The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-04
sHoR1HAND IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
why It IL out of Place There, and the At
tempt to Introduce It n Failure.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir; The ten
dency TO increase indefinitely the list OF studies
pursued In the public schools has taken a fresh
start In Chicago. There 1t Is proposed to mako
shorthand one OF tho branches to be taught
regularly in the schools Of the city. As soon
as pupils become able to spell and write In
English according to the usual method. IL IL
argued that a course In shorthand should be
followed to enable them to write phoneticnlly.
or "fonetikly." as the spelling reformers might
put it. and to record words Ivy means Of steno-
graphic signs. In discussing the SUBJECT the
Chicago ChrOuiCP says:
Further extensions in the scope Of teaching in the
puhltc establishments are 81 rapidly made that ono
Il prepared to hear that attempt to give instruction
TO turn ont OF the public school, solely through their
tuition. a 500 ! stcnoSrapher than It Is TO- Hraduate .
a good deal Of everything and very little of that
which is thorough and useful, II, stenography is
added to the list 1t ought to be abandoned. for It Is
no part of the business of the pubic establishment
o. frttter away the time OF pupils IN an enoru 10
The idea OF teaching stenography in the pub
lie schools along with arithmetic, geography
and English composition is not of recent
being taught there at the present time. Its
admission with the other branches Is advocated
i Ryi l'n To npprseis e, t i've in fisiteS' S iSss im port SSss
to the pupils OF n knowledge Of, pothooks than
OF a thorough understanding Of arithmetic and
grammar. and the other sort have overlooked
any pupil is able to make IN school while en-
gagged In studying other things will prove
worse than useless to him afterward.
To the attempt to crowd half a dozen sub
jects. ana among them shorthand, into young
minds simultaneously Is duo the circumstance
that there are to-day more stenoRraphers. so
called. than can find employment. They con-
sist largely OF young people who set out to
learn lust enough OF shorthand to be able to
report n sermon or a lecture. In other words.
they were led to believe TINT ability to lot down
a speech verbatim Is possessed by the most
ordinary. Eo-as-you-please stenographers. and
that the effort necessary to acquire that abil:
ity Is about the same, for pie. as is needed
to become fairly proficient in bookkeeping.
The s~tenographers of Chicago have protested
vigorously against the introduction OF the plan
referred to. and their protest is well taken.
Instead OF endeavoring to increase the number
OF persons hopelessly ignorant Of shorthand
and unfamiliar with the elementary principles
OF the more common English branches. an
effort ought to be made to induce many OF the
three months Photographic graduates who
are looking for work on the strength OF their
diplomas to go back to the gramma school
and forget that they ever studied ~stenography.
II that were done. a Kindness would be, con-
ferred. not only upon. the young people them
selves. but upon employers who mistake them
for competent stenographers.
Shorthand Is as much out OF place in the
public schools as 1t would be In the nursery.
NEW YORK. May 8. T..