OF MANY VOICES

[Music] it was on March 10 1876 that Alexander Graham Bell first succeeded in transmitting speech over the crude assembly of re wire and magnet which was the first telephone the story of the years then and of the part the telephone has played in the growth of our nation could told in many ways but one way to tell it is in terms of three people of Jim Larson who is the hope of Tomorrow of Helen Larson who is the spirit of today and of Paul Kendell who is the Fulfillment of yesterday [Music] 50 years so long and yet so short a time and often at the end it seems the beginning was only [Music] yesterday [Music] all right yanie do who are you looking for says here you're hiring men for telephone work men we are hiring not boys I learn fast and I'm strong for my years how you know and your name name [Music] Kendall hello Kendall well how do you do Mr k m c h now all right son I run along I'm busy busy I wasn't sure I wanted the job anyway you what oh I got an uncle owns the biggest blacksmith sh up in town he thinks I'm crazy not to take a job with him he says there'll always be blacksmith but the telephone that's just for rich men and Gabby women nothing but a gadget well he says that doesn't he well you listen to me Mr Kendall you've got an uncle who's a fool and you can quote me you're talking to a man who helped install one of the very first switchboards there ever were in Haven in 78 who helped string the first line between cities from Boston to Providence a man who seen with the telephone has done for the country already in 25 years a gadget is it well that's what he said well you tell that weasel witted Uncle of yours that there's already a million telephon in this country and I'll wait for anything he wants to name that there'll be 10 timey before I die anyway before you die you're telling that I'll tell him [Music] yes don't lie to me sir just said I'm not an altogether mild man when I get red I will you come on in here with me I want to show you something you you had a doubt put in your mind about the future of the telephone business here's a man in Charleston South Carolina say who wants to buy and here's a man in San Francisco California who wants to sell think what it'll be the chareston fell will pick up the telephone and say hello give me San Francisco San Francisco never mind any anyway you get the idea the telephone is improving every day it's the research that does it the telephone was born in research and it'll keep on getting better the same way and once those research fellas find the right repeaters you'll be able to hear not just a Chicago like now but to overall Seattle or wherever we can plant a pole or string a wire and that the both of us we live to see I'm beginning to believe you're right Mr CH H you can stake your life other than I am my boy here keep your eye on that Bell son and mark my words that as this nation grows telic grow with it and it'll play a strong part in that growing and the future that lies ahead is beyond the belief of any man well so long Mr Cassidy now I'm sorry I won't do for that [Music] job like I said I learned fast get out there with the others get to work yes sir the year 1903 marked important Milestones of human progress as man first found wings with the Flight of the right Brothers at [Music] Kittyhawk and a mechanic named Henry Ford organized a company which was to bear his name but that same year a young telephone lineman helper found himself concerned with other things is your Royal whistling highness aware that at 7 minutes past the lunch hour I'm sorry Mike I was busy stunning and I didn't realize what do you got there let me me see it principles of electric well how long has this been going on over 6 months now I've been going to school nice taking a course in electricity oh you have have you what what's this there port card well I suppose you know what this means Mr Kendall what it means you're fired from this gang providing that is I can get you a job in the office where you belong in the engineers office at headquarters now close that mouth of yours and get to work we got wire to run the years move slowly there in the beginning of the century but already there were signs of things to come New York's first Subway was open San Francisco Rose From the Ashes and debris of earthquake and fire with the years the network of telephone Communications throughout America was continuing to grow the long hope for a line from coast to coast was finally nearing reality oh Paul thanks for coming in hello Mr Parker what do you think about that it's a model of one of the new repeater units isn't it the one the lab fellas have been working on right it's worked out Paul which means that the Transcontinental line is no longer something we just talk about which brings me to why I sent for you seems that they need a few more Engineers out there to help on the transcard metal project yes sir and and it seems that one of the engineers in charge got hold of name of a certain young man in this area it was suggested to him by one of his construction bosses Mike cath how about it Paul would you like to go would I to T with you I'll leave yesterday well I think we can compromise on the end of the week good luck Paul and to tell you the truth I [Music] envy yes the plan to bridge the continent by wire had been long in the making but at last on June 17 1914 what did I tell you boy there it is two we Bridge across the mile you were a prophet sure enough Mike is still only the beginning PA mark my words nothing