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Show As the nation's bicentennial draws to a close, so does the centennial anniversary of an invention which, by most standards, stan-dards, has had more impact on the American lifestyle and workstyle than any other during dur-ing our 200-year history-the telephone. From Alexander Graham Bell's "talking box," quickly came a system which connected connect-ed the nation together by a telephone network few dreamed possible. A man with incredible vision, Bell himself predicted that "wires will unite un-ite the head offices of the telephone tele-phone company in different cities and a man in one part of the country may communicate by word of mouth with another in a distant place." This prophecy, bold and outlandish out-landish at the time it was made in 1876, had been more than fulfilled even before Bell's death in 1922. His progressive attitude notwithstanding, Bell would be both amazed and proud at the state of telephony as it begins its second century. Before World War II, much of the effort was devoted to making the telephone truly universal un-iversal throughout the nation. In 1914, the last pole was placed for the first transcontinental transcon-tinental telephone line, an event at least as important 33 the linking of the continent by rails 45 years earlier. In 1919, the Bell System began a massive conversion from the colorful but inefficient ineffi-cient "number please" method to dial phones with the completion comple-tion of its first major installation installa-tion of automatic machine switching. Following World War II, technical advancements came along with regularity. Three Bell Lab scientists invented the transistor in 1947, an invention inven-tion which opened the floodgates flood-gates of technological improvements im-provements not only in telephony tele-phony but in many other aeas as well. The three later received a Nobel Prize for their efforts. A year later, the first microwave radio system was installed between1 Boston and New York to carry both television televi-sion and commercial calls. In 1952, direct distance dialing was inaugurated and a decade later the first Telstar communications com-munications satellite was launched beginning a new era in overseas communications. Touchtone and picturephone followed closely on Telstar's heels. While touchtone was quickly accepted, picture-phone picture-phone has yet to realize its full potential. The 100 millionth telephone, a gold trimline, was presented to President Lyndon Johnson in 1967. Electronic switching became practical in 1970 with the itroduction of the first electronic keyboard console for operators. This completes calls in a fraction of the time required by the older methods and keeps operator assistance at a minimum. But if the telephone of 1876 seems primitive by modern standards, current methods may be outdated in just a few short years. Telephone technology techno-logy is advancing that rapidly. Even in Utah, the effects of these technological advances will be felt by virtually everyone ever-yone over the next several years. On November 28 the state's first Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) began operation. This equipment allows al-lows customers to dial collect, credit card and similar calls much more quickly and with a minimum of operator assistance. assis-tance. Seven Electronic Switching System offices (ESS) are now functioning throughout the state and will gradually be phased into service in every exchange. ESS offers customers special services such as call forwarding, speed calling, three-way calling, and call waiting. The largest of the ESSof-fices ESSof-fices currently in operation has a capacity of 120,000 calls per hour and may be doubled in 1977. But these advancements are merely the first few raindrops of an impending deluge. A cashless society is not far-off far-off and the telephone network will play a vital roll in making this a reality. A transaction phone is already available to expedite credit card verification verifica-tion and processing at the point of sale. This phone uses two relatively new technologies-solid state electronics elec-tronics and computer-like stored program control. At Bell Labs new methods of communication are being created and tested constantly. Already experiments in ell SMteets Ye&F MfeteFj . .... Tl- J Piano Students Present Christmas Recital Piano students of Gwen Taylor Tay-lor presented two Christmas Recitals to entertain their parents par-ents Saturday, Dec. 18. The theme of "Sounds