KEEN TESTS FOR “HELLO” GIRLS.

Shannon News, 5 March 1926, Page 4

KEEN TESTS FOR “HELLO” GIRLS.

FIVE OUT OF SIX FAIL FIRST' • TAME. Only 1551 girls out of 9325 appli- - cants ,who wer e interviewed for positions as British Pogt Office telephone operators during the past year were able to qualify. ’ , The Chief Woman 'Superintendent, in'“an interview, said only one '.girl in six pdssed the initial test. • Telephonists ihust possess clearandpkusauL voices; they must have a keen sense of hearing-, and-their eyesight • ' must be good. The chief causes of failure-among the applicants are; — Defective or-slovenly speech. ~ Undesirable accent * Defective hearing or eyesight. Bad spelling; “Slovenly speaking,” she said, ‘is usually indicated by'a general slurring of words and by the dropping of the final ‘g’’ or its substitution by ‘k\ “It always amazes me to find that a fairly large number of candidates . Who presumably consider themselves suitable stutter or lisp. “Ability to spell correctly is an essential qualification,; >in view of me fact that the telephone system is widely used for. the transmission of telegrams. ' * “The telephone girl is anything- but neurotic,” she added. “Her physical efficiency is .reflected iri her success in sports. During- this season our girls have secured six successes in swim- *’ ming competitions open to all the women -in the Civil Service. Those 1 included two firsts arid three seconds.