Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-12
SHORTHAND WRITING.
The Real Word atchers Are Scarce, and
the Art Is Difficult to Acquire.

The Boston Evening Record has caught
the photographic fever and shows symp-
toms of the most malignant type. 1t is
under the treatment of Professor White.
the eminent phraseographer. Indeed,
there seems to be an epidemic of phonog-
raphy IN all parts of the country Just now
Books, pamphlets and magazines of the
shorthand world are springing UP all around
US, and the war of systems and methods
continues at the rate of 40 to 800 words
minute. Photographic philosophy has al
ready produced volumes, and the number of
cranks and gudgeons caught with It's hooks
and lines Is still on the increase. Old in
ventions are upheld and condemned and
new ones receive the same treatment. while
the eternal problem, which is the best is as
far from solution as ever.
But, notwithstanding all this fuss. the
fact remains that the really expert word
catchers In the country might probably be
counted on man fingers and toes The
notion that everybody and anybody can be-
come a verbatim reporter is erroneous.
First of all, such a reporter must be gifted
with perception quick enough to grasp a
speakers idea before it is completely franz
ed in phrase, for if he can t catch the idea
the words will drift away from him rapidly
| Secondly, he must have a good memory;
and, thirdly, he must be Of a somewhat
| nervous temperament, but with an iron
grip ON his nerves. Without these three
qualifications no man can be an all-round
verbatim reporter. The system can't help
1t. 1t depends upon the man, and not the
system.
The superstition that women can become
just as good reporters as men is also doubt
full. The rough-and-tumble battle of a
reporter life is not suited to a woman;
and, even if she possessed the three quail
ties we have mentioned, and she would be a
! phenomenal woman if she owned the last,
she would still encounter a great difficulty
In the natural weakness of the female hand
1t is a popular error to suppose that a
woman can be hght-fngered and lightning
fingered at the same time. The reverse is
the fact Among the watchmakers of
Geneva and elsewhere the finest work, re-
quiring extreme delicacy of touch and accur-
| acy of execution, is done by persons with
| powerful fists The wabbling fingers of a
woman can never accomplish it.
The same is true of shorthand writing.
1t is a very delicate affair, and must be
handled with great care, and at the same
| time with great firmness. 1t is beyond
the reach of the average woman. No
doubt there are a few ladies who can be
shown out in the ranks of reporters, but
their numbers is so small that the weight
of evidence which they furnish is practi-
cally unimportant The fact is that few
men, and hardly any women, are fashioned
by nature for the corps of the lightning
fingered fraternity. But there is no room
for conceit among the latter on that ac-
count, for, as a rule, a really frst-class
stenographer can never be anything else.
However, there is fascination about the
thing, especially for young people, that
may account somewhat for this phono-
graphic fashion. Probably it is exhilarat-
ing and healthful TO glide along on the
point of a pencil amid the high flights of
fine oratory, materializing flashes of genius,
gathering in gems of wit or catching and
securing the echoes of wisdom and truth
In philosophy and law. But these are the
rare bouquets of the world of words to
which a reporter is seldom invited. He
has to be satisfied generally with a table
d 'hOte of dry bread and water furnished
by the ordinary testimony in courts and
His Honor charge. But let the craze go
on. 1t can t do any harm.