In 1928 a much improved O’Leary Telephone office was built on a small lot of land east of the A]. Matheson Drugstore, and Mrs. Arthur Smallman (Lula Duncan) was appointed agent. She remained in that role until 1938 when Mrs. Wilfred MacAusland (Elsie O’Brien) took over the position. In 1943 Mrs. Clayton Stetson (Jean Kennedy) became the company agent. In 1945 Mrs. Ruth Silliker took on the job of chief operator. She was a legend in her own right by perform- ing her duties with outstanding dedication and congeniality. In 1963, upon her retirement, ”Ruth Watson” Silliker was replaced by Mrs. Jean Collicutt who was in charge of both local and long dis- tance service as well as the collection of customer accounts.

The following is a list of operators who were employed at the switchboard office in O'Leary: Mrs. Allie MacLennan, Mrs. Alfred Adams, Lulu Duncan - Smallman, Helen Adams - Hobbs, Elsie O’Brien - MacAusland, Annie O’Brien - Kirk, Una Brooks - Glennie, Marjorie Sharpe - Phillips, Jean Kennedy - Stetson, Hazel "Toots” Gorrill - Brooks, Mae Wedlock - Gorrill, Ruth Gay - Silliker, Ruth Cooke, Ursula Woodside - Cornish, Jean Gottel - Collicutt, Eileen Saunders - Gallant, Jean Manderson - Webb, Iva Silliker - MacDonald, Millicent Crozier - Silliker, Opal Silliker, Goldie MacDougall - Easter, Elva Caseley - Cornish, Catherine Williams - MacDonald, Carolyn Tuplin - Murray, Mona Collicutt - Silliker, Yvonne Blanchard - Gallant, Ferne Oulton - Harvie, Rose Gaudet - MacDonald, Dorothy Wood - Rodgerson, Linda Gray - Rogers, Rena Ramsay - Smith, Lulu Gay - DesRoches.

”Central,” or ”the operator" as she was called, was friendly and obliging to all people. She might be asked by a patron on leaving home to keep a record of any calls, keep an eye on the place, advise the mailman of his or her absence and tell the time of day. ”Central” knew everyone’s number, address, and habits - both good and bad; she ordered your telephone, sent notice for payment, and collected the telephone account.

In 1961 the dial system came into effect and rural telephone companies were taken over by The Island Telephone Company. On March 18, 1968, the Automatic Dial System came into operation and the O’Leary telephone office was closed. On that Monday evening the telephone rang in the mayor's office in Summerside. The Mayor, George Key, was chairing a meeting of the Town Council and briefly adjourned the meeting to accept a call from Stanley MacDonald, Chairman of the O’Leary Village Commission. This was a very important phone call for the residents of O’Leary since it was the first official long distance call over the new dial system and the first

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