in this world can stop us now no nothing could stop us now and then just 2 weeks after the completion of that line war in [Music] Europe but within three short years Europe's war was Europe's alone no longer and all over the nation thousands of PA Kendall join their fellow Americans in the first worldwide struggle against forces of [Music] tyranny [Music] the day that all of it was over and a million and more men could come home to the job of building a nation a nation now come of age of the world power a nation facing new and greater challenges in every facet of its economic [Music] life no one can ever say we hav a busy year ahead left well all you fellas between you may have finished the war in Europe but it's a CCH none of you returning to the telephone company are going to have much of a chance to relax who wants to just let me get out of this and back to my old job your old job oh well about that Paul I I'm not so sure you're not well you see Paul it's it's like this Tony haven't you finished with that yet oh yes B I'll finished I'll finished is you Paul with Harry Kale's retirement I'm moving up so in figuring the right man to take over my job here well what do you know good luck with it Paul oh watch it Captain the nation out of war and into the hectic years of the fabulous 20s a time of dance marathon of human flies and shaks and Flappers and the kind of a dance they called the Charleston but was a time too of important progress everywhere in American Life the telephone Network sped the messages of progress between Factory and office farm and store as the nation grew the telephone system kept moving ahead erecting new buildings making new cable and line installations anticipating the expansion of towns and cities and Rural communities by 1927 the year a young man named Lindberg blazed a sky Trail over the Atlantic scientists at the Bell Telephone Laboratories were demonstrating a new development in communication a device called television can you see me clearly Mr Kendall I can see you and I still don't believe it that's why we like you men from the operating companies to get in here once in a while does your firsthand look at some of the things we're doing it certainly does and I'm floored I'll leave you to Dr Stevens now I've got work to do so long so long doctor is this practical for General use well that remains to be seen so far it's still in the experimental stage can it be used to send out Entertainment Sports news events things like that well that could very well be in time but it's like the talking Motion Picture device we've developed that I showed you this morning it's valuable and it's important but it's still a by product of our real work and I don't have to tell you what that is improve the system exactly better telephone service for more people every year still some byproduct i' say to us here better service means constant research in many fields and sometimes what looks in Practical now may be a vital part of the telephone system later on back in 1915 12 years ago a single word Was Heard across the ocean just one word clearly heard yet this year regular transatlantic telephone service was established and you can talk across the ocean to London from any one of 18 million telephones in this country 18 million you know dror a great friend of mine once predicted 10 million telephones during my lifetime and when old Mike said it even that sounded fantastic Mike my first telephone boss Mike cther Mike wrote me a while ago that he was retiring oh not that there still isn't those Cassidy in the system carrying on for oh his daughter Mike said she's just starting out as an operator in a small town out west place called Cedar Junction I've often wondered what Helen Cassidy looks like if she's anything like her old man she'll probably scare off every young fellow within a thousand miles we put him on will you say C finnie found bill yeah go ahead oh just in time kiddo P's going to take me to a dance over Carville tonight board's all clear no LDS and no hey this is your first time along on the night Shi isn't it scared young SI hold up maybe I am a little scared you are my first time alone I going sit to be tired well nothing ever happen oh that coffee keep it hot drink it if you get sleepy I'll give you a ring when I get home see how you're doing there's call you be sure to guess old Mr Kleiner he calls every single night of the year exactly at 11:55 find out what time it is got eight Pro me house sh them all every night don't ask me why he just does well hello look kiddo there going to be times when you'll think that running this board at night is the lonesomest job on Earth and when that happens just remember the president of the United States is right there if you want to call him not that I recommend it but you can I mean it's not just as though this board tied together all the farms around here and made everybody in the county a neighbor but it brings the the whole blessed World in from the outside I remember thanks H number three give me Steves Steves Steve's Diner what yes [Music] sir3 yes Mr coin it's exactly 1155 just wanted to be sure hey you're a new operator ain't you yes sir what's your name Helen Helen CID is there Helen well well good night Helen 11:55 eh well it's 11:56 now so it is good night good night number operator a doctor please send a doctor who is this pain my fols are away and L S bleeding ble awful bed I can't make it stop I'm ring the doctor Tommy the person who's bleeding it's slenda my sister she was caring