The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
FAULTS OF STENOGRGPHERS.
BAD SPELLING 4 COMMON CAUSE
or COMPLAINT.


splnsters or widows make the best stenog-
Iaphers and typewriters, and they also
differ on various other questions. But
on one point they are OF one mind: The
smelling Of large proportion OF pupils
e appallingly poor.
At one school the proprietor expressed
the opinion that not 20 per cent Of the
applicants could be called good spelers.
She added that the proportion Of poor
spoilers was much larger now than II was
ten years ago.
Most Of the younger applicants are
graduates Of the public school, she said.
I'VE have even had high school pupils
come around here who didn't know how
10 spell
For this reason every school Of stenog-
raphy includes a course In spelling throws
(, in free along with the stenography
lessons. In order 10 promote interest
IN spelling We give three prizes every
term.
NO, there are no catch words, no out
a. the way words introduced into the les
sons 1t is just the ordinary little every
dav words in common use that they can't
spell
Al one Of the high priced schools the
manager said that during the last school
year he turned away about fifty apph-
cants because they were utterly untitled
for the work.
Some applicants he said, have really
no vocabulary at all or one not much larger
than that Of the average bright child Of
six or eight, and their manner and pro-
nmoiation show a woful lack of fitness
for the work they fancy they want TO take
UP.
'Ihave no hesitation in saying that, were
to advertise for a stenographer tomorrow,
out Of a line Of applicants reaching from
this Office down to the front door, l might
not find one who could turn out letter
from Dear sir TO Yours respectfully.
without making half a dozen errors Of one
sort and another, including spelling" was
the statement Of the proprietor Of school
where stenography is a main feature,
At this school no promises Of turning
out prodigies in a given number Of weeks
or Of supplying paying employment at
The end Of one term are made. The pupils
represent high average OF intelligence,
and also OF application and perseverance,
vet the head Of the school says that
few who come are good spoilers. What
g. more, he doesn't believe that spelling
can be taught successfully along with
btenogTaphy simply by furnishing q list
Of words for pupils 10 famihsri1e them
selves with.
L have been a stenographer and teacher
for more THAI thirty years, said be, and
am 60 convinced OF the hopelessnees Of
teaching Hpeiling to young woman OF young
enan who has been graduated from public
eehool without learning to spell that never
attempt it here after the usual cut and
dried fashion
my plan is TO mark misspelled words
and make pupils hunt them up in the die
tionary at once. II the same mistake occurl
several times the chances are the perpe-
traitor will never spell the word correctly.
But poor spelling il only one Of the diff-
culties stenography teachers run up against.
For instance Iopening a huge scrapbooks
here are between four and FIVE thousand
typewritten business letters which / have
secured in various ways from time 10 time
from different merchants, manufacturers
and professional men, representing hun
dreds Of Industries and nearly all the profess
Eions, and which use in giving dictstions
10 my pupils.
Every letter was got out by paid ste
nogr8pher. Nevertheless. / can count on
my fingers those which do not contain some
fool error. Astonishing, isn't it2'
There are two principal reasons why
the stock Of stenoRraphers now in the
market is so poor: First, lack Of decent
schooling and lack Of application and per-
severance.
There is no other city in the world which
offers such free educational advantages as
New York. Therefore 1t never ceases 20
surprise me that grammar school and even
high school pupils who present themselves
here should know so little Of spelling and
grammatical construction.
Then 10 fha nj hnr pnipf I nhaa-
lutely amazed at the GOODNESS with which
q young woman will present herself every
now and then and toll Inc that she expects
q learn q profession in three months
learn il so that she can support herself
from the wages she will earn in practising
this profession,
on such occasions / generally remark
q the applicant that II would be just as
reasonable to expect to learn TO be a physi-
clan in three months as 10 learn 10 be a
Etenogapher in that time, and then | am
pretty sure 10 get this reply:
But there are schools which undertake
u teach stenogaphy in three months
A student Of that sort win stand poor
chance OF learning her profession at all
Tor the reason that she shows at the start a
dislike 10 study, 10 apply herself. Pains
taking application and logged perseverance
are qualities absolutely necessary to the
making Of a good stenographer.
Young girls. l find, are apt TO learn
girls are not so much In demand for good
Office positions "a older women.
Last winter, l remember. met the de-
mand Of a broker Of my acquaintance for
high speed stenographer by sending
y young girl Of sixteen 10 apply for the
place. She looked even younger because
che wore her hair In a pigtail and dresses
10 the tops Of her shoes Nevertheless,
che was one Of the most capable stenog-
Taphers on my list.
But when tho broker saw her all he said
was, Run home. little girl, and play in
the mud some more after which he called |
me up on the phone and demanded what l |
meant by sending him kid from the nur- |
fery 10 do his work.
The same day sent for the girls mother |
and as a result Of our talk the girl APP |
Ieared the next morning with her hair |
on the top Of her head and wearing gown |
which was quite suitable for a woman !
a. fifty. / scarcely knew her, and In order |
20 get even with the broker j sent her /
down again TO apply for the same place.
The broker, as | expected, failed TO /
recognize the girl and engaged her at once |
on trial, telling me afterward that abe was
treasure
At one Of the get-there-quiok schools, |
where 500 pupils-SO per cent. Of whom |
are women-take lessons In stenoRraphy |
gKorty the r4rOT1FsirfGr Win hirnnal0 /