Rockdale Reporter
August 14, 1952
Rockdale telephone operators are pictured (below) as they plugged in the final phone calls under the old hand crank phone system here shortly after noon, August 2.
As the picture was made, switches were thrown at the dial building, Rockdale was transferred to the dial system, and the telephone girls had written finis to their jobs in Rockdale.
Seated at the switchboard reading in reverse order, right to left:
- Mrs. Jean LaRue Alford
- Mrs. Roberta Pounders
- Mrs. Ruth Wooten
- Mrs. Faye Oldham
- Miss Loretta Neeley
- Mrs. Faye Pratt
- Mrs. Ann Summers
- Mrs. R.L. Myrick.
Standing at rear, left to right:
- Miss Vera Sheppard, chief operator
- Mrs. Betty Ashabrenner
- Miss Doris Jean Parker
- Mrs. Pansy Hairston, Evening Chief
- Miss Emogene Hilliard
- Miss Shirley Curlee
- Mrs. Eva Randle
- Mrs. Josie Scott
. . . Around the year of 1914, space was needed in the [former location in the] Quebe building and the operators were pushed out of their quarters, across Cameron street to the space above the Citizens State Bank. Here the office remained until recently when it was stripped of its operating personnel. . . .
During the span of 55 years since 1897 local operators have instigated calls to England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Hawaii and Japan. The long distance traffic averaged 400 calls per day at the close of the Rockdale office. . . .
