New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-15

Four papers will conclude the Trihune's
Campaign OF Education, which has been conducted
along easy paths. free or stones and thorns. Now
and then one thought he found himself wan
dering somewhat. uncertain as TO the
step to be TAKEN but the Pointers soon Sc,
him straight; now the way is easier and easier
until the end The Pointers will mark the en-
tire journey. lest some be overconfdent. or seek
to outstrip the others. and thus go bit astray II
is we'll that every take these bearings. that
they may make no mistake. This is said by way
OF precaution only. Nothing could be more graft
flying possibly than the results that nave been
reached The coupons sent in by the pupils give
evidence OF intelligent understanding OF the sub
ject far as 1t has been revealed. and there can
be no possible conclusion other than that this Will
prove true 10 the end. Students will do well 10
have due regard to this practice each week While
everything has been smplifed in every manner
possible It would be unreasonable TO suppose that
the work be accomplished without any en-
desvor whatsoever upon the part of the pupil
Rapid writing comes of exercise OF the knowledge
obtained; this fact must be borne In mind
The Tribunes Campaign of Education Is a sys-
TEN of shorthand made easy: but no practical
work of any kind upon the face OF the earth can
be acquired without practice. Conscientious dis
charge OF this duty advances the pupils in rapid
work bringing satisfaction TO themselves and serv-
ing further to strengthen the evidences OF the
value OF the system
But while The Tribune's plan Is easy much work
has been involved in bringing 1t to this state OF
perfectness There were the forerunners Of mod
ern shorthand. who in less than two centuries re-
duced the symbols more than threefod. while IN
the last fifty years this has been diminished by one
half The Trbunes system of the result Of
the labors and experiences of those who had gone
before as to symbols and sounds. To these, how
ever have been added methods of instruction born
Of more immediate experiences in practical work
together with the unique idea of teaching short
hand without teacher by the aid OF newspaper
In this way the devious paths have been made
straight and the obstacles have been removed 10
side
The evolution Of shorthand from the syllable and
letter authorizations Of the old Romans to the pres
ent perfected form demonstrates that great deal
OF making ready has had to be done all along the
line and that the onward movement Is commonly
| a general one. The olden time writer's employed
the stylus then the quill then the iron or steel pen
and then the quill again. The modern pencil then
came in to stay. First they wrote on papyrus and
| then clay. but rarely upon waxen tablets OF
vellum because OF hei- greater cost. except 1t was
| intended to preserve the manuscripts indefinitely
| in their abbreviated forms. Cotton or rag paper
was introduced into Europe not many years be-
| fore the birth Of Dante. and the old monks who
| employed a form OF shorthand quickly adopted It
| for their Use, alike for permanent work and Tor
| that which temporary. The lead pencil which
| was invented in the year Shakespeare was born
| became an instrument in the hands Of the alb
| breviator who found he could write with greater
ease and dispatch than with the quill dipped in
| ink Thus it will be that paper and pencil
| alike contributed TO the shortening OF the short
| hand work The old monks found that they could
| get along much faster upon paper than upon vel
| lum because a mistake now and then made but
! little difference while had II occurred upon the
more costly vellum much severe penance might
| have had 70 he done for each offence.
Shorthand in this particular by mean. stands
out alone. Paper antedated movable type and
! made possible what could rot have been done with
! vellum the rapid dissemination OF knowledge
through the printing OF books Nellum was too ex-
pensive and too thick and heavy for work OF this
kind
None OF these inventions and discoveries anne
without great labor the part Of their authors
| who themselves were under obligations greater or
less 10 others who had gone before them ana
failed Incidentally II may he set down az almost
an axiom that the failures OF the present make the
| successes Of the future These important dis
covertes and inventions are evolutions that have
come I'D out Of great tribulation into the mar
| vellous light Of assured victory.
| Shorthand made its approaches without warning
with actual weapons but assuredly not without
| many sharp contests with tongues. and not WIN
| out great confusion After the revival caused oy
the reformation in England. there seemed 10 ne a
discnIe IN every large town in England, each sure
| he was better Informed than his master Contro-
versies sprang up ever hand. ana the eho
seemed distant Upward of 200 systems sprans up
ritbin less than so many years. But the good
work went forward. Out Of the confusion sprAhs
| order
The ease O, mastering shorthand. then. lies in the
| fact that masters have made It as 1t Is IL mas
taken the labors Of men for eighty generations VI
! more for The Tribune to give the campaign u
| uducation 70 its many readers in its present per-
fected form Had the writers OF the time Oh fien.
| VIII or Charles II. the four Georges iaoo'eu
Ices earnestly and intelligently in shorthand. tnen
! the Campaign of Education had not been onered IN
its present complete and desirable for"' N"'"'e
makes no leap In It's Development nor docs sc'choe'
o- art or literature II Is ''precept on precept ine
On line. here little and there A htue' WHO"
| brings any good thing to perfection
What time may further do IN this mat'er OIL
| ..or,ha,d M one can truly divine But the rules
Of phonetic writing are SO simpie anu '''o - 80 =
employed are SO admirably adapted 10 the neeu'
=, oil ianpuares-all articulate sounds or the nu-
| man voice-that II would seem TO De no" "A'
geometry an exact science. nearly hNeo anu ue'''
inmate This Is opinion only or Is ''ro"n ou'
az suggestive rather OF one thing the worm o'l''
he fully certain. and this Is that II VIII take "o
| .oos hackward A science that has advanced so
| -. q, TOO securely fixed In public confidence that
!, sbouid lose any OF the ground 1t has so slowly
and laborousy gained
That the fathers In shorthand work have per-
formed well their part and rapidly. too Is SHOWN
in the fact that symbols have been reduced gem
| .ra,,on by generatIon-from upward or ~" IN inc
time OF william Penn 10 -. as used IN Inc lr'o-
unes Campaign OF Education In order 10 attain
| ha old vfraf at OF -
| .,,,,a urrecessarv sign and character consistent
,,h oorrec, writing and reading. Shorthand
writer's cannot AFFORD to record antiquities or Jot
down symbols that are not readable Hence the
goal WAS felt to be reacned at the number stated
ard q Is doubtful II less number can be success