The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-16
Shorthand and ITS
Study.

ment positions are the poorest paid of
all, even in the large International
affairs where the "honor" of nations
is at stake and where absolute accu-
racy and trustworthiness are the vital
requirements.
The study of shorthand requires first
and foremost diligence and step-by-
step thoroughness. This spells success.
Without an impelling desire and de-
termination to overcome all obstacles
and to master each detail to the point
of perfection, one might just as well
never begin. Don't trust to luck,
thinking that you will review this or
that "knotty" problem later on, for
you never will. Do it now. The chances
are that later ON you will run up
against problem requiring intelli-
gence on the very one you sighted,
and in despair you throw aside your
book with "Oh, I'll never learn that"
And you're right. You will not; not
by that method.
The beginner should provide him.
self with "Benn Pitman's Photographic
Manual" which can be purchased for
dollar from the Photographic In
stitute Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The "Phonographic Amanuensis,"
($1.OO) by the same publishers, teaches
the same system in different way.
For self-mastery the former is to be
recommended. The two should not be
used, as there will be much confusion
and consequent hardship which is un-
necessary and without profit to the
student. Supply yourself with paper,
preferably ruled, pen and ink. Never
use pencil. At least not until you
are a full-fedged stenographer, and
then never use anything but good
pencil. The reason for this is made
apparent in the manual of instruc-
tiOns.
Study each page and paragraph of
the manual thoroughly, sighting not a
word or mark. 1t must ever be borne in
mind that photography is system of
sound-writing; that words are written
as they sound, irrespective of spelling.
Take for example the word alphabet y
This would be written in shorthand
"alfabet" for the reason that this is the
sound of the word. Again, take the
word "tax." In shorthand characters
, the representation would be "taks," for
. this is the true sound. It may be nee.
essary to state that shorthand has nc
equivalent for the letters "x'' and sc"
The "x" is represented by its sound
"ks" and &c" by either "k" or "s" &C
cording to its sound. In the manua
above mentioned the student is first
given the consonants of the alphabet
which are to be mastered. These ART
divided into classes called 'explodents,'
'fricatives," ""liquids," ""nasals," ""coales
S cents" and "aspirates" for reasons
: stated clearly in the manual. The mex
step, and very important one, is tn
0 joining of the various strokes into tn
STtdt uuIuUOI VI COluUIudClOuo. luOI
0 are rules why certain signs or stroke
0 should always be Joined certain way
0 and more rules why other stroke
should never be joined in other ways
and all are important. In fact, ever
O step should be considered as the mos
O important, for in reality, they are al
!. equally important. There is an inter
- dependency that exists in no othe
= study I know of. Every detail is
g keystone, the leaving out of which pre-
, cipitates the whole structure into
, meaningless ruin. The vowel sign
~ for a, e, i, o, u and y are perhaps th
!, most difficult of all for the beginne
Thoroughly mastered and properly III
% derstood, however, they form littl
J. hinderance later on as they are by d.
,e grees discovered as the student az
" vances until finally they are omitte
,e altogether.
y, From the very beginning the studeI
should master every detail, continual
is asking himself why this stroke is mad
i'd so and the other one so and then fin
D. ] his answer by close observation an