SHORTHAND

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXV, Issue 12306, 21 April 1937, Page 2

SHORTHAND

THREE NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES Three notable shorthand anniversaries occur this year, and no doubt references to them will be maria at the International Congress to be held in London in July. It is 50 years since Dr Gregs's s - vs " tern was introduced, 100 yea:s since Sir Isaac Pitman’s system came into use, and .‘l5O years since Timothy Bright’s shorthand was a new thing in Shakespeare’s England. Sir Isaac Pitman's Stenographic’ Sound-hand was published on November 15, 1 S 7, a little fourpennr hook destined to do much for the speeding up of business all round the world. His system was notable for the introduction of an improved and extended vowel scale, the principle of pairing consonants, and the use of light and dark strokes. Timothy Bright’s system was eedicated to Queen Elizabeth. Born h' the neighbourhood of Sheffield, Timothy; may lie regarded as the founder of modern shorthand, though his method was so clumsy (it was written in columns and looked like Chinese) that little progress was made with it, speed being acquired only at the result of more patience than most people could ever Mope to devote to it. Bright's shorthand was not the earliest. As far back as CO years before Christ, .Marcus Tullius Tiro 11 was reporting the speeches of his friend Cicero in shorthand; and an inscription on a block of marble hitlic Acropolis at Athens is said to prove that a system of shorthand was known to tile Creeks JOO years earlier.