Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-31
PATENT OFFICE CLERKS
Ability to Use a Typewriter is Likely to
Figure in Promotion.
The Commissioner Thinks That
Change Should He Made in
Existing Distinctions.

Just at present the patent Office is dis
turbed by all manner of absurd rumors, to
the effect that all examiners clerks who
are not stenographers will be dismissed or
transferred. AS there are thirty-six exam
ming divisions, and as only some half dozen
examiners clerks are stenographers, ru-
NOR of this kind naturally causes some UNI
easiness-
The facts in the case appear to be about
as follows: Commissioner Duell, in his sys-
tematic efforts to increase the efficiency or
the clerical force in the office, was obliged
to upset time-honored but obsolete ana
unfair custom of assuming that the exam
iners' clerks took precedence over the ex-
aminers stenographers-
This custom dates back to the time when
letters were written in longhand, so that
while the clerk had to keep set of books
and prepare the various reports or the a.
vision, the letter writer had only to copy
letters in longhand, substitutes being fur
nished from the assignment division or
some other clerical division when the ex-
aminer's clerk was absent.
Typewriters More Efficient.
With the coming of the typewriter, more
highly educated and efficient clerks came
into the Office to write the letters; these
were accustomed to act also as substitutes
for the examiners clerks when the latter
were absent, but the examiners clerks, not
being typawriters in many instances, could
not take the places of the typewrlters
when the latter were on leave, SO that sub
stitute typewriters were still furnished
from the clerical divisions. AS this made
the work of the clerk easy and the work OF
the typewriter hard it was natural that
the clerks place should be sought after,
and regarded as more desirable than that
of the typewriter.
With the advent of stenographers the
eff Of
increased and the clerk was even less able
to act as her substitute when absent, the
examiners then, as far as possible. placing
their old handwriting or typewriting en-
stenographers to write letters
1t is evident that higher degree of edu-
cation and intelligence is required to be-
come q master of typewTiting and Stenog-
raphy than is required to write a letter in
longhand alone, so that gradually there mas
grown up an efficient force of stenogra-
piers and typewriters, who We're still
IL oked down upon by the examiners clerks.
but who, it is said, really should have been
regarded as their superiorS in youth, intel
ligcnce and value to the office, not only
being able to perform their own special
work. but also to do all that the eXamin-
ers' clerks could do as well.
Preference to Typewriters.
The commissioner, with his pronounced
ideas of fairness to all, began to give pref
erenCe 10 the StenoSfdphefS iii ihdttctS vi
promotion, and certain inquiries as to the
ability of the seventy-two clerks in the ex-
aminers' rooms to perform the duties of
clerks, typewriters and stenographers has
led to the present rumors concerning dis
misSals.
In the absence of the commissioner it is
Impossible to obtain accurate information
as to the further steps to be taken to right
the wrong claimed to have been done the
better clerk.
In the spring the work in the office had
increased to such an extent more especially
in the clerical divisions, that it was found
impossible to furnish substitute typewrters
for examining divisions. Accordingly these
thirty-six divisions were formed into twelve
groups of three divisions each, the three
clerks and three stenographers in each
group being responsible for the work of
that group.
This appears to have been but a prelimi
nary to making each division self-support-
ing. No division can be self-supporting, it
is claimed, unless its clerk is at least a
typewriter; and as this is true in only about
two-thirdS of the divisions, several changes
will evidently have to be made, by transfer
or otherwise, to secure the desired result.
Commissioner Duell, from his well-known
kindheartedness, Is not likely to work any
hardship to a deserving clerk, even to pro-
duce wholesome change