the laugh but a broken cut her how is it bleeding steady or insert and I can't stop it Tommy Tommy listen to me is your sister right there yeah just besid well we'll let go of the receiver and field up inside our arm up above the elbow and press with your th keep press in different places until you find the one that stops the bleeding and hurry Tom press hard I Willi lefi this is seat of Junction I can't raise the doctor here in town and there's an emergency on Valley Road between here and there I'll ring doctor slowly as fast honey who's her it's a little girl she's hello I got it I stop I got it stop good now listen to have you got a handkerchief yeah I got one but tell your sister to hold her own arm a minute and you tie the ends of the handkerchief together and slip it over her arm and then with a pencil her or a stick Twisted it until the cloth is tight and put the Turning part right where you were holding you got it okay be right back reille the doctor's on the line hello hello this is Dr Sloan I heard what you told the boy Miss and that's exactly right where is this patient at the Payton for on Valley Road or you tell the boy I'll be there in 10 minutes I'm on my way yes sir still need Phil anything else you need well I don't think so thanks hello ma' I did it it St and she can hold it it herself fine Tomy the doctor's on his way he'll be there in 10 minutes if he isn't you call me back I will jeez thanks L for a minute I was almost scared I was almost scared myself Tommy for a minute you okay now uhhuh bye man bye right number please hi kiddo keep awake okay oh hello I kept awake all right had how's it been pretty quiet huh it hasn't been too quiet need any help no time good night kid good night h The Fabulous 20s moved on every business and industry in America knew a growth and prosperity never before dreamed of it was the golden age that was sure to last [Music] forever and then October 29 1929 the end of an era and the beginning of a a long [Music] ordeal and by the early 30s in the office of Just One telephone engineer I don't get it all for 2 years things have been terrible and getting worse businesses of all kinds going to the wall yet now they talk about expansion a whole new building with all dial equipment what sense does it make what's going to stop the depression Joe if anything can keeping people at work right well that's why all over the telephone system they've tried to keep every employee possible on the job but another part of licking hard times is to keep right on investing in the future this country will come back just as it always has we of all people have got to believe that well now when you think about it like that I I guess it does make sense I'm sure that's why we got the word to go ahead with these plans and Joe stop worrying and of course neither the hopes for the the future nor the building for the future had been in Vain by the mid-30s the nation's industry in every field was on the move [Music] again new jobs new [Music] dance new planes new ships and once more the telephone system kept pace with America's progress and helped it grow the years had brought changes too to Helen Cassidy now Helen Larson married widowed and mother of a 10-year-old son long since moved from Cedar Junction to a larger City Helen has learned that the spectacular calls are rare in an operator's experience but the friendly courteous service is the normal day-by-day routine hello Helen you girls have Mrs lson our assistant chief operator did we have how the girls getting along with the col this wood Bo oh fine they're really doing beautifully but I don't feel things a little strange though after two years on a manual board in the other office you're soon that to it and you're in good hands to learn Mrs why all the bother the change to the dial system anyway wouldn't it been simpler to keep on an manual exchanges certainly would but the way the CES are increasing without the dial system that soon wouldn't be enough operators in America to take care did we need more girls than ever before oh excuse me I've got a heavy date waiting goodbye girls goodbye heavy dat well that's all for today girls tomorrow we'll study our cord practice mom left the first me I'll D it you shouldn't be in here Pearl Harbor never before had the American economy faced a greater challenge than in the days that immediately followed how that challenge was to affect the nation's telephone system was soon established by conferences in Washington and I know we're asking a lot considering what you've already done in the preparedness period but where we needed complete telephone equipment for 20 training camps then now we'll need closer to 200 and for calling home facilities from those camps we'll need special installations that's all to say nothing field telephone wire radar sonar and everything right on Down the Line quite an order Colonel it certainly is and your bell lab facilities you'll need even greater use of those than we've already had not only to develop new equipment but to train technicians for all the services what about the general production of telephone supplies on that our estimate is that your Western Electric plants will have to more double their present capacity is in a matter of months we even approach this schedule all your company's pretty typical as this engineering representative what have you got to say well we'll still have to study these plans but I've got a hunt the answer from all of us will be the same one this it's impossible and we'll do it