Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-05-09
GIRLS AS STENOGRAPHERS.
Some Advice to Those Who Intend Study
Ing SHORTHAND.

ing SHORTHAND.
OF the many fields OF usefulness
now open to women, one has proved
p easant and profitable to many, and
may prove so TO many more-stenOg-
raphy, or shorthand, says a woman
in the Country Gent eman. True
there are numbers already In the field,
but there is room for good stenogra-
pliers, and will be for years to c me.
Business men are daily coming to ap-
precidte their need of steDographers
and are learning the real worth of
good one and the utter use essness of
poor one There a.e many incom-
petent stenographers, and they pro
a great h!ndrance to those really pre-
pared for their work. A business
man who decides to employ a short
hand writer, and secures the service
of poor one to start with. is not
apt to be favorahly impressed with
stenOgraphers as class, and perhaps
can scarce'y lie persuaded to make
another trial.
A word of warning to those about
to undertake the study OF short
hand: 1t is not more difficult to
master than many other studies,
neither does it require peculiar adap-
tat on, as many suppose, but 1t does
need a thorough English education
tack OF it. Unless girls are familiar
with the rules OF grammar, compost
tiOn, spelling, and the studies of this
kind, their .ime will he more profit
ably spent acquiring this knowledge
N NJ m x,t
shorthand. A good plain hand
writing is also essential, or at least
advisable, though many think that
If they are able to operate a type.
writer rapidly, the nature of their
penmanship Is OF little importance.
We find girls-plenty OF them
who have passed through course at
a business college, and can show
diplomas stating their ability to
write certaiH number of words a
minute, and yet these girls will as
sure you that they wasted their time
in the study, since they have been
unsuc essful in securing posit ons
or course they were unsuccessful. IgI
It 20 be supposed that a business
man wants such gir S? Let Us peep
over their shoulders as they work.
Yes; they can write $50 words a
minute, but here is girl who writes
in such haste that she cannot read
her notes correctly, and is not to be
relied on; here is another who never
mastered her spell ng-book, and
makes objectionable errors in spell
ing; there i another who is in a
state OF bewilderment as TO where
the capital letters and punctuation
marks belong, and is continually get.
ting her sentences into a hopeless
tangle. Common sense should tell
one that there is no place in busi-
ness Office for such girls, and 1t is
worse than folly for them TO aspire
To such positions until they are ilttcd
for them.
The girl who cannot only secure a
position, but retain il, is the one
who can write her notes with moder-
ate rapidity, can transcribe them
accurately, write neatly either with
pen or typewriter, and can hand to
her employer letter the sentences
OF which are correct In construction,
punctuated as they should be, and
'O'lNuitiuG hp MISS liCIAtu NOIuS bl
misplaced pita'S. \ cir VIII is in.
tell gent, possesses a common school
education, is level-hcaded and dig
n fled, is the 1iri TO iL herself for Of
fee work. She Will adapt herself TO
her surroundings see the things that
need TO be done and per orm them
quietly and without furry. and ere
NJ her employer will wonder how |
the Office work was done without her |
For such girls there is yet wide !
field OF labor, and they need have !
little he|itancy in preparing for the |
work. Let me repeat that thorough !
ness Of preparation is necessary in |
this as in every undertaking, for the !
time has gone by when shoddy labor
will be accepted in any department.
Hut with ordinary intelligence, care
ful preparation and honest effort, |
success is not far distant for the |
would-be girl stenographer.