what the what?

This was in my hotel bathroom a couple weeks ago. Of course I tested it, but alas, it didn't work. I would love to have lived in a time where this switch actually accomplished what it was supposed to do. I mean, I know it actually did live during that time, but I'm sure I was far to young to understand the importance and luxury.

Side note: this actually has NO purpose whatsoever, even if it did work. Really? You need to turn the TV up from the bathroom? Perhaps when remote controls were just a figment of the imagination, but even still, was anything on TV back then worth watching (or listening to) so much that it needed to be turned up from the shower? Maybe "Mash" or something.