July 14, 2014

Technology changes the way we reach out and touch someone

These days it's impossible to find many folks by their phone number.  The phone book, by my standards, is one of the most fascinating books ever published - one of the greatest references volumes around.  Who hasn't, in a fit of boredom, grabbed the phone book to peruse its helpful pages.  Alright, maybe that is just a me thing.  I don't know.

What I do know is that telecommunication has bounded by miles in the past few years.  Looking back to simpler times is kind of fun.  And really, not that long ago, there were operators who manually connected us via our telephones.  I know that might be difficult to fathom for those whose lives are virtually dictated by their "smart" phones and GPS devices, but once upon a time things were done rather differently. 

Read on:

Central Telephone Will Convert Slayton to Dial System in '62

"Slayton telephones and the rural lines out of the Slayton office will all be converted to a dial system during 1962.  Three crews are already at work in the Slayton area setting new poles and stringing new copper wire that will be required for the new dial system. By the end of this year the Slayton area will be converted and when Slayton is converted it will represent the end of the last exchange in the Central system to use operator instead of the modern dial system.

The total expenditure involved will be $200,000 and probably more, depending on how many of Slayton's 1,400 telephones must be replaced.  There will be no telephone operators on duty in Slayton after the system is converted.  For long distance service, area patrons will dial "0" and will be connected directly with a long distance operator in Marshall.  

All local telephone numbers will also be changed for the new service.  Once the dial system is installed, seven-digit numbers will be assigned to each telephone here."

That announcement was made early in the year of 1962.  When December rolled around, newspapers reported the following:

"The last call on the old manual switchboard was taken by veteran telephone operator Mrs. Amy Semens.  'Brady', as she has become known to hundreds of area residents, went into retirement with the switchboard.  She is the senior operator in this system with 35 years of operating the Slayton switchboard. "

The first call placed without Semen's  assistance was placed by Mayor and Mrs. A.D. Weck in December 1962, to their daughter Karen, in Germany.  "The Wecks enjoyed crystal clear reception on their trans-Atlantic call to inaugurate the dial service here," the Herald reported in that week's newspaper.

These days there are no human beings behind any sort of technical exchange.  Keep that in mind the next time you "dial" up a friend or loved one.  

Times they are indeed a-changing!