The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-06-29
HARD ON STENOGRAPHERS.
New York Is No Place for the Idle
or Incompetent
A High Standard of Proficiency Set by
Employers-AppIicants Are sub
lected to Thorough
Examination

That New York is the grand center
for competent stenographers and
short-lived rendezvous for incompe-
tents is frankly admitted. Yet, of the
estimated thirty thousand stenoGraph-
ers and typewriters in the city to-day,
the proportion who are "A credit to the
shorthand profession is said to Toe sur
prisingly small. A veteran phono-
grapher in touch with the progress of
the art recently said: Here in this
city there are every year a legion of
young people who commence the study
of shorthand through the i'll advice of
parents or friends, without making the
first inquiry into the mental or phys
zeal qualities requisite in tine makeup
of skillful stenographer; hence il is
that only about one person in twenty
ever reaches the goal of success"
One instructor says much more is ex-
pected of a stenographer today than
ever before, and more talent Is re-
quired here in New York city than ia
any other place he knows of in this
country. business men no longer
tutor and humor incompetent EN-
ployes. Schools are demanding a
higher standard of excellence than
a pupil for a position until he has
passed technically rigid examination
in taking from dictation and properly
transcribing all forms of office CORE
spondence. legal matter in the form of
complaints. answers. affidavits agree
ments, testimony. specifications, amend
ments and other details. Besides
this, we frequently dictate extracts
from magazines, newspapers and en-
cyclopRdias-
Only few years ago the prediction
was made that shorthand schools must
decrease their production of graduates,
or. as a natural result, one of two
things was imminent among shorthand
writers-a reduction of wages or a
raising of the degree of excellence re
quired for the obtaining of employ
ment- The latter alternative seems To
be rapidly approaching Probably fifty
per cent more shorthand skill and gen
eral education is to-day required to
hold a good position in New York city
than was needed five years ago. When
questioned as To this the above in
structor said:
Work here is done quickly and sys-
tematically. and the stenographer who
succeeds in this busy metropolis must
know a great many things besides
having the mere ability To make
marks and operate a typewriter. He
must have education, skill and discern
ment. and be- able To use shorthand
and to typewrite with great intelli-
lrence. One years training in a bust
ness house here is conceded To Toe as
valuable, from practical point of
view. as three years training in many
other large cities.
That this fact is rapidly becoming
known and appreciated Is shown by
the steadily increasing number of
Young people who come here from
distance to learn and practice the art
They come to this city from Florida,
Kansas California. Cuba, Spain, and,
indeed. from all over the world; yet,
despite this great influx, salaries here
range higher than in any other part of
the country. In Chicago for instance.
many stenographers last summer ac-
cepted positions at three or four dol
lars less per week than they would re
ceive here.
Our best shorthand schools now re-
quire an entrance education Candi-
dates for admission are closely exam
ined in spelling, punctuation. Penman-
snip, EnEllSu npapSiAipL- piiA
and many other vital points. and there
is no hesitancy in rejecting any appli-
cant who is disqualified Only a few
wears ag.s the average speed necessary
to answer the requirements of an
amanuensis was seventy to one hun
dred words per minute. while at the
present time rate OF less than one
hundred and twenty words per minute
is deemed inadequate
''Of high-grade stenographers." said
Mr. Snyder of the Remington bureau,
there is not half enough tn meet the
demands. Through this agency alone,
three thousand stenographers and
typewritists were last year recon-
mended to paying positions OF this
number, probably two-thirds were
young women
1t Is curious to note" he added
that the young men who come To New
York from the country meet the re-
quirements far better than those who
are residents of the city The former
come here with a definite aim and pur-
pose, look upon their position and sur
roundings more seriously, and work
with much greater earnestness and sin
caritV"