John
I have a friend (PhD) who is a prolific writer of RR history.
Simply excellent. When he sends something via US mail (he refuses
to use Email!!) he often uses the term "enclosed herewith please
find." I reply that I if it is enclosed, "it damned well better
be with the letter.". If I send him an enclosed item, I merely
state "several 'herewiths' are enclosed."
I had a university colleague who taught shorthand. This was 35
years ago, and he worked with high school business teachers. He
was an absolute whiz at writing shorthand. During the Koren War
he was personal secretary to either General Van Fleet or General
Ridgeway. Anyway, right out of business school, he went to work
for the CNW. He worked (ca. 1950) as the stenographer for the
Divn. Supt. The first day, the Supt. dictated several letters. My
friend had no trouble keeping up, but he found the supt's phrasing
to be "simply atrocious so I cleaned it up a bit." The next
morning, I heard "Hanson, get in here." The supt. had a fit. My
friend had to redo them. At the end of the week, the supt. said
to him "you are not very happy here are you?" My friend replied
"no, with all respect sir, I did not realize the RR was as
backward as it is." After the supt. cooled off, he told my
friend that he would be pleased to give him a good reference.
My friend died at age 38 of leukemia, but I still laugh when I
think of his railroad stories. Had he worked longer than a week,
he might have written a comical book relating to RR business
practices. Of course, his telling the stories added a great deal
as he told of several archaic office practices used by the RR. He
thought the RR's were the classic example of a business that had a
difficult time moving out of the past.
To close ca. 1915,
"I remain, your obedient servant . . . . Sincerely,"
LWA
John D. Mitchell, Jr. wrote:
LaVerne
I guess my railroad background has scarred me. I still
use those phrases in my business letters, yet. Come to
think of it, I use a lot of railroad business
practices, daily. The depot was a pretty good training
school for an impressionable youth.
John
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