TYPEWRITING DEPARTMENT.

This department will be devoted entirely to typewritists, typewriting and typewriters. The operator of any typewriter, be it a Fitch, a Crandall, a Hammond, a Caligraph, a Remington, a Smith Premier, a Yost, a World, a Merritt, or any other, will here find a place of inquiry and information.

T

EARNEST WORDS TO TYPEWRITISTS.

HIS is a subject to which too little attention is paid by operators in

general, though in a majority of office positions it is, in reality, a more important feature than stenographic speed. In estimating the true worth of an amanuensis the merits of her transcripts are the usual consideration, granting, of course, she is able to take her notes at the dictator's rate of speech, which, as a rule, will not exceed 100 words a minute. What, though she may be able to take, with perfect ease, 150 words a minute, if her transcript contains misspelled words, is poorly punctu ated and bears an untidy appearance throughout? If these faults are the result of a meager education then certainly the young lady got into the wrong pew when selecting a profession; if the result of listlessness on her part then the more shame that she should commit errors which call forth unjust criticism upon typewritists as a class. It is an adage worthy of acceptation that "Whatever is werth doing at all is worth doing well," and while this is accepted and practiced by some it is wholly forgotten and overlooked by too many. It occurs to me if a little of the Civil Service system in use by the United States were practiced in the selection of stenographers and typewritists, the standard would be materially raised and the untidy operator would be forced to the background by others who had the pride and ambition to perfect themselves in the art.

Who, when sick, would think of employing any but the best medical aid to insure speedy recovery? Who would enter an important law-suit without having secured the best council at his command? Think of the printing house employing a compositor whose work was as full of errors as that so often coming from the hands of some typewriter operators! Think of the artist employing assistants who were mere daubers, whose work would not bear inspection! If such arts and sciences demand that the operators shall be good and proficient why should not the art of typewriting be entitled to the same rights, and exercise the same precaution? If proficiency and not salary were considered by employers better results

would follow to all concerned.

ucation in business letter-writing. If students were given at least twentyMost of our colleges lack the one important feature of a practical ed

five letters every day to be transcribed and passed in, the same as in actual office work, there would be fewer mistakes in spelling, grammar and Eng. lish generally when they did assume positions, and they would find that they could take dictation with much more ease and assurance.

There is a general tendency among pupils struggling with the art of shorthand to neglect the typewriting feature, reasoning that typewriting is something anybody can learn, there being really nothing about it to acquire but speed, which will come with practice, but this is an error which should be speedily remedied.

Too few of us realize the importance of a perfect transcript, and I mean perfect in every sense of the word, not only an exact reproduction of the words of the dictator, but punctuated in such a way as to express the original meaning. To do this the operator must think occasionally. Sometimes the mere misuse of a comma will ruin a thought and completely change the sense.

Another prevalent fault is that of striking punctuation marks with as much force as other characters on the key-board. spoil the appearance of otherwise perfect work.

This fault alone will With some the fault is

an uneven touch, causing some letters to appear light, others heavy. If there are any peculiarities about the machine the operator should acquaint herself with them and, if necessary, temper her touch accordingly. On the "Remington No. 2" a careless use of the shift-key sometimes makes deplorable work.

The care of a machine enters largely into the appearance of the work; one can scarcely hope to turn out neat work from a machine which is cleaned and oiled only semi-annually. A good scrubbing once a day will not prove detrimental to any machine and will add materially to the operator's speed.

There is also an art in erasing not possessed by all, as I have seen some erasures, made by so-called typewritists, which looked as though they might have been accomplished with a muddy hoe. There certainly is no excuse for this, or that a sheet should bear evidence of having been handled by dirty fingers, or type so blurred that one vowel cannot be told from another. Accuracy should be cultivated from the start so as to save the time consumed in erasing and add to the looks of the work, but if found necessary to erase anything let it be done neatly.

Syllabication is another branch of the business which cannot have too much attention. It is sometimes trying to the best of us to decide as to the proper division of a word when the space is limited at the end of a line, it being desirable, of course, to have the lines end as uniformly as possible throughout the page.

