The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17

1 ter those pot tons described 70 he chanstu
and with pen and ruler kill the parts
| impossible TO use.
IL IL intended that the foregoing para
graph be- read by those out Of the fold as
sarcasm: those on the inside will recog-
nize Il. for copy IL, for some inscrutable
and urfathomabie reason, in most onlceS
| OF daily papers prepared IN inst the con-
trary manner 20 that ironically referren
| g. and the writer's and editors seem al
unconscious Of the fact that their WORK
| when II reaches the COMPOSING 'ei"
presents the appearance OF a Dina ma"
! descriptive map OF Boston. 49,
The copy is cut into parts takes ,
and as each man finishes his take ne
| puts the type C'dumps } on saiey
| Urav about type high } arranged so that
| the matter In typ shall be in proper or
der In this galley preceding his take In
| tyne he puts his number or slug "a metal
! block column wide and type high, on
which the compositor's number is casD
50 that, subsequently,, In ease it is de
sirablc or important to know who set
piece of ccpy. the slug number furnishes
I the information, and besides supplies the
| evidence from which the compOsitOr
makes M his account Of work performed.
| These slugs are. Of course taken out
when the types are ready 80 be placed
/ into the pages. When galley Is filed
I II is locked up tthe type festene0.
| taken TO small press and a proof-sheet
/ printed from IL. This proof-sha et is
strip Of paper. say twice the width OF a
/ column having the matter printed in the
middle. leaving a blank margin on each
/ side. The prOof-sheet. together with the
| original COPY Is sent to the proof-reader,
I who reads from the proof-sheet aloud 10
his assistant copy holder; or the order may
4 be reversed the holder reading aloud from
| the manuscript and marks on the blahk
/ margin whatever mistakes are 10 be
| corrected or alterations desired 10 be
made In the types: the copy-holder, mean
time following on the manuscript calls
the proof readers attention 10 any
discrepancies between the proof and the
copy.
Inasmuch as one compositor has but
small portion Of an article at time. and
I that say. in the middle OF the story. 1t
is quite easy 90 understand that he has
/ but limited knowledge as to the subject
ne is assisting 10 put into type, and 1t
| thus follows he must watch lis copy
closely and set what very often seems
/ to him the veriest nonsense. 1t is no un-
usual rhing for the compositor TO produce
results i'm entire accordance with that pre-
conceived idea. especially If the copy IS
"blind." that IS. hard TO read.
1
The Ideally equipped proof-reader must
be naturally endowed with a keen eye
quick perception, rapid though distinct
enunciation. retentive memory and brains
He must posses the acquired qualifications
Of good education. plain handwriting and
keep posted on current events; have, at
least. smatterinc of the languages, be
an authority on spelling, grammar, pune
tuation. capitalization and the technicah-
ties OF printing no must be able to read
| inteligenty review of the stock or pro
duce market and understand a criticism
Of book zoolatry; follow closely the
/ rtasoning of political leader and com
! prehend the detailed account Of prize
| fight: he must wade through table after
table giving the averages Of the baseball
| PLAYERS with knowledge Of the subject,
and i'm the next minrte become deeply en-
| crossed i'm the position DR.. Briggs has
taken in a theological discussion and
while his mind is thus rapidly drawn
from one subject TO another, he must be
constantly ON the alert to notice and mark
! all sorts of errors as they present them
selves and no. permit himself to become
so engrcssed in the interest of an article
as TO draw his attention from a thousand
and one Ell ors any one OF which may,
i'm the most unexpected way, suddenly
appear A turned letter transposition OF
letters or words. an omission or dupica-
lion Of a letter or word. mistakes in spell
ing. grammar, punctuation, geography
| dates. Capitalization. construction OF sem
fences. paragraphs. amounts, spacing,
| divisions of words. wrong font letters,
space showing" or omitted between
words: besides numerous technical errors
and bad typography must be watched for.
| PrOof-readers come from three sources
| copy holders. compositors and educated
L..
| work good copy-holder with proper
education ard ambition. has the best OBJ
portunity Of becoming a proof-reader and
| the natural advancement is in that drec-
ton. The best copy-hoders may be fair
proof-readers though the converse is not
always the case
The other two classes from Which proof
readers are drawn are compostors who
are above the average in general informa-
| ton and who POSSESS alertnesS in dis
covering errors, ard educated persons who
are able 10 comprehend and apply the
techuicaiities of printing. AS TO which or
these last two named classes make the
better proOf-rea 1ers there is 10 sJre rule
| TO determine. TO be sure the practical
/ printer will notice, first, inartisuc typo
erapbicaI workmanship. but he may not
be mentally equipped 10 notice faulty
literary work. His proof-reading will
commend itself 90 the craft. while 10 the
general readers of the paper he might,
pcssiblv. be regarded as a failure On the
other hand a proof-reader who Is not a
frst class printer may be able 10 correct
inadverent mistakes by the writer for the
press and overlook errors of strictly
technl'al nature known only 20 skilled
printers
fl ncwspapers were read by only good
printers. the prnter-proOf- reader most
certainly would give the better satisfac-
ton bat As the great majority Of news
paper readers Know nothing about the
tine points OF the art preservauVc' IL Woulo
seem ~ though literary excellence was
more to be desired than SIMPLY typo
giahical eXactness.
where the combination Of good printer
and good scholar can be united III inc
same ncr. on the ideal proof-reader Is
found 10 is not 10 be inferred that art
istic work ON newspaper IS not
, / desidcratum much 60 be wished. Even
tucyc who know nothing o. the art oil
printing take pleasure i'm a oieah' good
appearing. handsome sheet. Such paper
! con Cnly be made by good EDITORS good
foreman. good compositors, good proof
readers and good pressmon.
As has been referred "a before. copy
is not always plainly written. There are
| a. number of the most brilliant writers
| for the press whose pcnmanshiB - -
! bad a. their ideas are good; ana II WOMB
seem as If a good many reporters ana
o other writer's for the press had taken
Horace Greeley fo- their model an n~u
arrived at great proficiency IN imltauns
, | that eminent mans chirography, When
! this bum" copy. eXpressiVely 4 not
elegantly designated by the irrcsprcssihie
I ~