The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-01-19


NsAIVAyM what stenographers are, of
SSM INM course-fluffy, rat-h a 1 r d,
ASEH goo-goo-eyed creatures, who
%s1W monotonously click their
typewriters when no stran-
gers are In the office and at other
times use their eyes to but advan-
tage, or at least try to hear every.
thing that is going ON. That is the
Idea OF fiction writer's of what stem
ographer is, and it seems to have
become pretty generally the idea.
But there are stenographers and
stenographers, and maybe it would
surprise you If somebody should tell
you what lot of great men began in
exactly that position. To refer to two
who have been considerably in the
public eye Of late, take Cortelyou and
Loeb, the former now the head Of the
Consolidated Gas company of New
York. one of the biggest corporations
tn the country, and the latter the col
lector Of the port Of New York, the
biggest job in the customs service.
Both Of them were stenographers and
earned their living through it. and
they got their start through the same
means.
Indeed, there is probably no occu.
patton on earth that offers to the
young man so many opportunities for
advancement in SO many lines as ste
biography The stenographer is the
father confessor of the man he works
f0N. ho 1icfo RI b0
nings of his employer, who is a pro-
lessor or business man or lawyer
or g politician. and writes all his
letters and knows all about every
thing he is doing. If he is wise
stenographer and becomes personally
intimate with his employer, as the
very nature of his job is sure to make
him, he has access to every opportu-
nifty that his employer has; for every
thing of consequence in this world Of
activity at some stage or all stages
has letters written about it-and the
stenographer takes down these let
ters. And. of course, knowing that
the amanuensis knows all about 1t,
isn't it the most natural thing in the
world for that employer to give his
favorite assistant direct opportu-
nifty to get in on things in an honor
able way-perhaps, in time, to be-
come business partner. even?
Taken generally, private secre-
tary begins as stenographer; for it Is
BY the showing of proficiency and dis
ereetness as stenographer that the
promotion comes. Every big business
man has a private secretary; hence,
| when your boy takes up stenography,
avery big business man in the coun-
Try Is potentially his future boss.
Therefore, 1t follows that your boy
has made start that may land him
anywhere he chooses to 60. provided
he attends to business.
The getting of Job as stenograph-
or 1s not at all difficult. OF course,
your boy must have first learned to
be a stenographer, which requires
about six months of study and prac-
| tise. Many of the public schools have
added stenography and typewriting to
their curriculums; practically all the
Y. M. G. AS have course that is
free to members; the country Is filled
with business colleges and special in.
structors, who. for $25 to 500, accord.
ing to the particular "classiness" OF
the promoters, give courses in ste.
biography and typewriting. But II
! through some strange circumstances
your boy is unable to avail himself OF
| any of these opportunities, he can
buy textbook on stenography for 81
or less, rent typewriting machine
for So to IS a month. and learn it all
himself There is no business the
| rudiments of which can be acquired
| 30 easily. Most typewriting machine
! agencies maintain employment asen.
cies. open to thoselwho use their ma.
chimes. The educational requirements
| Of stenographer are practically
nothing except the common school
sort, with special attention to gram
mar and punctuation.
There is great bugaboo about the
speed requirements of stenographer
and typewriter The aspirant's first
job will undoubtedly be with some
business man who will ask only that
his letter writer shall be able to take
down what he says, read it back to
him when he gets stuck and wants to
make correction, and after awhile
oring in the transcription neatly type
written. Most business men, espe-
cially when debating. speak very
slowly; so that your boys speed of
a minute, which he can easily do after
his six months study, Is amply, as is
| his ability to typewrite forty to fifty
| " ords q minute.
| II in small city the beginnar will