The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-04-01
LEARNERS OF SHORTHAND.

A young woman in Brooklyn adverCscS
her willingness to read to photographic
students at twenty-five cents an hour.
This indicates knowledge Of the chief
difficulty which confronis the learners of
shorthand opportunity for profitable
practice. The number of those whc aC-
qure proficiency as shorthand writers is
very small compared with those who at
tempt it and fail. Failure is due very
often to lack of appreciation Of the
amount Of practice required to scCIrc pro
ficicrcy. Persons are discouraged often
with the learning of shorthand because,
having merely learned the signs they find
themselves unable, at the first attempt,
to follow rapid speaker The difficulty
with The beginner is that when he attempts
to follow IA speaker OF a reader the speech
goes of at express train speed while the
writing keeps that of 4 canal boat.
What is needed, therefore, is a reader
who will accommodate the speed OF read
ing to the capacity of the writer. TO
do this cXactncss, to keep reading fast
enough for the writers utmost speed, and
at the same time slow enough to enable
him to keep up, is delicate and difficult
task that has often hailied the patience
of the most alTectionatc reader. In the
vaia effort to assist learner of short
hand to the necessary practice, fond
mothers have been wcaried maiden aunt2
exhausted, sisters worn out little broth
ers exasperatcd. and other relatives dis
gusted. The Brooklyn young woman has,
| therefore, opened fruitful field, and one
| long waiting 20 be cultivated. She pro
poses to substitute the experienced read
er, familiar with the wants of the student
| in the place of the tired unekiiIful, and
perhaps, unpaid relation,
Many inquiries are made in regard tc
| the best method.of learnirg short hand
| the best book to buy. etc. Without max
| ing invidious distinction between the au
thors. it is safe to say the student is les!
likely to be led astray by q well establish
ed book than by one with fitness un-
tried 1t is wise to beware of systems
that promise tuition in short hand mar
velously short periods Of time. 1t il
a question of ten asked Glow long vii
lit,take me to learn short handy Tn
reply might well be, how long should yo
require to learn to play the piano or til
violin, or to learn French, or to learn
trade? This is certain. that young MAJ
can generally learn to be good stcno
grapher in less time than it takes to he
come a good billiard player, or good pok
er player, 'or a good checker player.
| One thing must be understood by thos
seeking to learn shorthand you ca
report only what You know. The mos
expert stenographer cannot report
thing he does not understand. Yet PEI
sons who are not only uneduCated bu
almost illiterate suppose that they ca
write sentence in shorthand when the
cannot write it in longhand. There ar
so many subjects that come under tn
attention Of the stenographer that, befor
one can become proficient, it is necessar
to acquire at least superficial knowledo
of many technicallies. When it come
to the reporting Of expert testimony
very wide range of information become
necessary, because the reporter may ;
any moment be called upon to wrestl
from the chemist, machinist, ana, unle'
he know their lingo, he will find himse
suddenly dazed with helpless pencil, viii
the voluble expert gallops oil glibIy lni
the regions of the unreportable.