Manchester High School - Somanhis Yearbook (Manchester, CT)

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28 SOMANHIS EVENTS tor, telephone, addressing machine, envelope scaler, writerpress, multigraph adding machine, and roller copier. The ideal stenographer can arrange a business letter attractively and cor- rectly, and address the envelopes. She is capable of making out and handling bills, invoices, statements, checks, drafts, and notes, as well as telegrams and cablegrams. The ability to do all these things is only the background of the ideal stenographer’s success. Appearance is the second essential. The ideal sten- vgrapher is dressed in a business-like manner. She wears neat, plain clothes which are not old-fashioned but are sensible. She wears very little jewelry because it does not look business-like. Her hair is neatly arranged and her nails are nicely manicured. She does not use cosmetics excessively, neither does she use chewing-gum while in the office. By her appearance she creates an atmosphere of neatness, cleanliness, and business. Character and personality are the last requirement. Within this topic are the qualities which are often overlooked because they are more subtle and not so evident at a glanee; nevertheless they are important and fill a promi- nent place in the make-up of the ideal stenographer. A winning personality is as much an asset in the business world as in the social world. For after all, we are all human with likes and dislikes when we meet people, whether in business or out. The ideal stenographer cultivates a pleasing personality—and personality can be cultivated by honest effort— by acting from the bottom of her heart, with sincerity and good-will toward all with whom she comes in contact. She looks pleasant and is pleasant, for she is always optimistic and cheerful. She is what she appears to be since personality is really a reflection of one’s mental and moral self. Her charact- er reveals itself in her manner. She has initiative. She assumes responsibility and has enough confidence in herself to do a thing when it should be done but not so much that she is reckless. It is said, “The next best thing t 0 doing a thing without being told is to do it when you have been told once.’ Someone has said also, “The world reserves its closest prizes for the man with initiative.” Both these say- ings apply to the ideal stenographer. She is not afraid of hard work and has ambition for anything which will better the firm for which she works. All her interests and attention are focused on her duty to her employer during business hours. She avoids all social discussions or gossip. She us- es neither slang nor sarcasm. She is courteous to all including her employer and associates. She respects greater age, higher position, and larger exper- ience. She is accommodating and keeps the friendship of her fellow workers by exercising the theory of the “Golden Rule.” H er connections with her employer are strictly confidential. The sten- eee learns many of the business secrets from the dictation of her employ- . but the ideal stenographer does not communicate these secrets, not even to the people within her own office without the proper permission to do so, She says nothing of the business affairs once she leaves the office except to one in authority, and then only upon request. “Thousands of dollars have been lost by the careless remark of some stenographer; but not of the ideal stenog- rapher, for she thinks before she speaks. Roosevelt has said, “Better faithful than famous.” The ideal stenographer is faithful and honest in all her work at the office. She keeps everything within her care neat and orderly. Her files are so well arranged that anyone at all familiar with the system can easily and quick- ly find a needed paper. Her maxim is “ a place for everything and everything in its place.” By keeping order she saves time, one of the most precious ele- ments of a business day. She also saves time, as well as stationery and en- ergy by doing a paper correctly the first time. After all, wasting or economy are habits and the ideal stenographer acquires the habit of economy. The ideal stenographer is prompt and punctual. She is always ready for work when she is needed. Finally she adapts herself to her environment and

