TESTER, LINE SWITCH

Description: LINE SWITCH TESTER. USED TO DETERMINE IF LINE SWITCHES WERE OPERATING CORRECTLY IN TELEPHONE CIRCUITRY. HAND PRINTED ON SIDE "OLD FAITHFULL KS12 1313". BOX IS LIGHT GOLDEN IN COLOR. FOUR SCREWS MOUNTED ON FRONT OF BOX. HINGED LID ON REVERSE. HANDWRITTEN IN PENCIL ON TOP "RETURN TO ABE CHERVINSKI AT TABER."

History: DEVICE INVENTED BY EMPLOYEE OF ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TELEPHONES IN LETHBRIDGE AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FAULT TRACING TIME. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON DEVELOPED A BIOGRAPHY OF AB CHERVINSKI, THE DONOR OF THIS OBJECT, WITH INFORMATION FROM LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1982, 1989, AND 2011. ADAM ABRAHAM 'AB" CHERVINSKI WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 24, 1920 IN LETHBRIDGE. AS A TEENAGER HE WORKED AS A MESSENGER BOY FOR THE CPR TELEGRAPH OFFICE. CHERVINSKI BRIEFLY LIVED IN ONTARIO DURING HIS SERVICE WITH THE AIR FORCE, BUT RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE WHERE HE WORKED FOR ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TELEPHONES FOR 37 YEARS. HE WAS A LIFELONG COLLECTOR OF ANTIQUES, AVID LOCAL HISTORIAN, AND HEAVILY INVOLVED IN MUSICAL THEATRE. AB CHERVINSKI DIED ON JUNE 2, 2011. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19970107001-GA FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ABOUT CHERVINSKI.; *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED AN ARTIFACT SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS DONATED BY ADAM ABRAHAM CHERVINSKI. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH CONDUCTED TO LOCATE THE DONOR'S LIVING NEXT-OF-KIN WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.