The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-07-26

SYSTEMS OF SHORTHAND.
Discriminating Review o. the Here Popnla,
Methods q Brief Writlag.
PROF. ELDoN MORAN, ST. LOUIS, MO
Persons not informed think ther
ore scores Of systems of shorthand
in common use-about as many diff
ferent systems as reporters, some
suppose. This is q great mistake
In Germany there are but two in
common use; only about three in
France, and in America not more
than half n dozen worthy of notice
There are, of course, more than SIX
authors-perhaps two dozen. They
are teachers, not inventors. A great
majority of them advocate the Pit
man system. We hear of the sys
tens of Longley, Munson, Burnz,
Scott-Browne, Graham and others.
They arc all Pitman, however, and
the distinction in name is made for
convenience mainly. These writer's
differ in detail, and that is about all.
1t would not he seriously claimed
TINT they were the originators Of
the system they present.
A few characteristic differences be-
tween the various authors may be oil
interest.
Graham is the shortest but the
hardest to learn. He has more bre.
witty than is needed, and his system is
too difficult for most people. 1t is
quite perfect in what may be termed
the mathematical sense; hut there are
so many fine turns and delicately
contrived characters in his reporting
sytlc, that persons only who are
hard students ind possess consider
able artistic ability are capable OF
making u success of it.
Munson, of New York, is q clear and
popular author.
Scott-Browne, editor ofthe Report
ers' journal, is an old teacher and
an acute writer on the theory and
practice of shorthand.
Longley, ofCalifornia, sticks pretty
close to the Pitman, and his books
are clearly written, and unusually
we'll suited to the purpose OF instruc-
ton.
Watson, of Maryland, has produc-
ed an exceptional book, both in re-
gard to the originality of it's princi-
pies, and the novelty of it's teaching.
Lindsey, author OF Takigraphy,
transforms the system completely,
making use of the old Pitman mat
erial in constructing what is known
as the connective vowelsystem. His
corresponding style is easy to read
and quickly learned, but being too
slow for reporting purposes, is not
popular.
Cross, of Chicago, author of "Eclec-
tic Shorthand" presents an entirely
original system, Of which one main
feature is that it is not phonetic, but
is what may be termed orthograph-
ical, following the old spelling to a
large extent. His alphabet is deriv-
cd, not from the circle, like the Pit
man, but from the ellipsc, after the
manner of the German systems. His
method is quickly learned, but the
notes are not easy to read.
Pernin, of Detroit, has translated
and adapted the French Nighttime
system Of Duploye. Connective VOW
els are used and consonant position
discarded. This system is legible
but not exceedingly rapid.
A few other authors, each popular
in his own sphere, and more or less
known to fame, are tho following:
Osgoodby, of Rochester; Haven and
Humphrey, of Philadelphia; Howard
and Palmer, OF Cincinnati; Bishop, of
New York; Allen, of Boston; Barnes
and Rogers, of St. Louis; kimball, of
Chicago; Marsh, of San Francisco;
Morris, of Massachusetts; Thornton,
of Buffalo; Scovil, of New York; Day,
of Cleveland; Hall, of Milwaukee and
others.
Isaac Pitman, inventor of phono-
graply, the mostpopular of allshort-
hand systems, began publishing half
q century ago. Within this time
the sale of his principal
instruction books may be
roughly estimated as follows: The
''Reporters's Companion, about one
hundred and forty-tive Thousand cop
les; the Manual four hundred and
seventy-five thousand; the Teacher, /"
nearly one and quarter million. He
also published q dictionary, phrase
book, and various lesser works. His
weekly Journal numbers 10000 sub
scribers. This, however, does not con-
vey an adequate idea of the extent
to which the system of which he is
the chief originator has spread
abroad. Various teachers and au-
thors, embracing MIR. Pitman's own
brothers and sons, have published
books, many Of which have met with
q large sale. The manual of Benn
Pitman, the chief American au-
thor, has sold to the extent of about
400, 0OOcopies. The Pitmansystem,
as II whole, in its present state Of
perfection, is n growth the result of
almost countless experiments made
by conscientious workmen and
thoughtful writer's. Each author
has to some extent modified his own
original presentation of the system;
but none, perhaps, have made so
many changes as Mr.. Pitman himself.
One Of the inevitable consequences OF
this gradual Developments is that
reporters who learned ten, twenty,
or thirty years ago, write the system
somewhat differently from each other,
and q style differing also from the
system as it is taught today. The
system as presented by the inventor
is that most employed in England
and the British Provinces. The Benn
Pitman system is the one most fol.
lowed in America.
A SCIENTIFIC SYSTEM.
To be broadly capable, readily &c.
quired and easily remembered, q
shorthand system must be scientific
NOT merely expeditions. A collec.
ton of arbitrary expedients, if suffi.
GENTLY large, may serve for repro.
4 :.