The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-08
SHORTHANDWRITERS
THOUSANDS TAUGHT sTENoGRApHy
EACH YEAR IN AMERICA.

A Few Experts Receive High Salaries
The Art Not n New One, as 1t Dates Bacl
20 Cicero, Who Used More Than zoos
Characters-New York's Veteran.
There are more stenogrsrlers in New
York and its vicinity than there arr
lawyers or doctors. But not all of them
are competent. A first class shorthand
writer is very difficult to find, and Il
he is fast writer he is sure of good
salary.
Shorthand writing as means of earn
ing livelihood is not as lucrative as
many other callings. but it affords a
young man, ii 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.
nerativA is law reporting, but to become
competdpt for this work requires wears
OF assidnous practice, and the field of
employment is limited. The highest
salary paid to court stenographer in
New York is in the surrogate's court
MIR. Edward F. Underhill, probably the
Oldest practicing stenographer in Amer
lea, holds this position and receives a
salary of $4,000 per year. He has been
in the service since 1919.
The municipal departments and courts
In New York city pay annually in sal
aries for stenographic services S154.-
600. This salary list includes 80 Ste
nographers, 81 of whom are court re-
porters, each receiving $4,000, and 10
-, ZOO annually as salary. In addition
TO this, however, all court stenographers
are allowed by the code 10 cents per TO-
lio of 100 words, for furnishing copies
OF transcripts to the parties interested
in any case when desired.
Up town at 333 West Twenty third
street the stenographers of New York
have club, where they meet each 9TH
er socially. In connection with the
club is classroom. where the men,
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 ia
provided with all the different STYLES of
typewriting machines for the 1ase of
members when there is no dictation.
as.. n hrraaIs also ssnefi,n~ ne einn ;s onen e u;
ther 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 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-
Tar issued by the bureau OF education at
Washington.
Here il is shown that from July /, 1889,
to June 80, 1890, 81 1916 persons receiv-
ed instruction in the art OF shorthand
in schools and colleges in the United
States. Five thousand five hundred and
sflfty 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 1882
the number of pupils feceiving such
anstruction was l2,47O. It is therefore
quise safe to say that the number for
1898 exceeded $4,000.
But this number does not take into
consideration an army probably equal
lyslarge who receive instruction from
some other source or from professional
stsnographers.
Out OF this vast army, however, but
q 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
edly did use a method of shorthand
writing as early as SO B. G.
Thefirst English treatise was by Tim
othe Bright, entitled AN Arte of Short
Swifte and Secrete Writing by Charac
/ture, Inuented by Timothe Bright, Doc
tor Of phisike. Imprinted at London b.
Il. Windet the Assingee Of Tim Bright
1888. Cum priuilegie Regiae Maiesta
tis. Forhidding al others TO print tn
same" 0
ID, Raiaht 40 this work says: ! Cioer
,did.accou5t III wofthie his labour, an
no less pr06t table VI the Rornan -comnao