Letters in U.S. telephone numbers

[Cebarat@aol.com]

DONALD MARKSTEIN wrote:

>  Until the 1950s, a U.S. phone number consisted of a word followed by four
>  digits. When we reached a point where six digits weren't enough to give a
>  unique number to each phone in a local dialing area, a digit was added 
after
>  the exchange, with a hyphen separating it from the main number -- thus,
>  Daisy's number might have become "CItrus 5-2437". Later, as old-style
>  telephone exchanges went out of use, the word was replaced by the numbers,
>  so Daisy would have given her number as "245-2437". Even today, U.S. 
7-digit
>  phone numbers are usually given with hyphens between the third and fourth,
>  tho it's been decades since the first part referred to a specific
>  neighborhood.

I think the hyphen may have been kept in order to make it easier to remember 
the seven digits.  It simply seems easier to remember a rhythmic recital of 
the digits ("da-da-DUM, da-DUM-da-DUM") than a simple string of digits.

Speaking of songs relating to the old-fashioned phone numbers, how about 
"PEnnsylvania 6-5000", which was parodied in a Warner Bros. short title as 
"Transylvania 6-5000".

Chris Barat