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SOMANEHITS. EVE NES 27 - It has been said that the young people are the concrete expression of Hope. Why? What does Hope do for youth? In the first place Hope cre- ates energy for achievement. Thomas Edison’s childhood ambition was to be an inventor. He concentrated every faculty on this one idea. He worked sixteen hours at a stretch without taking time for food and recreation in or- der that he might realize some of his hopes. Hope of success sometimes is a guarantee of success. Florence Nightin- gale was possessed with the desire to become a nurse. Her parents flatly re- fused to allow her to become one. However, the young girl carried the hope in her heart, and went about caring for sick friends and sick animals, and em- bracing every opportunity to visit hospitals. Her parents, realizing that she was determined to become a nurse, finally consented. Florence Nightingale later founded the nursing profession, Hope will steady the nerves and strengthen the soul. Chatterton, that young English poet, lacked hopefulness. He could not sell his poetry. He became morbid and disheartened ; he committed suicide. He had lost all hope for the future. It has been said that had Chatterton lived, he might have be- come the greatest poet of his century. Hope overcomes all difficulties. No matter what disadvantages appear in the present, hope looks above and beyond them and sees only — possible success. Elihu Burritt was in his youth a blacksmith. His ambition, how- ever, was to study languages. He did study while working at the forge. He became a very noted interpreter and scholar. George Frederick Watts, an English painter, has pictured Hope and Youth very effectively. He paints Hope as a young blindfolded woman, seated on the globe. In her hand she holds a lyre with all the strings broken except one, the string of “Hope.” In the dim twilight her robe of pale green seems almost white, and the coloring and delicate outlines of the drapery in- vest the figure with a dream-like aspect. It is doubtful if there ever was a sadder person, one so near the brink of Despair. But leaning over her lyre she strives to get all the melody possible out of the one remaining string. As long as she has this string left, she can find her way to happiness and success. In the sky there shines a single star prophetic of brightness to come. In other words, if we let hope, tempered by reason, be our guide in Life we shall be more successful, and the world will be just a little brighter. Ethvle Lyttle ’24. THE IDEAL STENOGRAPHER Women are becoming more and more obvious in the business world. Nev- er was there a larger demand for stenographers but never was the standard for the ideal stenographer set higher. The ideal stenographer is master of many qualities. These qualities can be summed up under three main headings: ability, appearance, and character and personality. Ability is first because, of course, that is the first requirement of any em- plover of his employees. The ideal stenographer is able to write shorthand rapidly and transcribe her notes accurately. She can use every time and lab- or-saving device on the typewriter; thus she is able to write quickly and cor- rectly. A knowledge of these two subjects is the most important tool of her business career, but she also uses the less important tools of her profession. She has a thorough understanding of business English and knows when and where to use it. She is a good speller and is able to use the dictionary for those words with which she is unfamiliar. She is acquainted with the opera- tion of the most common office appliances, such as the mimeograph, duplica-

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SOMANHIS EVENTS 29 puts her best into everything she does. I think Anna Carson Lewis had the ideal stenographer in mind when she wrote: She bends above the flashing keys With thoughtful brow and look intent. Sometimes perchance her fancy sees The wondrous thing her work has meant ; That daily ceaseless round she keeps Of duties done so faithfully, As “neath her flying fingers leaps The very pulse of industry. No senseless cog within the whole, But at the heart of toil she stands And feels its throbbing mind and soul Quicken at impulse of her hands; ‘Vhrough distant climes her touch may guide Forces and lives she cannot know, A restless, formless, human tide, Bearing its treasures to and fro. Brave hands upon the swift machine, What mighty future fates the move! Faithful in little have they been And faithful in the great shall prove, For in her country’s vital hour, When nations bleed and heroes die, With heart to dare and hands of power, The woman answers, “Flere am [!” Elsie Lewis '24 KEEPING PEACE IN THE FAMILY T don’t know, but maybe our family is out of the ordinary. It seems so to me, for in every other home [ visit there always seems to me such perfect har- mony between all of the members. ‘There never seems to be any need of a peace-maker in any home but ours, and, you may believe me it’s mighty hard when you happen to be it! — Father and Mother always agree without outside persuasion, thanks be! And the family is all pretty well united when its grand- ma that’s the offender but at other times it’s just as easy to go on without an opinion as to find two who will agree on the same thing. Everyone did agree very readily to the idea of purchasing a radio, but there the unity ceased. Lloward wanted lectures on mechanics; Carrie want- ed vocal concerts; Father and Mother compromised on the stock reports and organ recitals (it was on a fifty-fifty basis); while [ for the sake of peace re- frained from expressing an opinion. The confusion continued for about a month, then [ happened to think of a wonderful idea. Now each night at a certain time we have one of cach of the desired numbers. Those interested are present and those disinterested wander off into secluded corners with their books until time for their particular preference to come on. Tf post the sched- ules. All went well until one day someone placed a wicker rocking chair in the radio room. Then things began to happen. Grandma, hard of hearing and slightly nervous, after wandering about the room for a lengthy period, seat- ed herself in the chair and began to rock. Now, even the best behaved wick- er rockers will squeak and one could never in the wide world make the mistake