DEVELOPMENT OF THE TYPEWRITER 369 



One of the advantages of the use of the typewriting 

 machine over hand labor has been demonstrated in an in- 

 teresting manner by an investigation by the United States 

 department of labor. In this instance the unit required 

 was the copying of 1,000 words of statute law; this was 

 accomplished by the typewriter in 19.5 minutes, or at the 

 rate of 51 words per minute, while a copyist with a pen 

 required 1 hour and 14.8 minutes, or about four times as long. 

 The quantity of work done by the typewriter depends to a 

 great extent upon the skill of the operator, but it is true also 

 that the proficienc}^ of the copyist enters largely into the 

 quantit}" of work performed by him. However, it is possible 

 to determine an average, and the figures given may be ac- 

 cepted as a fair and reasonable comparison of the two methods. 



The rise of the typewriter has been most remarkable. 

 Looked upon at first as rather an article of amusement than 

 one of any practical value, it has received, within the past 

 quarter of a century, the unqualified approval of the com- 

 mercial and professional worlds ; it has been given the sanction 

 of statute by almost every state and national legislature, and 

 adopted by every civilized government in the world, thousands 

 of the machines being used by the United States government. 

 It promises soon to become, if it is not already such, the uni- 

 versal ^vriting machine. During the past twenty-five years hun- 

 dreds of patents have been granted for improved attachments, 

 and new styles of typewriters. Many of these have proved 

 useful, and there are to-day several different t5^es of the ma- 

 chine on the market, all of which are doing excellent work. 



An aspect to be considered in connection with the type- 

 writer is its industrial effect. Not only has the steadily in- 

 creasing demand opened a new field for skilled labor in the 

 manufacture, but the effort to secure the best possible results 

 from the use of the machine has created a new profession. Not 

 long after the machine was introduced, the need of skilled op- 

 eratives became apparent. The result of this has been the 

 giving of employment to thousands of persons. Business col- 

 leges and private schools have introduced courses which train 

 students to become expert operatives, and, in many cities, 

 similar courses have been introduced in the public schools. 



Vol. 7-34 



