Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-25
ABOUT SHORTHAND.
Information Concerning StenOgraphy
that IL often Asked for.

that IL 0ften Asked for.
Inquiries, says the New York Trib-
une, like the following are often
made: 'Can you tell me what is the
best system of short-hand2 Can it be
mastered without a teacher and in
what time? Some people advertise to
teach in three months; csn. it be
learned in that time? Is knowledge
of shorthand necessary to obtain
situation as reporter on,,a newspaper
How are stenographers paid? By
answering these questions you will
greatly oblige," etc.
These questions have been sub
mitted to highly successful stenog-
rapher, who returns these answers to
them:
There are several systems widely
practiced here, and they are all much
alike. There are not a few people,
however, who seem to spend most of
their time in trying to demonstrate
that one of the systems is vastly SUI
perior to ali the rest; but that sort OF
talk is in the main nonsense, and the
student will do well to concern him
self little about it. Each OF the sys-
graphers. More depends on the man
than on the system. Generally the
practiced stenographer does not ad-
here closely to any one system, but
approprlates suggestions from them
all.
Shorthand can be learned by the
aid of text books without teacher,
though, of course, pupil is likely to
make better progress with competent
instruction. If this can not be OBJ
! tanned the student should endeavor to
| make the acquaintance of some practi-
cal stenographer, who will give him
occasional hints and see that he keeps
on the right track. Most of the text.
books abound in too many re6nements
and contractions, whereby a few
scratches may be made to represent q
| whole sentence much to the delight of
the novice. The only objection to
this sort of shorthand is that such
"notes" are found to have half doz-
en- different meanings when "cold,"
and perhaps none of them the correct
one. Shorthand is a compromise be-
tween speed and legibility. The be-
glnner is apt to pay too exclusive at
tention to the former, and should be
warned not to bother with too many
contractions-
The length of tine it will take q lad
to teach himself shorthand depends,
first, on the sort of lad he is, and,
second on the amount of time he can
give to it. To master shorthand re-
quires above all things patience and
perseverance. A lad studying alone
will generally have to stick to it hard
for a couple of years before he can
make it pay. A few may be able to
master it in half the time.
People who advertise that they can
teach shorthad thoroughly in three
months should not be believed.
A knowledge of shorthand is not
necessary to obtain a situation on a
newspaper though other things being
equal, reporter who can write short
hand is better equipped for general
newspaper work than reporter who
can not. AS "a matter of fact there are
not more than a dozen shorthand
writer's regularly employed on all the
great New York dailles together. In
England reporter must know short
hand. Most of their work consists OF
verbatim work. Here strictly yer
batim work is not often required ex
cept for great meetings. The mos
successful reporter is he who can bes
present the interesting points of a
scene or speech in readable, attrac-
tive shape. The American public does
not care much for mere verbiage.
Expert stenographers who can take
testimoney in court often earn hand
some sums But such EXPERIENCES is
attained only By years of practice
and great natural aptitude for the
work. HALFWAY" stenographers
are abundant in New York who are
glad to work for $15a week, often
less. A stenographer who is conf
petent to attend to the correspondence
of railroad official or some man of
large affairs usually gets from $50 to
$50 a week Of course, if the steno-
graphers is something more than
machine man and can do other things
well besides writing shorthand, so
much the better are his chances of
making good. wages.
There is no mysetry about short
nand. It does not require any unusual
amount of brains or any extraordinary
powers of memory to acquire it. But
it does require to be stuck to persist
entity. There is no recreation in
learning it. If only half known it is
treacherous and worse than useless
Nobody should take it up unless
prepared to make great sacrifices of
time and patience.
HOW Bill Lit the Fire.
Detroit Free Press