Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Frank E. McGurrin of Salt Lake City, the official stenographer for the Federal Court there, developed independently from Longley the true touch typing method. Namely, he typed with ten fingers, and without looking at the keyboard. Any pioneer who suggested that typists need not look at the keys was jeered as a faker. -- Hisao Yamada: "A Historical Study of Typewriters and Typing Methods: from the Position of Planning Japanese Parallels", Journal of Information Processing, Vol.2, No.4 (February 1980), pp.175-202.

Mr. Frank Edward McGurrin was at the position of official stenographer of the Third District Court in Salt Lake City from 1886 to 1894 (cf. "The Court Stenographer", The Salt Lake Tribune, Vol.43, No.273 (January 23, 1894), p.5, l.2). He was at the Third District Court, and has never been at the Federal Court there. Surely Mr. McGurrin could operate his Remington No.2 blindfolded, using all the fingers. He was never jeered as a faker, but gained respect and admiration for his skill (cf. F. E. McGurrin: "Typewriting without Looking at the Keyboard", The Cosmopolitan Shorthander, Vol.9, Nos.11&12 (December 1888), pp.249-250).

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