of Christmas" was presented through music and a scriptural reading. The scriptural reading was given by Derek Price accompanied accom-panied by Kathy Price. Traditional, Tradi-tional, Modern, and sacred sounds of Christmas were played by students Marc Nicholes, Steven Wagstaff, Michelle Snedecor, Patrick Snedecor, Darin Nerdin, Math-ew Math-ew Burch, Kaye Burch, Rebecca Rebec-ca At wood, Terrilyn Jolley, DiAnn Jensen. Katy Price and Derek Price also played a sax- Gala Gouda Trims The Tree AMERICAN FORK CITIZEN WEDNESDAY, Dec. 22, 1876 aphone duet. Students participating in the second recital were scriptural reading by Jay Rawlings accompanied ac-companied by Maryann Rawlings, Rawl-ings, Janet Merrell, Linda Merrell, Daryl Chadwick. Shauna Kelly, Karol Ann Teuscher, Michael Healey. Talitha Teuscher, Faith Wood, Lisa Taylor, Jennifer Clark, Arlene Smith. Pamela Grant and Michelle Grant played a violin and piano duet. At the conclusion of the programs refreshments were served. "I couldn't possibly have been speeding, officer. Cm on my way to see my DENTIST!" - ,,- Hi . .-. Playing hostess around the holidays can be fun. It can also be a challenge, particularly if yours is the fifth or sixth party to come along this Christmas season. So if you're ready to deck the halls, but need an idea for something different to serve, this Gala Gouda may be just the answer. Trimmed with fresh parsley, it is easy to make and can be prepared well in advance and left to chill in the refrigerator. GOUDA HOLIDAY SPREAD 1 (7 oz) gouda cheese 14 cup Hellmann's or Best Foods real mayonnaise 1 can (2 oz) deviled ham spread 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 14 cup finely chopped parsley 1 whole pimiento Cut circle in the top of the cheese 12-inch from edge. Carefully Care-fully remove all cheese leaving wax shell intact. Shred cheese. In medium bowl stir together cheese, real mayonnaise, ham and Worcestershire sauce. Pile back into shell, filling cavity and then mounding mixture over opening to form a cone shape. Sprinkle entire cone with parsley and decorate with pimiento shapes cut with aspic cutters. Secure pimiento cutouts cut-outs to parsley with a small dab of real mayonnaise. Chill. Makes 1-13 cups. With I 9 I v Sr A 8 w Your friendship and loyalty are deeply appreciated. fr Fl jf: On this Christmas Day. ALL AMLKltAiv , REALTY would like to extend best whlshes for j the Holiday Season and all through the coming f J year. And it seems only fitting to say "There is no time quite like Christmas for remembering the friendships we cherish, especially Yours ... and here's Whistling you all a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year. ALL AMERICAN REALTY I Id I THE TELEPHONE CENTENNIAL also marks the beginning of the end of the operator cord boards in Utah. Pictured through a Fish-Eye lens is the abandoned Salt Lake board and the new operator consoles. TSPS (Traffic Service Position System) began in November and offers the ultimate in technological advances in handling long distance calls. I riTTl o lightwave communications, or the transmission of voice, video and other data over hair-thin hair-thin glass fibers, have been conducted with exciting results. Practical application, most likely in a metropolitan setting, seems to be feasible within the next decade. A new single-sideband transmission trans-mission system has the potential poten-tial to double the capacity of the current coast-to-coast microwave radio network. The microwave system carried about two-thirds of the toll message traffic in the nation at the present time. Comstar, the Bell System's first domestic satellite system went into effect this year. It lends additional capacity and flexibility to the long distance network. In early 1977, the highest capacity interchange in history his-tory will be introduced in the Chicago area. This digital electronic toll switching machine will handle up to 550,000 calls per hour-more than four times the capacity of present equipment. The speed by which a call can be placed will also increase in-crease dramatically over the next decade. Signals needed to establish dialed toll call connections con-nections will, for the first time, be carried on different circuits than the calls themselves. them-selves. The net result will be to reduce call setup times to as little as two seconds in some cases. A new method of collecting tolls in phone booths is also on the drawing boards. Automa-tid Automa-tid Coin Toll Service (ACTS) uses a stored-program machine to "listen" to the digits