The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-01-03
Shorthand Writers.


many other callings, but it affords a
young man, if he is quick witted, fine
chance to watch the internal workings
of business house, and thereby helps
him toward a business education such
as he could get in no other way.
The only field that is highly remu-
nerative is law reporting, but to become
competent for this work requires years
of assiduous practice, and the field of
employment is limited. The highest
salary paid to court stenographer in
New York is in the surrogate's court.
Mr.. Edward F. Underhill, probably the
oldest practicing stenographer in Amer
lea, holds this position and receives a
salary of SO, 600 per year. He has been
in the service since 1S49.
The municipal departments and courts
in New York city pay annually in sal
aries for stenographic services 1884,
000 This salary list includes 80 ste
nographerss 81 of whom are court re-
porters, each receiving SO, 800, and 10
So, annually as salary. In addition
to this however, all court stenographers
are allowed by the code 10 cents per TO-
Ito of 100 words, for furnishing copies
of transcripts to the parties interested
in any case when desired.
Up town at 1888 West Twenty third
street the stenographers of New York
have a club, where they meet each 9th
err socially. In connection with the
club is classroom, where the mem
bers may practice the art of shorthand
writing. Here nearly every evening are
gathered scores of ambitious young
shorthanders industriously driving their
pens for love of perfection in their
craft, while some one of experience
reads or DICTATES. The classroom is
provided with all the different styles of
typewriting machines for the use of
members when there is no dictation.
The club also maintains an employ
ment bureau. The club is open to Ell
Their sex. In fact, it is the large mem
bership of young ladies that gives zest
to the social side of the club, which is
one of its important features. In the
winter the club gives receptions, enter
tainments, occasionally a dinner and
once every year ball.
In many of the public schools of the
country stenography is part of the
training. An evidence of its recent re-
markable growth is shown by circu-
lar issued by the bureau of education at
Washington.
Here it is shown that from July 1 1889,
to June 80, 1890, 81 persons receiv-
ed instruction in the art of shorthand
in schools and colleges in the United
States. Five thousand five hundred and
fifty of these were in New York and
Brooklyn. A similar circular was is
sued by the bureau in 1884, in which it
was shown that during the year 1889
the number of pupils receiving such
instruction was IL, 40 1t is therefore
quite safe to say that the number for
1898 exceeded IS, 900.
But this number does not take into
consideration an army probably equal
ly large who receive instruction from
some other source or from professional
stenographers.
Out of this vast army, however but
very small minority are either phys
ically or mentally qualified to become
court reporters or even Office amanuen-
ses.
Cicero is said to have been the invent
or of shorthand writing, and the freed
man, Marcus Tullius Trio, his friend,
the first stenographer, and he undoubt-
eddy did use method of shorthand
writing as early as 60 B. 9.
The first English treatise was by Tim
othe Bright, entitled An Arte of Shorte
Swifte and Secrete Writing by Charac-
ture, Inuented by Timothe Bright, Doc
tor of Phisike Imprinted at London by
l. Windet, the Assingee of Tim Bright,
1888. Cum priuilegie Regiae Maiesta-
tbs. Forbidding all others to print the
same"
DR.. Bright in this work says: Cicero
did account it worthie his labour, and
no less profitable to the Roman common
weale Most Gracious Soueraigne), to
inuent a speedie kinde of wryting by
character, as Plutarch reporteth in the
life of Cato the younger. This inven-
ton was increased afterward by Seneca
that the number of characters grue to
1000. Whether through inure of time,
or that the men gaue it over for tedious
ness of learning, nothing remaineth ex-
tant of Cicero's inuention at this day.
Every stenographer who recalls the
efforts required to properly master the
few characters used in the art today
will not wonder that of Cicero's system,
with its Z. 900 characters, nothing re-
mains at this day.
1t was not until 1642 that the art be-
came of any practical use, and it was
first used in the house of lords in 1895
In taking testimony in a divorce suit
Stenographers were not regularly EN-
ployed in parliament. however, until
the year 1S02.-New York World.