Different versions of Simplfied Manual?

On the website http://heartkindling.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/a-curious-find-gregg-shorthand-manual/, there is a picture of pages 22 and 23 of the Simplified Manual, Second Edition.

Page 22 has 14 practice sentences, but my copy has 13.

Page 23, paragraph 26 is ‘Phrases’, in my copy paragraph 26 is ‘Reading Practice’.

What’s going on here?


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    1. As far as I know, Simplified was the last series that was published in the UK. However, there's a third edition of the Simplified manual for sale in the UK which is a hybrid between Simplified and DJS with respect to the principles — some of the Simplified principles were dropped and others from DJS were taken. The problem that I have with that hybrid version is the penmanship of the plate writer, which is not very artistic as in the other manuals.

      There is an Australian version of the DJS manual, in two volumes. It is basically identical in content as the second edition of the two-volume set of the college version of the manuals. The differences are very minor, mostly with respect to geographical locations and the business letter closings.

    2. I will make a separate post about the features of that version.

      I checked with Amazon and they don't seem to have it — they list some books but I don't trust their listing because the book is a paperback and they say they have it in hardcover from US vendors (which to me means it is not the correct book). Abebooks has two copies, but you'll be paying more for shipping than for the book. I have a scan of the book that I can make available to you if you want to check it out — just let me know. I haven't posted it because of copyright.

  1. Well, that's a fascinating bit of information about the British hybrid Simplified/DJS edition! I wonder what the decision making was behind that, and how it made it through the editorial process.

    I've also just become aware that there was a "programmed" edition of the Diamond Jubilee series . . . anyone have any information about it?

    1. The third Simplified edition came in 1990. From its preface: "The present edition, adapted to suit Irish and United Kingdom conditions and requirements, retains the popular innovations introduced in the Simplified Manual and also incorporates
      many of the changes in the Gregg Shorthand, Diamond Jubilee Series and in Gregg Shorthand Series 90." Its author was Gerard O'Kennedy. It was published by McGraw-Hill in the UK, but I don't know who edited it. The acknowledgment reads "I should like to thank the members of the staff of both second and third level
      schools and colleges for their useful suggestions before and during the preparation of the book, and in particular l owe a special word of thanks to Mr. Sean og Sheehey, School of Business Studies, Regional Technical College, Tralee, County Kerry for the great and continuing interest he took in the book and the help he gave." So it is likely that the author himself edited the book in collaboration with Mr. Sheehey.

      As you mentioned, there was a programmed edition of DJS. Its full title was "Programmed Gregg Shorthand, Experimental Edition." (Programmed practice was in vogue in the late 60s/70s, so GS couldn't be left out!) The manual was published in 1969 — I have a copy of it and it is a big fat book! As with the Third Edition of the Simplified Manual, it is one of those few Gregg Shorthand books after Gregg's death that do not have the names Leslie or Zoubek in it: its authors are Russell Hosler, Arnold Condon, Robert Grubbs, and Harry Huffman. Since it is a programmed book, it is intended for independent progress. The theory and written practice are combined. It has a total of 48 lessons (40 theory and 8 review), with every sixth lesson serving as a review. This is similar to the regular manual, with the theory presented in 40 lessons and each sixth lesson for review. They recommend to spend about 1-2 hours in each lesson. The book ended with 10 supplementary dictation exercises. A set of tapes was available for the 8 review lessons and the supplementary exercises. Also, there was a separate booklet with tests for each lesson. Each test consisted of writing 25 words according to principle. If the student failed more than 5 words, the lesson needed to be repeated and the test taken a second time. The idea was to write 25 outlines with less than 5 errors. Studying with the Programmed DJS manual was equivalent to one semester of shorthand instruction, at the end of which the student could continue to a regular dictation class, or develop their dictation skill individually using the Gregg Speed Tape Development Library. The book was designed to be used at all levels (high school, college, vocational schools, etc.) The shorthand was written by Charles Rader.

      I hope this helps.

  2. Great information! Thanks for taking the time to put that together. It's fascinating to me that these new "unknown" facts about Gregg shorthand keep turning up. It was really an immense publishing effort through the years.

    Was there only one book published for the programmed edition? I actually remember that era. I think one year in high school we used a programmed book for Algebra. The one thing the theorists forgot to consider was how deadly boring the approach is.

    And I still can't get over a hybrid Simplified/DJS book . . .

  3. I have got myself a copy of the the second edition of the UK version of the Gregg Shorthand Manual Simplified (Gregg, Leslie, Zoubek, Crockett), copyright 1960/1978, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd.

    The Manual was very regularly reprinted until 1989: 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989.

    It seems that the introduction of DJS and subsequent series had no impact in the UK until O'Kennedy's third edition in 1990.

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