The Pomona Progress Bulletin from Pomona, California • 11

DlTDtrD'f) Oln)(dIk(o'S(d 1953 WOMEN TELEPHONE OPERATORS HONORED Cart H. lorbeer, retired former division manager of General Telephone presents scrolls in recognition of longest periods of service here to Beatrice I. Connor, left, supervising operator who has been with Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. here for nearly 25 years, and to Sarah Love, General Telephone operator with more than 33 years of service. Ceremony here Friday afternoon commemorated 75th anniversary of employment of women as telephone operators.

(P-B photo) GTC Honors TvO' Women Operators Two Pomona women telephone operators whose combined records total more than 58 years of service were honored at a ceremony here Friday, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the employment of women as telephone operators, when officials of General Telephone Co. and Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. jointly held open house at the office at 3rd and Gibbs Sts. Guests of honor were the companies women Employes with the longest records of service here: Sarah Love, General Telephone operator who has had more than 33 years of service, and Beatrice 1 "Connor, who has been with the Pacific firm for nearly 25 years. Scrolls were presented to the two by Carl H.

Lorbeer of Pomona, retired former division manager of General Telephone, who 'in a brief talk reviewed the history of employment of women as telephone operators and the long service of the two honored guests. First Switchboard Only boys and men were hired as operators until 75 years ago when, late in 1878, Miss Emma M. Nutt was employed to -operate the worlds first switchboard, which had been installed the previous year in Boston, Lorbeer said. In the same year, 1878, the first exchange, on the Pacific Coast was established in San Francisco, followed', within a year by exchanges at Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose. Service was established in Los Angeles early In 1880 for seven telephones.

When the first directory was issued in that city later In the year It listed 91 customers. In 1881 hn exchange was opened in San Diego, followed by others at Pasadena in 1883, Riverside in 1887, Ventura in 1889 and Santa Ana in 189L Within a few years after these exchanges were established, women operators had replaced the boys. First Pomona Telephone Pomonas first telephone was installed in 1885 the year The Pomona Progress began publication in a building at the northeast comer of 2nd and Gordon Sts. An article in The Progress of July 30, 1885, stated that the manager of the Sunset Telephone Cb. had arrived to build a between Pomona and Los Angeles.

The follow- on Sept. 1, 1920. She worked in the Pomona office until April 1924 when she was transferred to Ontario and remained in that office until it was converted to a dial system, returning in 1935 to the Pomona office. Mrs. Love has been a supervisor in both the Ontario -and Pomona offices and recently has assisted in all training programs for new employes.

She has an almost perfect attend ance for her more than 33 years of service. In addition to the two guests of honor and Lorbeer, guests at Fridays ceremony and open house included Mayor Arthur II. Cox; Roy O. Day, president of Pomona Chamber of Commerce; Arthur M. Dole, member of the board of directors of Gen eral Telephone; Ted Johnson, managing editor of The Progress Bulletin; A.

L. Hellberg, division traffic manager; A. A. Connolly, assistant division traffic manager; W. H.

Hess, district commercial manager; R. E. Woodbury, district traffic superin tendent; Owen G. Jarboe, General Telephone Co. general traffic manager; G.

A. Woods, GTC division traffic superintendent; G. Howard Briggs, GTC east em division manager; Richard M. Sorg and Henry T. Powell, GTC commercial managers for Pomona and Ontario, at 3rd and Gibbs Sts.

on June 1, 1930. By 20 years ago, 1933, the force had been increased to 42 operators; by 1943 there were 118; and now there is a force of 247 operators at the Pomona office of Telephone companies thruout the nation currently are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the employment of the first woman operators, honoring local women with longest records of service and the remainder of the more than women operators who now maintain the high standards of service started by Emma Nutt in 1878. Beatrice L. Connor was employed March 6, 1929, and all of her more than 244 years of service has been in the Pomona office of altho last July she was loaned to the Santa Ana exchange to assist in handling calls for the Boy Scout Jamboree. Mrs.