Don't be one of the number guilty of passing this careless, dauby work with the remark "Oh! let him correct it with a pen," or "It

looks as good as the man it's going to." Doubtless in some cases this latter remark is true, but do have too much regard for other members of the profession (if not pride in yourself or your dictator, who has to attach his name to this miserable "daub") to let such work pass your fingers. reputation for neatness is not absolutely essential to your livelihood remember it is to some of us, and, if you are not now, or do not intend to make yourself, one of those whose work will raise the standard, in the name of Charity vacate and let us strike the average with one less as a divisor.

If a

Remedies for most of the evils to which the typewritist seems to fall heir are very ably discussed in the "Business Woman's Journal" by Mary F. Seymour, one of the most successful business women in the United States, and if her advice and suggestions were followed literally there would no doubt be a marked improvement in the work of the indifferent. Chicago. NELLIE F. SARGENT.

RELIEF FOR THE LITTLE FINGER.

The Jayne speed attachment is coming into such general use that a few words in relation to it may be of benefit to the readers of THE NATIONAL STENOGRAPHER.

The attachment takes the place of the shift key upon the Remington, and is arranged with a lever upon each side so that the apparatus may shift with either hand. So little pressure is required to depress either lever that the little finger on each hand can be used with ease.

For a while it may be as well to use the left hand lever only, in the same manner as the old shift key.

To depress the lever all that is necessary is to let the little finger rest upon it and by simply twisting the wrist, or rolling the hand, with a quick movement, depress it.

As soon as you get this quick action you must not forget that the return motion is just as quick as the downward, and strike the letter correspondingly quick, or your capital will be below the line, or a small letter where you intended to make the capital.

It is well to get the action by counting "one, two" (or un-to as the movement becomes more rapid), using "one" or "un-" for the movement of the hand on the attachment and "two" or "to" for the stroke of the finger on the letter. When you touch one of the levers quickly it goes down and comes back as if its whole end and aim was to cover the territory in the shortest possible time, and the finger operating the key must be taught to understand this and "get there," not with a jerky, nervous jump at the key, but with rythmtical precision and perfect ease. In this way you cultivate an easy, positive and perfect movement that

will tell when you are

"rushed," or when the minutes have run into hours and you are "not through yet."

As soon then as you have a little time to devote to it, use both hands, (operating the levers with the little fingers) using the right hand lever for capitals on the left, and left hand lever for capitals on the right, holding the hands in position over the keyboard, and write from dictation, or from memory, or from your own thoughts, beginning each word with a capital, and you will not only soon be able to operate the "speed attachment" correctly, but you will have mastered the most approved method of fingering and above all you will know more about where the letters are, and can strike them with more ease and precision than by any other method I have ever tried.

In law work, commencing sentence with "Q" or "A," you simply put down the right hand lever, strike the Q or A, and, still holding it thus, strike the period with the third finger of the right hand, and then strike the capital commencing the sentence, release the lever and go on with your work.

When a paragraph ends and you shift for the period, with this attachment it is not necessary to release the lever when you throw the carriage back to start on the next paragraph--simply hold it down, throw the carriage back, strike the capital beginning the next paragraph and release the lever.

There are many other suggestions that could be made, in this connection, but the operator who is on the lookout for expedients will undoubtedly need no further pointers.

The general features are, ease and speed, to which may be added, accuracy, and it is certainly winning golden opinions from all users. Chicago.

GEO. H. WILLIAMS.

COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.

If your typewriter, fountain pen, or any other instrument you use, does not work as it should, this Department will aid you. Send in your complaint, and, if the difficulty be one which we cannot at once adjust, we will forward copy of your letter to the manufacturers and print their reply.

T. H. B.-(1)--A fountain pen, of whatever make, should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a week. (2)--Fill your pen every morning before going to court, and you will have no difficulty with a too free flowing of the ink.

F. M. L.-(1)—Clean the back rod. (2) --Throw carriage up, pour a little benzine on each side of carriage where the shifting mechanism is, and throw the roller back and forth quickly a number of times. This will clear the dust all out. Then put a drop of oil on the bearing of each of the little wheels on either side.

T. L. J.---You strike the lower case key before the upper case has fully returned. See instructions on this point in "Relief for the Little Finger" in this issue.