The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's WorkPenny, Virginia
General
The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work
Penny, Virginia
Women -- Employment
=25. Reporters.= This is rather a new arena for the exercise of female
talent. A reporter must be a close observer of matters and things in
general that pertain to individual or public affairs. A verbal or
written account is furnished to the publication in which the reporter is
interested. A reporter attends public assemblies of any kind, and writes
down or stenographizes the proceedings of said assembly. In a city,
places of amusement, lectures, political and church meetings, form
subjects of interest to a newspaper reporter. Noting the proceedings of
legislative and other legal assemblies forms the most regular and
reliable employment. In London, there are seven publications that employ
from ten to eighteen reporters each, during the meetings of Parliament.
Two from each paper are always in attendance--one in the gallery of the
House of Lords, and another in the gallery of the House of Commons. A
reporter seldom remains more than two or three hours. His place is taken
by another, while he writes out his notes and prepares them for the
press. The reporters are well remunerated, and give very faithful
reports. In the United States, the subscription price of even the very
best papers, and their comparatively limited circulation, will not
justify so great an expense for the reporter's department. Yet most good
papers have one or two reporters. Not long since, a lady stenographer
received $1,000 damages from a railroad company, for an accident that
occurred on the car, which unfitted her for her calling, as it deprived
her of the forefinger on her right hand. A lady reporter, in Boston,
writes me: "The art of reporting needs constant drilling, like music,
dancing, &c. Few women have the education and nerve for professional
reporting." A lady teacher of phonography writes: "A person of common
capacity could learn phonography in from four to six months, studying
three hours per day; but to practise for reporting is quite another
thing: that depends upon the unremitting industry of a person. I know of
but two ladies whose business is reporting. It is hard work, but pays
well." This lady also states that her terms of tuition are seventy-five
cents per lesson of one hour. "Phonographers generally receive from ten
to twenty dollars an hour; and it takes about five or six hours to write
out what may be spoken in an hour, if done by one person. With an
amanuensis, it takes about four hours of writing to one of speaking."
Several ladies are acting in Ohio and Michigan as phonographic
reporters. Mr. James T. Brady, in a public speech in New York, said:
"Without disparagement to his friends who were here engaged in catching
the extemporized words of the speaker, he really would be happy to see
the day when women, who had the capacity, should be engaged in making
reports." "Among the American Indians, the women, being present at
councils, preserve in their memories the report of what passes, and
repeat it to their children.
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