This Coronet instructional film titled “The Secretary Transcribing Second Edition” dating to 1966 was made in collaboration with James R. Meehan, Ed.D., the Dean of Administration at the Hunter College of the City University of New York. It was most likely presented to students who were undergoing lessons or preparing for office positions. The narrator of the film announces he will go over basic skills of transcribing someone who is training to be a secretary. The film follows two secretaries through their routines.
The film opens with a secretary typing on an IBM Typewriter (0:41). Then, the secretary Joan Carol is shown taking notes to copy down in shorthand, the narrator says that we will follow her throughout the steps of this assignment (1:16). The film shows how the secretary organizes her notes (1:25). The film shows Joan following the number 2 on the letter and matching it with the letter she is answering, also marked 2 (1:55). The film shows Joan typing a document for Western Union (2:13). Her reference books are shown, there is an up-to-date dictionary, an Electronics Data Book, an Electronic Company book by Cook and a Chicago reference book, as well as a secretary’s handbook, and an Official Airline Guide (3:01). The film then shows how Joan’s material is organized so she grabs what she needs all in one motion (3:27). The narrator describes how the letters look, that they represent the company and must be neat and attractive (3:42). The date on the document she begins to type reads May 5th, 1966, in a modified block style (3:57). The completed document is shown and the company J.M. Camp and Company Advertising is shown (4:30). Another document formatted with the full box style is shown with Central Construction Company at the top of the page (5:03). Joan is shown typing at fifty words a minute when transcribing shorthand, 2/3rds her regular typing speed(5:26). An erasure guard is shown being used and the narrator describes the process of erasing errors and nothing else without damaging the paper (6:02). The erasure shield is shown (6:08). Joan makes sure to proofread her paper before taking it out of the typewriter (7:10). A state of Illinois Otto Kerner Governor Industrial Commission form is shown (7:58). The narrator describes how important it is to have a routine, this can significantly quicken the typing process (8:18). The film switches to another secretary, Sally Anderson, who is using an IBM transcribing machine (there is another brand shown on the machine I can’t make out) (8:53). The main difference between what Sally and Joan do, is that Sally depends on her hearing, versus Joan depending on her sight (9:37). The transcribing machine foot pedal is shown (9:52). Sally uses the foot pedal to stop the machine, and repeats the dictation and corrects errors she notices (10:05). The films ends (10:36).
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