The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-05-11
F [ A s H | | G H I s
BY BEAU ESPRITA

The present decade is one rich in literary an
nversares. Overshadowing all others is, of course
the Shakespeare r-centenary this year, but another
which should not be, and from what one reads in
the periodical press is to be, overlooked IS the
anniversary of the birth of the Bronte sisters One
hundred years ago last month Charlotte Bronte was
born. England produced many writer's of eminence
at about that time, but worthy of endur-
ing fame than this minister's daughter Most
of us have read Jane Eyre'' not so many of us
have read Miss Bronte's better works, "Villette"
and Shirley" There is curious parallel in this
respect between Charlotte Bronte and our own
Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose Uncle Toms Cabin
is universally known, while her greater novel;
"Dred," is comparatively little read.
For those of the Mirrors readers who would
like to become better acquainted with Charlotte
Bronte we would recommend the reading of vii
ette." which may be had from the library.
series of illustrated talks on shorthand given
at recent Chautauqua Circle meetings, cleared up
several points about this trade upon which the
writer has been at doubt for long time. While
the lecturer concerned himself with the Graham
system of shorthand only, many of his remarks are
equally applicable to any system. One point on
which he laid stress the use of word signs and
sign words. We have often heard it said, and have
frequently read in advertisements, that this that
system did not depend upon the use of word signs
do certain others. This is true as far as it goes
and 1t is just as true of one system as of another
No shorthand system DEPENDS word signs.
All systems have some form of alphabet with which
all words be written. But the stenographer
who would acquire speed, with any system,
learn great number of brief signs for words of
frequent occurrence. These signs may be arbitrary
that is, having relation to the sound spelling
of the word but simply standing for it in the writ
er's mind; or they may be conractions of the phon-
etc or photographic spelling of the word. In either
case, the stenograpber must memorize the signs
thoroughly. 50 that they come to mind at sound of
the word, and then by practice master the writ
ing of the signs that there is delay in executing
them. And the more of these word signs or sign
words stenographer has at his command the faster
he write, regardless of the system he may be
using. The speediest shorthand writer's are those
who have memorzed brief signs for all of the words
in their vocabularies and need to spell out only
such words unfamiliar to them.
One of the pupils in the shorthand class in the
Prison Night School recently wrote 1913 words a
minute using the Gregg system, after a seasons
study. The text used in this test contained only
words with which the student familiar and for
which he had learned brief word signs Another
student, using different system, made almost
equally good record under the same conditions. But
when the text contained a large percentage of
familiar words the record in each dropped down
to between 80 and 100 words per minute-a very
good record too. considering the length of time the
pupils have been studying. The point is, that it is
the abbreviated arbitrary signs in any system of
shorthand that make for speed