'A War-Timer's Experience To the Editor of the "Nonmu-Ciima Dany News Stm—This is essentially written for the benefit of the foreign school~ girls of Shanghai, who attend good Secondary schools, and who feel that at the end of their education the dreams they have of their future will never materialize. From what I have gleaned from the columns of the "North China Daily News," these Jassies dream of becoming farmers, 'Secretaries, Nurses, Physical Culture, Instructors, and, in fact, anything and everything' except the ubiquitous stenographer.
Now kids, listen, because the writer re of the way in which Shanghai-born is brought Thave had it drummed into my i's ever since I have been out East of Suez, and I have been out quite Tong time, that It you do anything Other than loll about you "lose but what shall it profit a jin if she gain her" whole "face" and lose her own soul?
If you have very little money, the: obvious way of setting about things' is to bear your ambition in mind and work towards it, never letting!
out of your sight." For instance, say you wan: to" teach Domestic Sclence, Learn all you can at home about cooking, house-work, washing. up, making beds, cleaning floors, and) all' the jobs of a house or flat. "The Chinese "Boys" may object, but you ways consign them to a hot} suppose your choice is farming, Shanghai, you say, offers no facilities for such work. Think again. Can you saddle, bridle, feed and groom even a China pony cor rectly? Do. you Know anything! about cows, dairy work, the rearing! of calves? Probably not. Nevertheless, there are millions of ponies in Shanghai and plenty of cows on the outskirts. A little persuasion and a few ideas would go a long way, and your knowledge would be greatly, Increased, If you do not help yourselves in this world, nobody else will, but if you are determined find' out about a thing, there is nothing in this world or' the next that can stop you.
Suppose your choice: is Physical Culture. "Pay close attention to gym at school, swimming, erleke!, hockey, Girl Gulding, all books on the sub-Ject of hygiene, If necessary, work out a set of physical exercises for yourself and do them at home, or Out in the Park in the early morning, you should happen to be near one.
If you wish to be a Secretary, pay particular attention at School to Tanguages and English; also, History and Geography. Try to come out top in these subjects. You must also} earn shorthand, and the knowledge] of typing Is essential. For the price of about sixpence you can order a small, 3 book from Pitmans in England and teach yourselves, touch-typing. Sight typing is. slovenly and slow and no fit_method either an intelligent and eMeient Secretary or Stenographer to employ.
you are sufficiently intelligent to, be either a Secretary or a Stenoaropher, then you have the requisite Quantity of brains to master "vouch" Typing. Tt does not take long.
Frankly, stenography is no "fun", A very dead-and-alive job, but AE you are going to do it, you'ms fas well be an cient stenographer, as then you can earn enough money Jo save up and set about doing more congenial work. Stenography {iself, wil get you nowhere; but if you keep your ambition of 18 years age in front of you, and work towards it, then stenography may be the stepping stone to help you win your goal, and, as such, should not be despised.
food stenographer comprises the following: you should know your outlines so that they are almost automatic, Touch typing is essential. Sight typing is alright as long as one ig" not pushed for. time. When minutes count, then sight typing falls down every "time. You must be. Tamiliar with coding and decoding cablegrams. Filing is important dry as dust, but possibly the mos Important part of all the whole works. It" working for technical people, stich as Electrical Engineers, Who are busy and harassed mortals, get hold of their pamphlets and read lip the terms. Tf necessary, type out the pamphlets so og to become familiar with the subject—as far as this Is possible—and able to type out the rather weird terms which one confronted with at speed. The only terms worse than Electrical Engineer~ Ing, are Medical. You definitely do not learn all this in class. You must be willing to do quite a good deal of self education, So summing up: do not let go of your dreams.
Keep them in front of you, and in your spare time work towards them, even though for the time being you may have to do work. which is distasteful and entirely' unsuitable. It ig much nicer to have Jots of money to go ahead and do what you wish; but those who have ttle money, and yet in the end win, their goal, are the ones who have the finer character. Perhaps some Jot those in Shanghai who have much money to spare for cocktail parties and pony racing will help. you. I sincerely hope so.
Ail good luck, from a most sincere well wisher.
Kammrex M. Tavtos, Nanking, May 13.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.