Telephone Company Badges
by Jack Snyder
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", August 1987, page 31
The telephone company badge is but one facet of a large grouping of badges
referred to as occupational badges. This type of badge was worn by cabbies,
peddlers, factory workers, etc. These badges were generally worn inconspicuously
since their main purpose wasn't to convey power or authority, but served as a
means of identification. A "power badge" (such as the Special Police
(Illinois State Seal) of the Western Electric Company on the left below and the
Home Telephone and Telegraph Company of Ft. Wayne, Indiana on the right below)
was always worn on the breast of a uniform. Occupational badges resided on a hat
or collar so that it would be highly visible.
Due to the unprotected area on which the occupational badge resided, they
tend to show a greater degree of wear. It is not uncommon to see heavy wear to
the nickel plating, chipped porcelain or bent and broken pins. If a badge was
considered part of a uniform (like that of a policeman), greater care was taken
to protect it.
A story related to me by a long ago lineman told of the times when a crew
member was issued a new badge. The porcelain was immediately broken out of it by
the new owner -- as soon as the supervisor was out-of-sight. I guess that
signified that the crew member was a "veteran" since his badge was
chipped from all the poles he'd climbed thro' the years. Today that is known as
"peer pressure" -- years ago he just wanted his badge to look like all
one belonging to a long-time employee.
The lineman was the most obvious carrier of a badge. Badges were also issued
to other telephone workers including: clerks, operators, supply attendants. I
don't actively collect photographs of telephone company employees, but over half
of the ones I have are sporting a badge on their caps. The "pre-Ohio
Bell" Ohio State badges below are: a 1900 unmarked early lineman badge
(#136), a clerk (#112), a foreman (#155) and a 1910 unmarked lineman badge
(#269).
Pictured above is a clerk's badge
worn by a Western Electric employee.
Information about badges can be gleaned from some of the older telephone
company directories. There is generally a paragraph entitled "EMPLOYEES
IDENTIFICATION" which pictures or describes the badge worn by company
employees. The 1927 phone book from Findlay, Ohio, describes and pictures the
Ohio Bell badge. This style badge was the only one used by Ohio Bell from 1921
to about 1945. (See below)
Two pre-Ohio Bell badges are marked Cleveland Telephone Company (#253) and
Central Union Telephone Company (#212). The name Ohio Bell was used after 1921.
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The 1908 New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. (South Central) directory
describes the badge for the subscriber:
"A nickel oval, about 2- 3/4"
long, bearing in its centre a blue bell and the word "Inspector"
across it, and around the circumference the words "New England Telephone
and Telegraph Company. The number of the badge appears at the bottom." The
photo (right) shows a badge which fits the description perfectly. |
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Other company badges pictured below: Chesapeake & Potomac (#13) is very
old and pre-1900. Badge (#1576) is a later Chesapeake & Potomac. The
Wisconsin Telephone Company (#1847) is semi-common. Badge (#18) is from Southern
Massachusetts Telephone Company. Two other company badges are (#484) from
Delaware & Atlantic and (#4036) from Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.
The 1907 Montreal directory not only issued a facsimile of their badge, but
also cautions subscribers to make note of the badge number when someone enters
the premises to do work on the equipment.
Ohio Bell Telephone began to phase out badges in the late 1940s. Employees
leaving for the Pacific Conflict generally had their badges repossessed by the
company. The WW II returnees were re-issued their original badge in most cases.
Cost evidently became an issue as the card passes came into use.
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