Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-20
THE TRUTH ABOUT SHORTHAMD.
Information ConeeRning Sten0grophy
Which In Often Asked Fer.

Which II Often Asked Fer.
From the New York Tribune.
The Tribune receives many inquiries like the
following:
"Can You tell me what IL the best system Of
shorthand? Can It be mastered without q
teacher, and in what timer Some people adj
vertise to teach 1t in three months; can 1t be
learned In that timer Is knowledge Of short
hand necessary TO obtain . situation as re
porter on y newspaper How are stenographers
paid? By answering these questions you will
greatly oblige." etc.
These questions have been submitted to q
highly successful stenographer, who returns
The systems most widely practiced here are
"Ben." Pitman's, Munson's, Isaac Pitman's
ticaliy they ali make use of the same material.
There are not few people, however, who seem
to spend most Of their time in trying TO demon
vastly superior to all the rest; but that sort Of
talk IS In the main nonsense and the student
will do well to concern himself little about it.
Each of these systems has turned out 6rst-class
stenographers and there are equally good Ste
nographers who write other systems less gem
on the system Generally the practiced stenog-
rapher does not adhere closely to any one sys-
tenn, but apIropriates suggestions from all.
Shorthand can be learned by the aid of text.
books without teacher, though, of course, q
pupil Is likely to make better progress with
tanned the student should endeavor to make
the acquaintance Of some practical stenogra-
pher, who will give him occasional hints and
the textbooks abound in too many refinements
and contractions, whereby few scratches may
be made to represent whole sentence. much
to the del ght of the novice The only
practical objection to this sort of short hand is
that such e Snotes" are found to have halt 9
perhaps none of them the correct one. Short
hand is compromise between speed and legi-
bio1l1ty The beginner is apt to pay too exclusive
attention TO the former, and should therefore
be warned not to bother with too many contrac-
tons.
The length Of time it will take 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 requires,
lad studying alone win generally have 70 stick
n! make il pay: A few may be able to master it
People who advertise that they can teach
shorthand thoroughly in three months should
A knowledge of shorthand is not necessary to
obtain situation on a newspaper, though,
other things being equal, a reporter who can
write shorthand is better equipped for general
newspaper work than q reporter who cannot.
AS matter of fact, there are not more than a
dozen shorthand writers regularly employed
on all the great New York dailies together. In
England reporter must know shorthand.
Most of this work consists of verbatim report
required except for great meetings. The most
successful reporter is he who can best present
the interesting points OF q scene or speech in q
readable, attractive shape. The American pub
lie does not care much tor mere verbiage.
Expert stenographers who take testimony in
court often earn handsome sums But such
eXpertness is attained only by years of practice
and great natural aptitude for the work. "Half-
way stenographerS are abundant in New York
VINO are glad to work for $15 week, often less.
A stenographer who is competent 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 stenographer is
something more than mere machine man and
hand, so much the better are his chances of
making good wages.
There is no mystery about shorthand. It does
not require any unusual amount OF brains or
any extraordinary powers of memory to acquire
1t. But 1t does require to be stuck to persist
emily. There is no recreation in learning it. II
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