The Washington herald., 1915-05-01
GETTING A START.
BY NATHANIEL G.. FOWLER. .
Spelling.
Copyright. 1915.


Ninety-nine and nine-tcnths per cent of
| business and professional men. including
| educators and others who have earned. or
who have received. academic and hon
"rary degrees, have never attained pro-
| ficicnCy in the art Of spelling.
More than half of the stcnoEra piers.
who are supposed to he well trained in
this line. make frequent. or at least occa-
siona. mistakes in spelling
! will admit that good spoilers arc as
| likely to be born as to be developed and
that the ability to spell correctly Is a
! difficult thing for some of us TO acquire.
Nevertheless. any one of ordinary intelli-
gcncc can learn to spell. or he can form
the habit Of consulting the dictionary for
every word about which he is in doubt.
AS an employe, especially If you are a
stcnogra phcr, do not take chances with
your memory in the spelling of your
words. Unless you are absolutely sure.
look them up. The unabridged dictionary
is an essential. but a smaller dictionary.
even a pocket edition OF one, Is handy
to have on the desk. A miSSpelled letter
shows either indifference or carclessness,
and makes a very bad impression on the
recipient.
Further. as stenographer. you should
learn the meaning of words. that you
may always use them in a manner which
expressed. Your employer occasionally
will dictate the wrong word or one which
does not carry his intended meaning. 1t
is your duty to correct this. You cam
not however. do this. unless you are
familiar with words and with their deiini-
tons I am not referring to technical
terms. which must be learned by them
selves but to common. everyday words.
such as are used In conversation and in
correspondence
The stenogra pher who is a good speller
has an asset which may result in in
crease of salary.
Another thing. BE careful about your
rlurals. Many stenographer is de-
fiCicnt in this direction and his or her
mistakes are sometimes ludiCrous.
4 word about grammar. Comparatively
few men are perfect in this respect. and
many an educated professor leaves his
grammar at home when he attempts to
write a letter or a manuscript. Unless
you understand the fundamental princi-
pies of grammar. YOU are incompetent to
take di~tation. 1t is Almost impossible
for even the best educated man always
TO dictate dramatically. He is in hurry
and he does not give to his method OF
expression the attention which it de-
serves. 1t is for you to correct his mis-
takes.
Beware especially of such expressions
as 1T don't. He do1't." She don't.
which are very common errors. should
and would are often improperly used.
as well as "shall' and will"
Consult a teacher of English, or other
grammarian. and ask him to recommend
a good book on grammar and rhetoric.
Then study it carefully. putting the prin-
ciples which 1t sets forth into everyday
practice.
Do not fall into the common habit of
thinking as our educators and other men
Of learning often do. that carelessness
stands for intellectually. 1t doesn't
Great men who are careless are great In
spite of their failings.
II you don't know how to spell. learn
how right away. Don't begin tomorrow;
begin today.
II you are not sure Of the principles OF
grammar, don't persuade yourself that
you know enough to get by" Learn all
there is to know on the subject. or try to.
The more you perfect yourself. the more
satisfactory you will be to your employer,
and the more satisfactory your pay en-
velope will be to you.