Published In:
Ann Arbor News, March 20, 1958
Caption:
'MICHIGAN BELL'S BELLES': Mrs. Earldine Brokaw, service assistant (foreground, standing) observes a contingent of long distance operators who clear calls for local customers to points around the nation and overseas. These operators are among 300 in the firm's Ann Arbor district, who man switchboards on shifts to provide 24-hour-a-day service to persons who may call on any of 69,544 area phones.

Published In:
Ann Arbor News, March 20, 1958
Caption:
MAZE OF CABLES: Cable splicer Merle Snider, "in the most crowded manhole in Ann Arbor," pairs together underground cables that establish telephone service near the University's Museum Building. Snider's work requires special training, as do all jobs with the phone company.

Published In:
Ann Arbor News, March 20, 1958
Caption:
TESTS PHONE HOOKUPS: Lewis C. Baker of Ann Arbor, a Bell test desk worker for 25 years, is shown as he checks a new phone hookup for continuity to assure quality reception. With the meter in front of him, Baker call tell whether there is a line short-circuit, the number of phones on a line or whether any of them is malfunctioning.

Published In:
Ann Arbor News, March 20, 1958
Caption:
RINGING MACHINE: The machine that switchman William G. Sanford is observing provides the dial tone, ringing and busy signals at individual telephones. The mechanism is alternately used with others like it to assure no interruption in the "beaming" of the three sounds.