Check Out This Video Of The Old Sedalia Switchboard System From The 50’s

Technology has really taken over our lives in many respects. In fact, I know that a lot of us would be really out of luck without some of our devices. It can be hard to think about what life was like before we had these things.  But yes, kids, at one point in time you couldn't walk around with your telephone.   My grandmother would tell me about the days of "party lines".   Basically, several households or neighborhoods would have to share a phone line.  Operators would take your call and place it for you.

I was thinking about that kind of thing the other day, and randomly the YouTube fates brought me here. I found some video online from that era!  The Slocum family got some hold home video together from old film home movies.   You can watch the whole thing, sure, and see a few things like old Liberty Park, and an adorable kid.  But then I saw the switchboard action and was immediately drawn in.  They think it was the old Southwestern Bell, which I *think* was in downtown Sedalia?

It must have been at  Christmastime because there is a not at all terrifying Santa walking around, too.  I can't imagine what it must have been like. We're all so used to getting what we want and need instantly... times certainly have changed.  It's just fascinating to see all the people hard at work, at what was the latest technology.  I wonder about their training, about their routine,... about their lives. Was it difficult to be crammed in there?  Was the job mentally challenging?  How did they know which wire went where? It's so interesting to look back at how life was then, and.. to also see that so much has changed.  But then a bit later you see video of a dude with his feet on the coffee table, so... some things haven't changed that much.

Switchingly yours,

Behka