Number PULEAZE! Part Two:

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Indeed. It is frightening the level of ignorance some of our youth have. I remember a skit on the Tonight Show years back where they asked college students very simple questions on current events, history, geography, etc.. Their answers were invariably incorrect, some shockingly so. Oh sure, the audience was laughing, but me? I was screaming inside. This is our nations future. God help us.

 

[circlew]

Ralph, as I mentioned in the above post, there was a switch to select intercom, but I also remember some buttons on this same box. It seems like there was a printed label next to them - probably the location of the extensions. I suppose to call a certain station in the house, you set the switch to intercom, then pushed that button to ring or buzz that phone. I'm guessing it worked like the manual intercom used on 1a2 systems. I didn't see any other old phones in this house, as the working ones were all standard modern sets. I wish I could remember more, but it's been over 50 years since I was in that house. The house was built sometime between 1900-1915, but the old phone system was likely from the late 20's - mid 30's.

The phone in the hall looked a lot like the one in the link.[this post was last edited: 1/15/2019-18:22]

http://vintagephone.com/HB/WE635a.jpg

 

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American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1915

 

 

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[rp2813]

Thanks for that thorough description, Tom. 

 

That phone is commonly called an "apartment phone," meaning it was located in a common area for everyone to use.  Again, the old movie comes to mind with someone being summoned to a hallway phone and standing at it to converse.  

 

I'm too spoiled by the handset and can't be bothered with the discipline required to use a separate receiver and transmitter, but I'd consider an apartment phone.

 

Regarding the ad directly above, if only the current crowd of telecom providers --  the sham that is today's AT&T included -- were as committed to providing service as was The Bell System.

 

 

 

[toploader55]

Reply 61

Doesn't that AT+T Logo look so Professional like a company that means service and quality ?

Not like today. When you are paying for air and there are no Poles or Equipment to maintain.

 

[wayupnorth]

I had AT&T landline phone service at one time from Ma Bell to Consolidated Communications now that have the poles, wires and stations. AT&T owns Directv now but there is NO AT&T cell service in these areas for them they keep bugging me to switch to. I dont want a discount on something I cant use. So I complain to them and get more discounts off my Directv, which the programming went from bad to even worse.

 

[twintubdexter]

Friend Ralph...

That's so true, while it tends to make things easier and often better, technology does seem to zap the fun right out of lots of things. The more fun the better in my book.

 

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[beekeyknee]

A friend of mine told me this was on Youtube. Thanks for posting it Eddy and thanks for the thread Louie. Yeah, one would think at some point along their silly existence they would have seen an old movie or run across one somewhere. It seems as if it's time for schools to start teaching mid - to late 20th Century history. Their parents aren't teaching them the things they should already know before they get to school. The boy in the plaid shirt is being prompted by someone off screen to pick up the phone and put it to his ear and asks him what he hears. "Uhhhhh" the boy says. Too funny.

Eddy's right, these people scare me too. I still find it somewhat disturbing/annoying as people walk around talking to themselves.

Here's some things I find interesting. It all requires reading and there's no emogys or how ever one spells those annoying things.

I was driving with my nephew the other day (12 years old) and I saw a large bird perched on a telephone pole. I said look at that bird on the telephone pole and he said whats a telephone pole. I said never mind.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/05/ring-ring-ring-ring/561545/ [this post was last edited: 1/19/2019-03:11]

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/why-people-hate-making-phone-calls/401114/

 

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My pleasure Brian.

 

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Pacific Telephone 1955

 

 

 

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[rp2813]

Brian, thanks for posting the link to that excellent article! 

 

The WECo model 500 is widely considered to be the 20th century's most significant work of industrial design, and the writer provides a thorough explanation as to why that is so.

 

I don't think anything makes me feel old as much as the loss of the landline experience and the pleasure that used to be associated with conversing over a clear connection with no lag time, using a nearly indestructible instrument -- made in the USA -- that was so perfectly designed for that purpose.

 

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Edison Televoice Writer 1952

 

 

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[circlew]

COM KEY (1A2 version)

My favorite Western Electric equipment!

When I worked a long term temp job at University Hospital back in the mid 80's, they installed a Western Electric COM KEY 1434 phone system. This was an enhanced 1A2 system, and had tone ringing for both outside and intercom calls, rather than gong type ringers. The attendant console with the DSS box was located in the office occupied by Ms. Orine W. and Ms. Clara D. Most of the phones in other areas of our deptartment were 20 button sets, but the file room (where I worked) had a 6 button (2564) set for everybody, except for Dave (our manager), who had one with 20 (2833).

Most of the lines were part of the Centrex system, but we also had two direct outside lines, which we were to use for any personal calls.

Link to brochure for smaller 718 version.

https://www.telephonecollectors.inf...4-bell-system-com-key-718-brochure-nov78/file

 

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Bell Telephone System 1960

 

 

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Bell Telephone System 1932

 

 

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Telephone jack and plugs from the 1930's

 

 

 

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Bell System 1965

 

 

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Wards Catalog 1975

 

 

Most of these were made in Korea if I remember correctly.

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[michaelman2]

608 PBX Cord Switchboard

This was the last cord PBX manufactured. I worked on a 12 position hospital PBX using this type of board. I hated when the electronic boards replaced the cord board. The hospital had the 608 in use until 1985. It was replaced with a system called "Dimension". It could not do nearly the things the cord board could do and the reliability was terrible, especially during bad weather. I don't ever remember the 608 going completely down or inoperative.

Photos:
1) Close up of the 608 Board. You may notice there are no ringing keys (toggles). This board had automatic ringing on the front cords.

2) The White House switchboard, also a 608 and removed several years ago for an electronic system.

3) Dimension console. This system was touted as the "end all" in communications. Of course this was in the early 1980s...how far we have come.

I still miss the very personalized telephone service. I was reading an article the other day and it basically said fewer and fewer telephone communications take place, these days. Texting and other forms of non-verbal communications are quickly gaining as the most preferred way to communicate....ugh.

http://doc.telephonecollectors.info/dm/608_PBX_Oct67_marketing_brochure_67.pdf