Connor now is a long distance supervisor but also has worked as a chief operator's clerical assistant. At the exhibit at this years Los Angeles County Fair she was one of the employes selected to demonstrate and explain to the public that companys plans for improving long distance service in the near future. Sarah Love was employed by Carl II. Lorbeer as an operator for Pomona Valley Telephone ing Aug. 13 this newspaper reported that telephone communication between Pomona and Los Angeles had been established.

The first city directory of telephone subscribers was not compiled and published until the year 1896-97. Valley Telephone and Telegraph Union was incorporated in September 1902 and service was begun on Sept 1, 1903. The office was in the, three-story First National Bank which 30 years ago was replaced by the banks present large building on the same site at the northwest comer of 2nd and Main Sts. At a meeting of the local companys board in October 1904 a proposal to limit the exchange to 300 customers was defeated by a close vote. By August of the following year here were 1,000 telephones in operation, and a few years later 2.000.

The local company became part of Associated, now General Telephone in 1929, and when the dial automatic system went into operation in May 1948 there were 15,000 telephones in service here. The Pomona exchange now serves about 29.000 telephones. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. long distance office was located at 261 S. Locust St.

and had a total force of 21 operators at the time the new office was built and opened THANKSGIVING Page 1 Sec. i mSS PHEBE SIIELDON Death Takes Prominent Teacher Miss Phebe Sheldon, 60, teacher in Pomona Public Schools for more than 30 years until her recent resignation because. of illness, and a steadfast leader in Camp Fire Girls circles for a long period, passed away last night at Park Avenue Hospital. Miss Sheldon, who lived at 446 E. Pasadena St.

and wh taught English at Fremont Jun ior High School, suffered a severe nervous breakdown, with complications last September and subsequently resigned. She had taught here continuously since 1922 with exception of a year when, on leave of absence, she attended Columbia Teachers College in New York. Upon her graduation- from Pomona College in 1918, magna cum laude, Miss Sheldon also was baccalaureate speaker. She was graduated from San Diego State Teachers College in 1921 and taught a year in Hawaii before becoming a member of the Pomona schools faculty. Helped Establish Camp Miss Sheldon helped establish Camp Nawakwa and four other Camp Fire Girls camps in the San Bernardino mountains.

In 1919 she started the first Camp Fire Girls group in Pilgrim Corigregational Church, to which she and members of her family belonged afterward. Miss Sheldon was born in Los Angeles Sept. 9, 1893. When she was five years old her mother, Lillian Ladd Sheldon, died. Two years later her father remarried and the family moved to Ventura.

Miss Sheldon was high honor student in elementary and high school in Ventura. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and CSPEO, a teachers organization, as well as Pilgrim Church. Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Ann Sheldon Coe, Hampton, and an aunt. Miss Edith M.

Ladd. Berkeley. Funeral arrangements are pending arrival of Mrs. Coe. Todd Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Ikaft Ir Wind Causes Some Damage In Pomona Another chilly night is in prospect but orchard heating is not. expected to be necessary, the fruit frost service indicated today in a preliminary forecast of minimums about 28 degrees at coldest citrus key stations in Southern California. Temperatures in local area groves fell generally to minimums ranging from 80 to 32 degrees early today and some wind machines went into operation. In downtown Pomona the mercury dropped from yester-das 60.3 to 34.2, lowest temperature here this season, and the weatherman estimated it would go only into the low 60s this afternoon arid tomorrow. Scattered high clouds but generally clear skies are predicted for the Pomona area tonight and tomorrow.

The'preliminary frost forecast detailed predictions over KFI at 8 p.m., was as follows? "Clear skies and little wind are indicated for Southern California citrus districts tonight. Lowest temperatures at coldest citrus key stations will be about 28 degrees. Firing is not expected to be necessary. -The general Southern California weather forecast calls for strong gusty winds today in mountain canyons and ridges and locally in interior regions. Wind yesterday caused some damage here, blowing down a large tree that fell on an unoccupied' apartment attached to the Austin H.

