PREFACE In recent years particular attention has been given to improving the language, style, and composition of business letters. The type of letter which is composed largely of stock phrases is gradually disappearing, and in its stead much of modern business letter-writing is characterized by distinct literary quality and merit. Indeed we now have what may be termed the "literature of business." The object of this text is to supply a dictation course in business literature that will not only develop shorthand speed, but will also give the student a training that will enable him to use the language effectively for general purposes. The materials of the text have been used effectively during the past seven years in the shorthand classes of two modern city high schools, in one of the largest private commercial schools, and also in a privately endowed industrial school. The course is contained in two volumes, Book One and Book Two, each book containing two sections designated as Section One and Section Two. Book One is intended for elementary and intermediate dictation classes. Book Two is intended for advanced dictation classes. BOOK ONE Section One contains one hundred letters and twenty selected articles that are well adapted in style and language for dictation to beginning students. The letters are general and simple in their character, so graded as to secure a harmonious development of the mental processes employed in applying shorthand principles and the manual act of writing connected matter. Section One is intended to provide practice for beginning dictation classes for one semester (usually the second) in high school shorthand courses, and for the beginning dictation classes of commercial schools. Section Two consists of two hundred and fifty letters and fifty articles which are likewise carefully graded. These letters were selected to provide a general dictation course such as should precede a later study and practice of classified correspondence relating to technical subjects. The material of this section will be found ample to provide for the needs of dictation classes in their second semester in dictation work, and for the intermediate dictation classes of commercial schools. It will be seen that the letters and articles in both sections relate to a great variety of subjects. Selections have been made from the correspondence and house organs of some of the foremost concerns engaged in commerce and industry, |