The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-14

uay evening at the High ScnOOl Duild-
ing by the new board, which was Or
lganized last Friday night. The diff
Guilty was over the recent change
made by the old board In the adop-
ton Of the Ben Pittman system Of
shorthand for use in the hign school
In preference to the Gregg system,
which has been in use In the school
for the past Ave years, the change
being made at the request of Prof. C.
NJ. Beckett, principal of the CONNER
Iclal department OF the Marion High
School.
Mr.. Il. ID. Grim, of the Marion
Business College was present, with
Mr.. Raymond p. Kelly, who is known
as an expert Gregg shorthand writer
and who in fact holds the worlds
record for rapid work in stenography.
Professor Beckett of the High school
was also present in defense of his
request that the change be made.
with the exception or Member George
b. Christian Jr., all the board men,
bers were present.
After the regular business of the
board was considered and the various
reports received, Mr.. Kelly was in
troduced, and in speaking to the
board stated that the Gregg system
was by far superior to all others
that 1t was the newest and best sys-
tenn In the world, and that It was
much more simple than the various
other systems. He named a num-
Der OF those cities in which the
Gregg system was adopted after the
Pittman system had been experiment.
ed with and found failure. Mr..
Kelly urged that II the board de-
sired to have the work of stenop-
raphy In the schools largely for the
purpose of holding the male pupjls
IN the schools, for which Member
Dickerson had stated that II was
adopted, then 1t behooved the board
20 adopt the simplest system rather
tnan what is acknowledged to be a
aiflicult system. Mr.. Kelly produced
letters which Prof. Beckett had
mailed to Mr.. e. G. Gregg in which
nc had stated that the Gregg system
was highly satisfactory.
Mr. Beckett was asked at this noint
10 explain this action and make clear
10 the board why he had acknowI.
edged the Gregg system as superior
IN his letters and arterward recon-
mended the Pittman system to the
board
| PROF. Beckett stated that he had
round the Gregg very good system
giving entire satisfaction, but after
careful study of the matter for the
past five years, he was inclined TO
believe that III one and. a half years
were to be given to the study the
Gregg Should be adopted, but If two
years were to be given to Il them
IT would be far wiser to use the Pitt
man, as 1t was, in his estimation at
least, superior system. Mr.. Beck
ett, handed the board members lists
of those who entertained the same
belief and also lists of those cities in
which the Pittman system was used
In preference to the Gregg.
| AL this point Clerk Hill asked II
the literature which he was handing
Iout was not the same as was being
distributed by the Marion school of
Commerce. Mr.. Hill was inclined to
think that the lists were similar or
Identical with those of the business
college. Mr.. Beckett was somewhat
embarrassed by the reflection upon
MIN and firmly stated that he had no
interests in the Marion School of
Commerce and that he had only the
IDest interests of the Marion High
iSchool at heart when he made the
request that the change be made.
Mr.. Kelly Interrupted by securing
.he paper of Mr.. Beckett and cross
ing Out a number OF those schools
which since the date of the lists
nave changed to the use of the Grepo
system OF shorthand, whcreupon the
,discussion became so heated that n
was necessary to quiet the excIted
speakers and once more restore order
IN the meeting.
rroiessor Beckett left the room and
secured magazine in which was a
record OF the Worlds International
contest Tor speed in shorthand writ
ing Ihe record showed that the
asaac Pittman system had won the
gold medal and thar the rrsau sao
"rr,ers ranked lowest In the contest
me Gregg representative at tb,s
n'i polnt asked the board il the Isaac c
altman a,s ma, surpassed all Others. = WV
na iney not adopt 1t rather than ~ ~
nen r1ttman system. He alao ex. M
plained that the low standIng ., GA. a.
dregg was owing to the fact tbat the M
writer In the contest was yerv vonma a
ana feeble and was moreover nncnI
lured He had gone into the race
on m ms own responsibility and was NOT
retained by the Gregg proprietors
Member Jacoby thought at this
point mat the oratory was exceedIna
It's proper limits and moved that the
Gregg system be readopted In nIace