Prick home at 713 E. Kingsley Ave. In the Los Angeles area about 60 trees were felled, 45 of them in a two-hour period starting at 11 am. PHS Students 4 Complete Yule Sales Training Some 120 Pomona High School students who expect temporary employment in downtown retail establishments during the Christmas shopping season completed their pre-Christmas sales training program yesterday. Techniques of over-the-counter selling were stressed in a three day course at the high school this week.

Speaker at the final session was Mrs. Albert Prior of S. H. Kress who talked on the problems of selling in variety stores. Performance tests In arithme tic and penmanship were given students the second day.

Other speakers during the course were Chafles Shattuck, local Montgomery Ward manager; Mrs. Virginia Moses, commercial department head; Mrs. Ruth Masil-lia of PHS bookstore, and Robert Meierding. Only students who successfully complete the training period are recommended for the holiday season jobs. Miracle Mile To Be Lighted Next Friday Christmas decorations on Miracle Mile (Wilshire Blvd.) in Los Angeles will be lighted next Friday evening, according to announcement by Richard B.

Terkel, president of the Miracle Mile Association. The famous decorations will include Christmas trees made by inserting fresh silver tip boughs into tapered trunks and 43,680 ornaments. More than 12,000 feet of wire is involved in the decorations. KAY JOHNSON Lions SKow Will Close Tonight By CHARLES P. ELVINS Tonights final performance of Pomona Lions Clubs 10th annual minstrel show promises tosjbe best of the three because the more than 100 people in the home talent benefit production, being staged in Pomona High School auditorium at 8 oclock, are more at home in their roles, as Indicated in last nights performance attended by' some 1,200 people.

Kay Johnsons zestful singing of "Ballin the Jack and "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy was one of, the bright spots among the solo parts in last nights performance. She is one of the youngsters in the cast, but applause she receives is indicative of rating in the top top bracket of the shows singers. Southern Belles Madeline Mayo, Norm Book, Willis Comford, Gene Peregay as Stephen Foster, Anita Catalano, Charlene Gamier, Loretta Lindihorst and Darlene Brooks, the latter three as southern belles, are among others being featured in solo and group parts in the overall melodious rendition. From "My Old Kentucky Home in the opening part of the production to "Great Day, the finale by the entire cast, tempo of the show was stepped up at the second performance of the minstrel. The minstrel singers and end men were in better form, too, along with the dancers.

This years Lions show, "Gone Are the Days, is an old time minstrel in which the banjo rings, the cakewalk is given prominence, the jokes are generous and including audience and members of the cast, has an enjoyable evening. New Voices, Talent New voices and talent have been woven into the 1953 show, and the costumes as well as the plantation setting add to the southern atmosphere. The music was especially written for this production under direction of Car! Hawley, Hollywood. Proceeds from the show will be used by the Lions for its youth activities and work for the blind. The Lions annually contribute several thousand dollars to youth groups in Pomona and the Valley as well as other causes.

Tickets for tonights final performance may be obtained at the door or at Parsonage Jewelers. Pomona Svea Lodge Sponsoring Bazaar A bazaar, dinner and dance, known as "Julmarknad, will be sponsored by the Svea Lodge of Pomona tonight at 6:30 at Claremont Womans Clubhouse, 343 W. 12th St, Claremont The public is invited. A special invitation has been issued to Scandinavians of the valley. President Calls on Nation For Prayers of Gratitude Saturday Evening, November 21, Permits Issued 4 For 20 Homes In New Tract ud at $219,300 had bn issud hr Permits for construction valued at $219,300 had been issued here today by- the department of building and safety, most of them for 20 new dwellings on Manor Circle, Aralia Dr.

and Colony Dr. in the southwest part of the city. One permit was for a $22,000 service station. The permits for the 20 new houses in the southwest part were issued to Colony Manor Corp. for a total valuation of $176,000, or $8,800 each for these five-room frame stucco dwellings.

