“Collected”At the end of the 20th century, the job market for women outside the home was mainly limited to school teaching and nursing, but new job opportunities were appearing on the scene — telephone operators.Elgin’s population was increasing, and by the 1900s, communications were in competition. The town was served by two telephone companies: the Independent Telephone Company and the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Both companies served businesses and residents, making it necessary for most businesses and some houses to have two telephones — one from each company — to adequately be available for all.The telephone calls were directed from ...