This image recently posted on social media, brought some memories to the fore.
In the days of analogue communications long before the advent of cell phones, this was a public phone, found on many High Streets. Whilst phones were commonplace in shops and offices, most homes were without them.
Memory
G.C.S.E. Ordinary Level English (1960s)
Question to 'get one's teeth into' and one never to be forgotten.
Presented with an image similar to the one above and asked to give clear instructions on -
How to use the instrument
How to make a successful phone-call
What to do in the event the call failed to connect.
I have no idea how many marks were available; it was probably in the days before question papers gave such information. What I do remember is the feeling 'I can do this' and writing my explanation / instructions telling how and when to use button 'A' or button 'B'. My memory still tells me about inserting coins in old pennies.
Today, that self-same phone-box has a different usage. Now it houses a defibrillator.
2 comments:
We were talking about how different communications are now at lunch today! My dad used to live at the end of a line and shared it with 23 other people. Even I had a party line when I was growing up, but we just shared it with the two old ladies across the street. My son wondered what a party line was (it would have a totally different meaning to him!).
Wouldn't it just be such a different idea to today's youngsters! The first phone we had at home was a party line but I was too young to remember much about it. Then it was decided it was a luxury we could not afford.
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