The Phonogram, Vol. 2:3 (1892-03)

62 THE PHONOGRAM. Process No. 1. The stenographer writes out what he hears. • No. 2. The stenographer reads out his own shorthand notes to other stenographers. No. 8. This second corps of stenographers dictate their shorthand notes to typewriters, who take them down in printed English characters. Here, tiie dictation being in it . self a process, there • should be a separate enumeration for the typewriting, and we therefore place this under the head of Process No. 4. Typewriting of shorthand notes. Now, if we consider that two out of these four processes can be dispensed with, will not that be a saving of time and labor to the stenographers and a gain to employers? An expert stenographer, who for a long time was engaged in reporting Congress, Mr. E. D. Easton, now president of the Columbia Phonograph Co., of Washington, D. C , gives us the secret of getting through such work in half the time formerly used. He says, 41 Let the first stenographer dictate his own short- hand noies to a phonograph, and then the typewriter comes and takes them in printed form from that instrument.” In this way the employer saves the cost of two of the above- mentioned processes, ihe dictation to ste- nographers and the transcription in short- hand. Now, l»as not THE PllbNOGRAM fulfilled its promise of showing the stenographer how to abridge his labors? But we shall not content ourselves with this single demonstration of the correctness of our position in regard to the necessity of seeking aid from the phonograph. A popular writer in Pern in's Monthly Stenographer says that stenography is fallible ami the system has its weak points. In No. 2 of that periodical, for February, 1892, this contributor says: 4 * 1 f you begin wrong you cannot expect to come out right; * * * if you carelessly leave out of consideration one single item in the study of the first principles, you will find in the end, to your sorrow, that success is beyond your reach.** G^This admission is a potent argument in favor of the phonograph, for, if it takes a pupil from six months to two years to learn thoroughly the stenographic art, and if, on the other hand, all phonograph teachers will inform you that a week's lessons on this instrument and a few weeks’ further practice will make a good phonograph operator, then the advantage is on the side of the phono- graph. There are other reasons also going to prove that the phonograph is an aid to the reporter and copyist. •All stenographers know that the least variation in the shorthand signs or characters will in certain circumstances make serious trouble in the text; the fact is, the sign language is very imperfect. They also know that for this reason their report must be read or transcribed in many instances by them- selves to others. Therefore, in such exigen- cies the phonograph becomes a prerequisite. Mr. E. D. Easton, whose long services as stenographer and whose thorough familiarity with the phonograph give to his opinions on this question a clear value, has published in the last issue of The Phonogram eight strong reasons for recommending to typewriters and stenographers the use of the phonograph. These are as follows : No. 1. The typewriter can work alone. No. 2. Being independent, he or she can work at any hour of the day or night. No. 3. Working alone, he can choose the place most convenient for him to work in. No. 4. The operator governs the phono- graph and can work fast or slow, much or little, as suits him. No. 5. If the operatoi is a lady, she can work untroubled hv the presence of another person. No. ti. Writing from this instrument, the principal can dictate to a machine while the clerk is transcribing from another, and an im- portant saving of time and labor is made by reason of the stenographer's notes being un- necessary. In this connection we would likewise state what the experience of many persons has shown, that stenographic work is far more exhaustive than any other of its kind; re- port ers having been repeatedly known to faint away, on account of excessive fatigue. No. 7. Writing from machine dictation in- sensibly but certainly greatly increases the speed of a w.iter and gives him the best practice. No. 8. Few persons can afford to dictate directly to a typewriter operator, because this consumes much time and the results thus obtained do not justify the arrangement, but with a phonograph orgraphophone, thedicta- tion can be repeated indefinitely. No. 9. We add to this category a ninth which Mr. Hasten includes in his eighth. The