I recently obtained the November 1958 edition of The National Shorthand Reporter.
Most of the magazine is not very interesting but I found some fascinating (to me) classified ads on the final pages. Here we can see how an important collection of shorthand books was amassed, and there are a couple of ads indicating that some people may have earned a living by transcribing the shorthand notes of reporters who were no longer available to do so. Overall these ads show the importance that specialized magazines and newsletters had back in the pre-internet days.
BOOKS WANTED — Shorthand collector is desirous of obtaining by gift, purchase, or exchange any old shorthand material — books, periodicals, or shorthand advertising material. Prompt reply will be made to any offer. Please include full title, author, and at least approximate date. All systems wanted. Write Louis A. Leslie, 15 Butler Rd., Scarsdale, N.Y.
WANTED — Expert Shorthand Speed Course by Blanchard and Zoubek, Anniversary Edition. Also Teacher’s Handbook. Wm. Gregg, 4911 Cecilville Ave., LaCrescenta, Calif.
REPORTER — desires to transcribe Pitman notes of other reporters who may be deceased, can not be located, etc. Write C.P. Gehman, 414 Equitable Bldg., Denver, Colo.
REPORTER — Would like to transcribe Gregg notes of deceased reporters, or reporters unobtainable for their own transcription. Write Hugh H. West, Box 994, Anniston, Ala.
REPORTER — wishes to locate reporter friend William Dalton, now reporting in Florida. Please contact Chas. V. Lynch, 483 Columbia Rd., Suite 2, Dorchester 25, Mass.
What a great snapshot of history! And how interesting to see the very Louis A. Leslie posting an ad for shorthand– any kind. A definite collector!
another random bit: a Notehand TV course
On pages 14-17 of the book Your First Year of Teaching Shorthand and Transcription* by Marion M. Lamb there is a description and discussion of Gregg shorthand courses that were broadcast on educational TV stations in the United States.
According to TV broadcast schedules published in newspapers, station KRMA in Denver, Colorado also aired a Notehand course. In 1965 it was shown weeknights at 7:30pm. In 1971 it was transmitted weekdays at 5:30pm.
*The book is available on the Hathi Trust site; thanks to Teri for posting the link earlier.
**sources: the Lincoln [Nebraska] Sunday Journal and Star, 27 June 1965, and the Greely [Colorado] Daily Tribune, 17 August 1971
That is so cool! Oh, if we could only see those again! Wouldn't that be something?
It's a long shot but if any of those courses were filmed, the film *might* still exist in station archives or in somebody's closet or storage unit somewhere. If the courses were recorded on primitive late-sixties videotape they are less likely to still exist or to be viewable.
That would be such a wonderful find. I'd love to see it up on Archive.org… they archive stuff just like that.