They are to be located at 1721 27-12-15-07-01 1693-85-79 Manor Circle; 1226 Colony 1702-08-16-24-30-38-44-52-58-66 Aralia all south of Phillips and west of Hamilton Blvds. Home Oil Co. took out a permit for the service station, which is to be an all-steel building and to have six gasoline pumps. It will be located at 1515 W. Holt Ave.

The company took out a permit for a $1,200 metal sign at the same site. Two other permits have just been issued, one to Miles M. Miller for a six-room frame stucco dwelling at 1324 Spring wood $13,500, and the oth er to Mrs. Margaret Apgar for a four-room stucco house at 1075 E. Kingsley $6,600.

4 Persons Hurt In Chino Crash Three Pomona women and one from Covina were injured at about 7:45 this morning in a traffic crash at Pipe Line and Schaeffer near Chino. All four are employes of Pacific -State Hospital in Spadra. Two of the victims, Mrs. Jessie K. Baker, 40, of 163 VV.

Center Pomona, and Mrs. Elaine Mitchell, 30, of 335 San Francisco Pomona, injured severely enough to require hospitalization but were not believed to be in serious condition. The other two, Mrs. Randall Price, 40, of 824 N. Myrtle Pomona, and Mrs.

I. B. Fox, 36, of 15824 Kingside Covina, were treated at Pomona Valley Community Hospital and released. Details of the accident were not available today. The crash was investigated by the San Bernardino County pffice of the California Highway Patrol but the officers did not file a report immediately.

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A three-minute test of the siren here had been planned for Monday, but this was called off in face of the statewide cancellation and the fact that installation of Pomonas siren is not yet complete. The Pomona siren was hoist ed to the top of the building last Tuesday. The two-tone device was lifted 100 feet into the air to its permanent perch on top of the buildings elevator shaft by a 35-ton crane. President Eisenhower today issued a proclamation calling for nation-wide observance of Thanksgiving Day next Thursday and he called on all citizens to offer to God their special prayers of gratitude. The text of the Presidents proclamation is as follows: "As a nation much blessed, we feel impelled at harvest time to follow the tradition handed down by pur Pilgrim fathers of pausing from our labors for one day to render thanks to Almighty God for His bounties.

Now that the year is drawing to United States of America, in consonance, with the Joint resolution of Congress approvet Dec. 26, 1941, do hereby cal' upon our people to observe Thursday, the 26th day of November, 1953, as a day of national thanksgiving. On that day let all of us, in accordance with our hallowed custom, forgather in our respective places of worship and bow before God on contrition. for our sins, in sup-pliance for wisdom in our striving for a better world, and in gratitude for the manifold blessings, He has bestowed upon us and upon our fellow men. "In witness whereof, I have hereunto set.

my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed "Done at the City of Washington this seventh day of November in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-three and of the independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and PROCLAMATION a close, once again it Is fitting that we incline our thoughts to His mercies and offer to Him our special prayers of gratitude. "For the courage and vision of our forebears who settled a wilderness and founded a nation; for the blessings of liberty which the framers of our Constitution sought to secure for themselves and for their posterity, and which are so abundantly realized in our land today; for the unity of spirit which has made our country strong; and for the continuing faith under His guidance that has kept us a religious people with freedom of worship for all, we should kneel in humble thanksgiving. "Especially are we grateful this year for the truce in battle-weary Korea, which gives to anxious men and women thruout the world the hope that there may be an enduring peace: "Now, therefore, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the $195o Lovely II Diamond Bridal Ensemble NO JMONfV DO WH IF of and Make your selection for Home Gifts from our Store Excellent Selection of HOME DESKS In maple, mahogany, limed oak, unfinished Leather CLUB CHAIRS Plastic CLUB CHAIRS with OTTOMAN PLATFORM ROCKERS this Rim Arthur Mometer says: If You'll enjoy the HOLIDAY HOMES TOUR Of Claremont Homes The most eloquent expression of love bridal duettes of carefully selected diamonds set In mountings precious metals. Brides Grooms throughout the years hare enjoyed the enduring perfection of diamonds selected here where value, quality and variety are unsurpassed.

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