unbelievable fantastic impossible but somehow the job did get done thanks to hundreds of men like Paul kendle and to thousands of other men in All Phases of telephone work research manufacturer Supply and construction and most certainly all of this was not the work of men alone of vital importance too were the Janet olon working to keep the regular service going at top efficiency the Sophie wenis meeting new challenges of service for military personnel the Fran Nelson striving earnestly to meet the needs of people inconvenience for the shortage of Home telephones and thousands upon thousands of feminine hands working side by side with mens on those vital assembly lines and telephone factories across the country and on the farflung fronts of the global war the equipment they produced was doing its part to Aid the millions of men and women in uniform radar sonar gun directors and rangefinders field switchboards and all the rest were all helping to bring closer that long awaited [Music] day for the second time in the generation the joys of Victory and the problems of conversion from war to an economy of peace at Bell Laboratories while still continuing certain research for future National Security scientists and technicians devised means to redesign military equipment for civilian use and continued development of other vital projects at Tbone manufacturing plants newly designed assembly lines turned out unprecedented quantities of new equipment with ever increasing efficiency and all over America men and women in all branches of telephone companies were doing their part in a friendly helpful way to maintain the highest possible standards of performance in a service that kept growing with even greater speed than ever [Music] before 50 years so long and yet so short a Time you might include some of these figures in your speech Paul take just one of the outstanding growth periods 1945 to 1950 for example 43 million telephones in 1950 an increase of 15 million or more than 50% since 1945 Almost 100% since 1940 no Harry figures aren't the answer oh they're impressive sure even impress me like the number of people who actually own the telephone system somewhere around a million stockholders from All Over America Mighty important that so are the new developments things like people diing their own longdistance calls and the calls themselves carried hundreds at a time by radio or by a coaxial cable it's all Mighty impressive Harry but not for a farewell speech the that F needs I still don't know thanks anyway for this I I'll just have [Music] to yes Mr here Mr kend oh send him in know who this is Harry the grandson of my first boss just out of college and gone to work as a telephone research man his mother is a chief operator in one of the companies they both have come on to be there tonight you've met the boy before never have I'll see you later Bo all right Mr Kendall come in boy come in just stand there a minute let me look at you so you think you can be a telephone man do you I hope so Mr Kendall I seem to think there's a chance that b lab that's quite a place no doubt in your mind about the future of the telephone is there well none in the world why do you ask I just remember [Music] something no matter how's your mother fine thank you she's arriving by plane this afternoon she said that Mike never would have forgiven us if we weren't both here for your retirement dinner well believe me boy I'm glad you are here me too very [Music] glad yes sir you're Mike's grandson all right and I'm sure Paul knows Beyond any words of mine how much all of us will miss him and how much real affection follows him as he retires from the system Al I I have a confession to make I've been trying to figure out for days just how to say goodbye I still don't know what can a fell say after 50 years I do know I'm proud all of you are here I'm proud too that the daughter and Grandson of Mike Cassidy one of the best friends I ever had our both here Ellen lson and her son Jim Helen doesn't know it but I've sort of checked up on her through the years and she's got as fine a record as any chief operator in the system of course I don't have to tell any of you about the importance of women to the telephone business outnumber us men two to one and old as I am I wouldn't have it any other way Jim well he's about as new a telephone man as you could find anywhere just out of college a couple of weeks so of course he knows more about the telephone than any of us but he's lucky give me he's joining one of the biggest teams in the world at a time when however astonishing its achievements of the past may be there's still only a promise of the things to come someone once told me that when I was even newer to the system than Jim is now keep your eye on that Bell Paul he said you could stake your life on it son as this nation grows the tel you grow along with it play a wondrous part in that gr the future that lies ahead is beyond the belief of any and now as I say goodbye to all of you I've known and worked with for many years I say hello to the Jim l and the Mary Angelo and the Harriet Flyn and all the young people whatever their jobs who are coming on tell the truth I wish I had another 50 years stay around and see what they accomplish you see now that the telephone is 75 years old I've got the same hunch old Mike had when it was only 25 what lies ahead is beyond the belief of any man for as great a part as the telephone has played in all our lives till now believe me it's still only the [Music] beginning