being dialed, calculates the initial charge and reads the charge to the customer via a synthesized voice message. It "listens" to the coins being deposited and then forwards the call. ACTS has already been field tested in the Midwest with excellent ex-cellent results. While the most modern technology, tech-nology, and technology not yet developed, will continue to bring customers an ever more efficient telephone system, the ultimate goal of the business--that of serving customers well and at a reasonable cost--remains the same.' Medicare Hospital Insurance Deductible is $124 Starting January 1, 1977 The Medicare hospital insurance insur-ance deductible will be $124 starting January 1, 1977. A Medicare patient who goes into a hospital and starts a benefit period after December 31 will be responsible for the first $124 of covered hospital expenses. The 1976 deductible was $104. Under the Medicare law, the amount of the deductible is tied to the average cost of one day's stay in a hospital. The increase to $124 for 1977 is a result of a review of hospital hospi-tal costs during 1975. However, the present $104 deductible remains in effect throughout any benefit period that started in 1976 even if tne period of hospitalization goes into 1977. Under the law, the increase in the deductible means there also will be increases For a hospital stay of over 60 days, the patient will pay $31 a day (up from $26) for covered services furnished on the 61st through the 90th day. For a post-hospital stay of over 20 days in a skilled nursing nurs-ing facility, the patient will pay $15.50 a day (up from $13) for the 21st through the 100th day. For reserve days used - after 90 days of hospital care in a benefit period Medicare pays for all covered expenses except ex-cept for $62 a day (up from $52). ur Christmas Customs LIVELY STORIES OF CHRISTMAS Christmas, the commemoration commem-oration of the Holy Birth, has long been considered a lively holiday and a celebration celebra-tion of the joy of life. You can add to the liveliness live-liness of your Christmas celebration cel-ebration by bringing a little life into your home and the homes of your friends. It's a natural thing to do at this season, with lovely, living plants and trees. You can prolong the holiday cheer in your own home by getting living Christmas tree you can replant re-plant in the New Year. Select a tree with a sturdy root ball, and keep it moist and cool in a shallow container con-tainer away from heat outlets out-lets and fireplaces. After the holidays, plant it as soon as the ground can be dug. You can get some planting tips from a nursery garden center or from the American Association of Nurserymen. Next year, you'll be able to enjoy decorating dec-orating two Christmas trees, one inside, one out. To enliven your Christmas Christ-mas giving, there are plants to fit almost everyone on your list. For homeowners, try giving ornamental or shade trees, or charming shrubs and bushes. Match plants to personalities-there personalities-there are flowering house A LITTLE GREENERY can go a long way toward enlivening en-livening the holidays. plants; delicate, exotic ferns; businesslike broad leaved plants and hardy cacti, among many others. For a child, a Christmas plant can be a learning experience. He can get to know more about nature: how plants grow, what makes them green and what they can do for us; and at the same time he can learn about the responsibility of caring for a living thing. What's more, you don't have to part with a lot of your long green to make it a lively green Christmas for your family and friends. Looking for a Speelal CInHiotmoD iff fOS SoOdbnQ jpIal Give the gift that fits everyone. A gift of beauty, excitement and cultural awareness . . .A Gift Certificate for tickets for Utah Pageant f thi& Awim Tickets for the 1977 production will be $3.50 or $4.00. Performances will run from June 10 through July 9, except Sundays. Order gift certificates today from Utah Pageant of the arts, Box 111, American Fork, Utah 84003. Orders received by December 20 will be returned by Christmas. To: Utah PAGEAN T OF THE ARTS Box 111 American Fork, Utah 84003 I would like to order the following Utah Pageant of the Arts Gift Certificates. Cer-tificates. Please have the certificates filled in as indicated and return to the address below. Number of Certilicates and Dollar Value of each Certificate at$ at$ :at$ at$ at$ - Total Amount Check or Money Order Enclosed- JName. Address . Uty State ZiP Code Telephone - Signature tMiHfiwMinmmmmmmumm |