The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-01
Tells HOW IT
CAN Be DONE.
A Woman Who Has Been SuC-
CeSsiuI In Her Business.
she RUNS COPYING OFFICE.
All Around Education .and Sound Common
sense Are Some Of the Necessary
Prerequisites for Success.

A woman who has been so successful
in conducting a typewriting office that
she has retired from business with a
snug sum that yields her comfortable
yearly income. in AN interview with re-
porter yesterday said
with liberal allowance OF brains,
little ready money and an unlimited
amount OF tact we'll educated woman
has a very good chance OF successfully
running typewriting office. II sounds. it
must be confessed. a little like one OF
those prescriptions found in 18th century
books.
| have one that belongs to a faraway
grandmother wherein the reader is di-
rected IN case of "feaver" 10 take ye
eie OF rayven six months old" and q
portion OF "ys brayne OF whyte nighte-
fowle" Clxind OF "fowle" not speciled) apd
several other equally easy TO be obtained
articles, and. after mixing them with
"wyne OF Arabya," 10 look confidently
forward to a perfect cure. Yet, neverthe-
less the above qualifications are indis-
pensable 10 success.
An all round education is necessary,
one wherein are TO be found no slipshod
spelling. no down at heels grammar. no
confusion OF lenses and such enormities,
for many and grlevous are the sins of
authors in these respects, and clever
copyists know how to hide their failings.
correct their errors and save them TO
some extent at least from the critics
scalping knife.
SOME STAND NO CHANCE.
Uneducated and half educated women
are useless in the profession, and IT
would be as cruel TO encourage them 10
enter IL as it is cruel TO advise them 10
stay I'm it II already there.
They are the people who make the rid
iculous mistakes that drive the unlucky
author frantic. who calmly turn over two
pages OF manuscript at once and continue
copying without perceiving any hiatus In
the sense of the matter; who use capitals
sd hbitum and are liberal in the employ
ment OF commas.
There is a place for them In the econ
omy OF nature. but that place Is not To be
found within the walls OF copying Office.
The little ready money" needs no ex-
PLANTATION, but the need OF unusual tact
and discretion may
Clients are not always reasonable In
their demands nor angelic In their temper,
and though the man who ascended the
stairs breathing fell threats of vengeance
because three hours work has not been
accomplished I'm 20 minutes invariably be-
comes meekncss personifed when brought
face 10 face with the offending power,yet
that wholesome change In only brought
aoout by the exercise of considerable
tact on the part of such power.
And as all work is necessarily OF n con-
fidential nature. great discretion must be
used and strict silence observed with re-
gard to II when outside the office walls.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORK.
The kind OF work done in these offices
differs greatly, depending largely upon
geographical position. Work in seaport
town would differ considerably. from
work in q manufacturing district, and
work I'm the suburbs differs greatly from
thai in the city
In the latter. legal work specifications
Of all kinds, mining reports. balance
sheets and an endless variety OF articles
having money making for their theme
are presented at the office, and copies
thereof are usually wanted In a tremen-
dous hurry.
Indeed. life in n successful office is lived
at high pressure. and the possession OF a
good temper under trying circumstances
Is a thing not TO be omitted I'm the list of
qualifications
There is a widespread fiction TO the ef-
feet that anybody can type. This is an
idea that sends into the profession NUM-
bers OF people who are looking out for
H.. "a.
possible amount OF demand on body and
mind
They speedily find out, however. their
mistake when once embarked on their
career. but at a woful loss OF time and
money.
There are innumerable mysteries into
| which initiation Is necessary with regard
| to the setting out" OF law documents.
Then there are abstracts" Ia which n
I bewildcring variety or margins" have TO
/ be observed and all such rules have 10 be
/ known by the head OF the Office. and the
observance OF them 10y her clerks careful
/ ly enforced
/ Duplicating. either by means ~ carbon
sheets or typing on sheets OF wax. and
then printing on Impressions. IL n ncces-
sary part " the work 20 know. and re-
\ duires ncatnoss and accuracy that can
] hest he appreciated nv the tyro who for
tho first time undertakes a piece of work
/ az this kind
! For the extraordinary way IN which i'm
! prcssions come ont in the wrong place
or refuse 90 come out at all, strikes terror
/ into The unaccustomcd heart. especially
/ when con'-Tred with the beautiful exam
piles turned out bS the expert worker with
! the greatest ease.
FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER
\ knowledge " shorthand r. imperative.
and n must be thorough q is OF little use
| 90 heable 90 take down dic,srion at a high
/ rate 81 speed ~ double the timc is spent
afterward I'm rrefullr contemplating tho
hieroglyuhics that the writer "a utterly
! unable 90 read.
Nor ~ n soothing TO the clients mind
| Ia he presented with transcript tcemng
with blank spaces, or. az r. frequently the
| case. With the uncducated writer. full OF
1 meaningless nonsense
No one should attempt 10 start an office
without some capital \ clientele cannot
hc built up in six months. or even y year.
10 be able 90 take down dictation atn high
| with the work that call for a cons:ant
1 outlay.
Judicious ADVERTISING rs decidedly To bc