#2: Telephone Switchboard Operator
If you placed a long-distance call in 1935, chances are Emma Nutt’s successors were assisting you. Nutt became the first female telephone operator in 1878, replacing young boys whose behavior customers often criticized. Operators manually plugged cords into switchboards to connect every conversation, answered questions, and even handled emergencies. By the 1950s, direct-dialing systems spread across the United States, and electronic switching equipment steadily reduced the need for people to complete calls by hand.
