The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-03-18
ABOUT SHORTHAND.
Information Concerning SterOgraphy that
Is Often Asked For.


INQUIRIES, says the New York Tribune,
like the following are often made: ''Can
vou tell me what is the best system of
shorthand? Can it be mastered without
a teacher, and in what time? Some
people advertise to teach it in three
months; can 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 submitted
to highly successful stenographer, who
returns these answers to them:
There are several systems widely
practiced here, and they are all much
alike. There are not few people, how
ever, who seem to spend most Of their
time in trying to demonstrate that one
of the systems is 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 the systems has turned out first
class stenographers. More depends on
the man than on the system. Generally
the practiced stenographer does not ad,
here closely to any one system, but ap-
propriates suggestions from all.
Shorthand can be learned by the aid
of textbooks without a teacher, though,
of course, pupil is likely to make bet
ter progress with competent instruction.
If this cannot be obtained the student
should endeavor to make the acquaint-
ance of some practical stenographer,
who will give him occasional hints and
see that he keeps on the right track.
Most of the textbooks abound in toe
many refinements and contractions,
whereby few scratches may be made
to represent whole sentence. much to
the delight of the novice. The only
practical objection to this sort of short
hand is that such notes" are found to
have half dozen different meanings
when cold" and perhaps none of tlrern
the correct one. Shorthand is u com
promise between speed and legibility.
The beginner is apt to pay too exclusive
attention to the former, and should
therefore be warned not to bother with
too many contractions.
The length of time it will take a lad
to teach himself shorthand depends,
first, on the sort of a lad he is, and
second, on the amount of time he gives
to it. To master shorthand requires
above all things patience and perseyer-
dIlct. u ldu attill my uiohc Will sIilSi-
ally have to stick to it hard for 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 shorthand thoroughly in three
months should not be believed.
A knowledge of shorthand is not
necessary to obtain situation on a
newspaper, though, other things being
equal, a reporter who can write short
hand is better equipped for general
newspaper work than u reporter who
can not. As a matter of fact there are
not more than dozen shorthand
writer's regularly employed on all the
great New York dailic@ together. In
England a reporter must know short
hand. Most of their work consists OF
verbatim reporting. Here strictly YER
batim work is not often required except
for great meetings. The most success
full reporter is he who can best present
the interesting points of a scene OF
speech in a readable, attractive shape
The American public does not care much
for mere yeTbiage.
Expert stenographers who can take
testimony in court often earn handsome
sums. But such experiences is attained
only by years OF practice and great
natural aptitude for the work. Half
way" stenographers are abundant in
New York and who are glad to worksfoI
$15 week, often less. A stenographeI
who is competent to attend to the cor
respondence of railroad official or some
man of large affairs usually gets from
800 to $50 a week. Of course, if the
stenographer is something more than a
mere machine man, and can do other
things we'll besides writing shorthand
SO much the better are his chances Of
making good wages.
There is no mystery about shorthand.
does not require any unusual amount Of
brains or any extraordinary power Of
memory to acquire it. But it does re
quire to be stuck to persistently. There
is no recreation in learning it If only
half known it is treacherous and worse
than useless. Nobody should take it w
unless prepared to make great sacrifices
Of time and patience.