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Creator
National Shorthand Reporters' Association
Call number
MssCol 2107
Physical description
7.1 linear feet (13 boxes)
Language
Materials in English
Preferred Citation

National Shorthand Reporters' Association records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library

Repository
Manuscripts and Archives Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The National Shorthand Reporters' Association (NSRA) was founded in 1899 to promote standards and education for shorthand reporters. Collection consists of correspondence, drafts of writings, and stenographic notes and minutes. Bulk of the collection is opinions of the Standardization Committee about Pitman shorthand. Some correspondence, 1909-1912, concerns the standardization movement; other correspondence, 1916-1935, is of A.R. Bailey, a court reporter. Also, drafts, 1932-1933, of shorthand phrase book based on the documents of the Standardization Committee; and stenographic notes and minutes, 1869-1929, of various court reporters.

Biographical/historical information

The National Shorthand Reporters Association (Stenographers) (N. S. R. A.) was founded in 1899; their objective is to promote excellence and education with regard to shorthand.

During the 1920's and 1930's, the N. S. R. A. published the Reporters Phrasebook of Standardized Shorthand (Pitmanic) (1934). This was an accumulation of opinions. and knowledge based on experience gathered by the Standardization Committee of the N. S. R. A. The original material along with several drafts of the monograph were donated to the N. Y. P. L. by John J. Healy.

Today, the N. S. R. A. is a national organization which covers independent state regional and local institutions. Membership is over 15,000 which represents verbatim shorthand reporters (using manual or machine method), who work as official reporters for courts and government agencies and as free lance reporters for independent contractors, retired reporters, teachers of shorthand reporting and school official (12,000) and student shorthand reporters (3,000).

The N. S. R. A. holds annual national speed contests. Committees: Approved Reporter Training; Certificates of Proficiency and Vocational Guidance; Public Relations; Student-Reporter Promotion and Vocational Guidance, Publications;

The National Shorthand Reporter (10 a year); Annual Proceedings; Membership (annual) and they also publish Professional Education Series and other guides and booklets. In 1970, the N. S. R. A. absorbed the Associated Stenotypists of America, A Convention is held annually.

Location: 118 Park Street., S. E. Vienna, VA 22180

Scope and arrangement

The collection, 1869-1937, mainly illustrates the continual changes of shorthand interpretations by shorthand reporters through letters, drafts and court notes.

The collection consists of opinions of the Standardization (NSRA) Movement regarding Pitman Shorthand (30 volumes). This section also includes correspondence, 1909-1912, concerned with the Standardization Movement. Other material within the collection is the correspondence, 1916-1935, of the court reporter A. R. Bailey. Drafts are THE REPORTERS PHRASE BOOK OF STANDARDIZED PITMANIC SHORTHAND (longhand drafts 1932-1933), based on the opinions and documents of the Standardization Committee. The collection also contains Robert S. Taylor's stenographic notes (1929), the court notes (1869-1870) of William Wesley Osgood by (recorded in Rochester, New York) and Spencer C. Rodgers stenographic minutes for the trial of the People vs. C. Samuel Barnes (1869). Barnes was tried for murder in Monticello, New York on May 27-28. The minutes are written in longhand.

The bulk of the collection is opinions of the Standardization Committee (NSRA), 1927-1937, regarding Pitmanic shorthand (23 volumes). Other correspondence, 1909-1912, in this section, concerns the Standardization Movement. Consult the two page index for a brief description.

Other letters are correspondence to and from the court reporter A. R. Bailey, 1916-1935. The drafts are The Reporters Phrase Book of Standardized Pitmanic Shorthand (longhand drafts 1932-1933), based on the opinion and documents of the Standardization Committee.

Stenographic notes and court notes of reporters are Robert S. Taylors' stenographic notes 1929; court notes, 1869-1870, by William Wesley Osgoodby, of trials. Osgoodbys' notes are in shorthand and were recorded in Rochester, New York, Another reporter represented is Spencer C. Rodgers, stenographic minutes for the trial of the "People vs. C. Samuel Barnes 1869". Barnes was tried for murder in Monticello, New York May 27-28. The minutes are written in longhand.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of John J. Healey.

Processing information

1/31/89

Related Material

The New York Public Library Archives. Director's Office Correspondence. National Shorthand Reporters Association 1935-1955.

Using the collection

Location

Manuscripts and Archives Division
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328