The Stenographer’s Friend
The video is a silent film in black and white. The video shifts between screens of texts and video images. The text portions of the film are indicated by the headings that follow.
The Stenographer’s Friend or What was Accomplished by an Edison Phonograph
Thomas A. Edison. Works, Orange, N.J. Dealers Everywhere. Copyrighted 1910 Edison Mfg. Co. Patented (Re-Issue) Jan 12, 1904
Shorthand Troubles
A man and a woman sit at a desk covered with paper. They sift through the papers and point to the clock. It is just after 5. The woman puts her hands to her head and sighs The man stands up, takes off his suit coat, and begins dictating from a stack of papers. The woman writes in a notepad. A third man stops by the desk to make a request of the stenographer. The three gesticulate in frustration. The woman puts her hands to her head again and shakes her head.
“What shall we do?” After five and work not yet finished.
The clock now reads almost 5:20. The two men sit at their desks. The stenographer sits at a typewriter. A third man walks into the room to retrieve his coat. He taps the stenographer on the shoulder and points to the clock. She puts her hands in the air and returns to her typing. The man leaves.
The stenographer stands up from her desk, delivers stacks of papers to the two remaining men and takes her hat off the coat stand. As she is fastening her hat, one of the men comes up to her. She points to the clock. The other man comes up to her. Both men point to their stacks of papers. She begins to cry and wipes her eyes with a handkerchief. The two men console her. She leaves. The men shake their heads in frustration.
“Let Edison help you!”
At the office again. The two men sit at the same desk. A younger man in light suit and a straw hat walks in. He holds out his hand. One of the men gets up from the desk. The linings of his back pockets are turned out. He shakes the younger man’s hand.
The two office workers explain the situation to the younger man. He laughs and the other two men grab their hair in frustration. The younger man puts out his hands to silence the fuss. He pulls a pamphlet out of his pocket. The pamphlet’s cover reads, “The Edison Commercial System.” He turns the pamphlet over to show a photograph of Edison. The two men flick their hands in disbelief. The young man hits the table.
“The Ease of Voicewriting. Dictation at any speed: instant repetition: a practical correction system.”
The salesman and one of the office works stand in front of a dictation machine. The machine is a cylinder with several levers and a long speaking tube. It sits in a case. The salesman takes a recording cylinder and slips it onto the machine. He sets down the inscription needle. He asks the office worker to speak into the long tube. The office worker speaks and the cylinder spins. The salesman moves a lever to allow playback. The office worker smokes a cigar while he listens. He smiles broadly and gives the salesman a cigar, which the salesman puts in his pocket. The salesman continues to demonstrate the use of the machine.
Transcribing the Dictation. The pleasant task of doubling results.
The stenographer sits at her typewriter. The dictation machine sits beside her. She is wearing headphones. She pauses and turns towards the dictation machine, nods, and begins typing again. She gives the dictation machine an approving pat.
“Shaving” the Wax Cylinders after transcribing. The operation can be performed one hundred times on each cylinder.
An office worker slides the wax cylinder into the machine and waits for it to be “shaved.” The stenographer sits in the background typing away with her headphones in.
Not yet five. Correspondence “cleaned up” and everybody happy.
The office works chat happily. One of the men holds up an empty office tray. They all go to the coatrack to retrieve their things. The Edison salesman walks into the office. The office works all put their hands to their heads and bow to the salesman. He tips his hat and shakes everyone’s hands. Everyone leaves. The salesman takes a final look at the clock. It is just before 5.