that can easily bo acquired by any girl of average intelligence. But this does not deter girls of finished education from taking it up. At the top in many exchanges will L>e found the products of some of our best schools and colleges. They find the work fascinating and lucrative. They find that in this work, as in few others, they are permitted to mingle with young women of picked qualities—bright, clean girls, for the most part of even disposition, and all in all fit to associate with any one. SPLENDID CLASS OF GIRLS IN TELEPHONE WORK. For instance, there is Miss Eleanor Stuekwish, a recent graduate of Manual Training High School. Less than two years ago Miss Stuekwish entered the telephone school. For one year she was an operator. For the succeeding ten months she served in one of the clerical departments. Today Bho is an instructor in the very school that was her first introduction to the work. Migs Stuekwish says that the fascinating nature of the work is not the only thing that attracts girls to telephone work. “I really think," she says, “that I should like the -work even if it were not so interesting. That is because of the wonderful opportunities to form friendships with the right kind of girls. “Really, I never saw a place outside of high school, where so many fine girls could get together. “Another feature that pleases me is the advantages we have for recreation. The company gives us three a day that can be spent tfrfp j beautiful restroom.”

WONDERFUL REST AND RECREATION FEATURES. For instance, the rest room in the main building is glass-enclosed, just like a sun parlor. And, for all the world, it is furnished exactly like a fine, big sun parlor, with delightful wicker furniture. Great wfrker chairs and rockers are scattered all about the rugstrewn hardwood floors. Here and there are restful wicker couches, on which the girls can recline while listening to the music of the piano or victrola. One or the other of these instruments is constantly In use. At one end of the room the floor is kept clear of rugs and furniture. Here there are always a few couples going through their danco steps. Indeed, dancing seems to be one of the most popular forms of "offtlme” diversion. And, strange tho It may seem, this form of musical exercise seems to be just as restful and refreshing as a snooze on one of the couches. For those who desire to read, a well-stocked circulating library Is provided. All the current newspapers and magazines are likewise kept on hand. At night, when the lights are lighted, this rest room, with its bright-faced girls taking their ease, is really one of the most enchanting spots imaginable. The company finds it pays to keep the girls bright and cheerful, for this increases their efficiency and makes their work more appreciated by the subscribers. Every one knows how pleasant it is to hear a kind, cheerful voice over the telephone. The company endeavors to make all the voices of its girls pleasant

Girls Interested in Learning Telephone Work Should Apply to the Indiana Bell Telephone Cos. New York and Meridian Streets Employment Desk in Main Lobby INDIANAPOLIS, IND. ' —Advertisement.

to hear, by keeping the girls themselves happy and cheerful at all times. For this same reason, the health of the girls is safeguarded in every possible way. PERMANENT POSITIONS WITH ADVANCEMENT FOR ALL WHO QUALIFY All in all, the work is made just as interesting and attractive as possible. Asa matter of fact, one official of the "'telephone company said, “You can readily see why we go to such trouble and expense to make the girls happy. The training we give each girl is very expensive. It costs at least $75 to put a girl through the school. That expense is borne by us and not by the girl. Naturally, having made

as great an outlay as that on the telephone education of an employe, we aro going to do everything wo can to hold her interest in the work.’’ That is why girls who enroll in the school, in addition to collecting from the company during the ;ime they are learning the work, are given an increase as soon as they ‘ graduate Into the actual work itself and have other increases awaiting them just as fast as they improve in efficiency. It is aiscT why the telephone company guarantees a permanent position, with good opportunities for advancement, to every girl who will take the course and become proficient in the Work. There are at this time vacancies to be filled by skilled operators, both toll and local, as well as openings for beginners.

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