If you wanted to make a non-local call back in 1936 you typically had to speak to a switchboard operator, who would connect your call to a number that began with exchange letters related to the location you were calling.
But as phone technology improved the old system was phased out, replaced with the ability to dial phone numbers directly via automatic exchange systems and rotary phones, which totally freaked some people out.
Thankfully, AT&T was there for folks who were frightened by all that newfangled telephone technology, alleviating their concerns with this short PSA that explains how the dial telephone works.
-Via Laughing Squid
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My kids should see this. They are fascinated by dial phones in antique stores. When they first encountered one, they couldn't believe all the trouble we used to go through to make a call.
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I used a similar video to talk about computer technical support. I wanted my audience to understand that even familiar technologies, such as the telephone, were once unfamiliar and required detailed and careful public education.
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