Police, Firemen and Hello Girls Gifted by Appreciative Public, Dec. 28, 1924

Public Servants Are Remembered. . . Appreciative Public Send Gift to Police, Firemen and Telephone Girls

Christmas was made all the more bright for those servants of the public who guard the life and property of the citizens of the community and the much abused and talked about telephone operators through the thoughtfulness of various firms and individuals in sending them gifts of various kinds to show that their services were appreciated by at least them.

A number of firms remembered the police department, as did some of the local attorneys and others, for the invaluable service rendered the public by their work and their strict adherence to duty. The gifts included cigarettes, cigars, fruits, and other things. According to Walter F. Doby, chief of police, the thoughtfulness of those who sent the gifts was greatly appreciated by the members of the force.

The firemen, too, were recipients of various gifts from appreciative people and firms. These men through their capable manner of fighting fires and their willingness to respond to every call made upon them for help in fighting the demon fire. Many thousands of dollars of property are saved by them in their quick response to alarms each year. The year coming to a close is no exception to the rule.

The telephone or hello girls are a badly abused set of public servants. They are cussed when the line is busy and the customers fret when a wrong number is accidentally given them by the hurrying, the nimble fingers of the girls. Yet without them the public would find going hard. They give good service 365 days a year in every year, however, weathering the storm of criticism and harsh words sometimes directed at them by thoughtless and impatient people, “some of the users of telephones, however, are appreciative of the service given and of the desire of the operators to give instant response to every call, for each year gifts of candy, fruits and other things are sent them. This year was no exception to the practice.

From page 10 of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, Dec. 28, 1924

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84020730/1924-12-28/ed-1/seq-10/#words=DECEMBER+28%2C+1924