The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-08
"Tiddledywink" stenographers.

The impression seems to prevail among
some women ~stenographers that the sub
ject Of their occupation Is not being treated
with proper seriousness. They would like
to abandon all discussion Of the so-called
pretty and frivolous members of their craft
and to see the INSCRIPTIONS ownersof short
term, lightninG.method schools handle
with "bare knuckles to q finish"
That desire is entirely credltable, but
unless attention is drawn to the complete
stenographic incompetence Of the gradu-
ates of such schools, how is their deception
to be proved and made clear to the public9
Investigation will show that nine pupils
out Of ten who have taken a course Of les
sons in those institutions belong to the
"chewing gum" or "tiddledywink" va
riety. A great many employers are aware
of that fact and refuse to engage n stenog-
rapher who, in actual work, is found to be
incompetent. One of the best ways, there
fore, to discourage and uproot the humbug
shorthand colleges of the country is to EN-
phasize the exasperating worthlessness Of
their graduates.
The "tiddledywink" stenographer, 80
called, Is, for the most part, a product Of
the last ten years; and there are several ex-
plantations Of his and her appearance. One
Is that in recent years, a hundred, more or
less, mongrel "systems" of shorthand writ
Ing have sprung up, and the advocates
of those methods nave tried to Guido each
other in an attempt to popularize their
respective methods. AS a result, schools
were started, and those that advertised to
teach the art Of making pothooks in the
shortest time were naturally supposed to
have the best systems of shorthand. The
victims of those institutions did not dis.
cover the fraud until it was too late.
1t Is curious to find that a majority of the
short-term graduates are blissfully ignorant
of their W incapacity. If they fail to OBJ
tain work or get only low wages, they COM
plain hat the shorthand field is over
crowded or that business men lave too low
an estimation of stenography.
AS regards plug" stenographers, it Is
fair to say hat they nave never been I'M
derpaid. In their case, no wages are too
low. The less pay they receive, the sooner
they will be made to see their error and
will give their time to other things. And
only so far as concerns sten%ographers
of that sort is the shorthand field over
crowded. The managers Of employment
bureaus declare that there is a constant
demand for first.class stenographers, and
that there are not half enough applicants
who can fill the places.
Stenography, as it is practiced by the
competent reporter or by the skilful office
amanuensis, is not an easy thing to master.
and many who once thought differently
have lived to change their minds. 1t would
doubtless be a good thing for members of
the fraternity who are thoroughly capable
and experienced II every stenographic ap-
plicant were Obliged, before taking a posi-
tion, to pass a satisfactory examination be-
fore a board of shorthand experts.
Time rights all things, and it will prob
ably not be long before the difference be-
tween a competent and incompetent stenog-
rapher will be more generally understood.
Then good-by to the "tiddledywinksT