I am certainly not the only Mormon who once had great shorthand skills (in my case, the form of Gregg taught in the 1970s) and who actually used it professionally (I was a legal secretary for 20 years), but I’m probably among the last. The first Mormon stenographer was the British convert George D. Watt, who brought the skill (his was the Pitman system) into service of the Church just after Joseph Smith’s death – how much richer our record would be had Watt been there to record Joseph’s sermons! It was Watt who began recording and transcribing verbatim records of speeches, replacing the catch-as-catch-can longhand notes of earlier talks, and Watt whose need to earn a living from his work who is responsible for the Journal of Discourses, the records of sermons published in the Deseret News, and, eventually, for the Conference issues of the Ensign – the records of leaders’ addresses proved so valuable to us as a people that since Watt’s day, we have preserved the records of most major talks to the Church as a whole.

Midway between Watt’s day and mine, Franklin Wilford Otterstrom (1881-1967; pictured to the right) was one of the Church’s foremost shorthand reporters – I run into his name throughout the first half of the 20th century, listed as the reporter on this and that and some other speech. Frank Otterstrom was born in Sanpete County to Norwegian immigrants who had crossed to Utah with a handcart. He learned his shorthand at the LDS business college, part of the Latter-day Saint University, and worked as a court reporter as well as for the Church, and taught shorthand in the schools. In 1909, in answer to a request from the editor of The Phonographic World and Commercial School Review, published in January, 1910, Frank Otterstrom described the use of shorthand reporting by the Church.

REPORTING THE MORMONS

A “Benn Pitman” Stenographer Officially Reporting in a Temple that Cost Four Million Dollars
and in a Tabernacle that Accommodates an Audience of Twelve Thousand People

Realizing that comparatively nothing is known by the great army of stenographers concerning the reporters and reporting methods of the Mormons, at Salt Lake City (for many years past headquarters of that cult for the world), this magazine recently addressed a letter to Mr. F.W. Otterstrom, head official reporter in the Mormon Temple, Mormon Assembly Hall and the Mormon Tabernacle, asking for a page of his notes, with key, photographs, etc. The request was received by Mr. Otterstrom during the time, last August, when the Grand Army of the Republic was holding its annual encampment at Salt Lake city and he responded with the following letter:

My dear Mr. Miner:

I accept with pleasure your invitation to write a brief account of shorthand reporting in connection with the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, commonly known as the ‘Mormon’ church.

You will, no doubt, be surprised to learn that sermon reporting in the church began, on a small scale, soon after the invention of phonography. Numerous public addresses of the Prophet Joseph ?Smith, during the years prior to his martyrdom in 1844, were reported and published. I have before me the report of an address made June 30, 1843, at Nauvoo, Illinois, which bears the notation,’Reported by Dr. Willard Richards and Wilford Woodruff.’ These gentlemen were in England doing missionary work for the church from 1837 to 1841, and I presume learned phonography during that time; at any rate, they used it soon after 1840. ((Otterstrom is mistaken in his history; these earliest reports were reconstructed from longhand notes, a few shorthand-like symbols, and memory, but were not recorded phonographically.)) At this early date, however, only the most important addresses of church leaders were reported and published; but from 1851 to the present time the church has had in its employ professional shorthand men who have taken a full report of all the annual and semi-annual conferences of the church, as well as many important meetings.

The official church reporters and their years of service are as follows: Geo. D. Watt, 1851-68; J.V. Long, 1857-64; David w. Evans, 1865-76; Geo. F. Gibbs, 1876-86; John Irvine, 1879-086; Arthur Winter, 1886-1907; F.W. Otterstrom, 1906 to the present time. others who have assisted, occasionally, reporting in conferences of the Church or its auxiliary associations are Frederick E. Barker, Fred G. Barker, E.L. Sloan, John Grimshaw, James Taylor, E.H. Holt Leo Hunsaker, J.Q. Cannon, Miss Julia Young, and others. The first named Mr. Barker began shorthand work in 1885, and while devoting his attention to court reporting, he has done reporting for the church, at intervals, for many years. Mr. Winter, mentioned in the first group, was the official reporter of the church for over twenty years, serving longer than any other official.

Since 1851 the reports of conferences and some other important meetings have been published in full. In the early days of the church this matter appeared in the ‘Journal of Discourses,’ twenty-six volumes of which were printed, some covering one year, others more. In 1885 the ‘Journals’ were discontinued, and the proceedings were published in the ‘Deseret News,’ a local daily, for some years; then the regular conference pamphlet appeared. At the close of each conference this book is published, containing a full report of the various sessions. The proceedings in the Tabernacle are reported by the writer, and other reporters are engaged for the Assembly Hall, Barratt Hall, or whatever additional sessions are held. Owing to the large attendance at conferences, it is often necessary to hold three or four meetings at the same time. In addition to the conference work, I am engaged to report the tabernacle services each Sunday, throughout the year. Thee sermons are published weekly in the Saturday ‘News.’

The general conferences of the church are held annually in April and October, each continuing for six regular sessions, besides meetings of various church organizations. the conference attendance ranges from about 18,000 to 25,000 people. In reference to the last conference, the ‘Salt Lake Herald’ said: ‘The 79th annual conference of the Church … was called to order promptly at ten o’clock by President Joseph F. Smith in the presence of fully 12,000 persons, who filled every seat in the tabernacle, stood shoulder to shoulder the entire length of every aisle, and filled the gallery from the rear seats to the wall. At both the morning and afternoon sessions it was found impossible to accommodate the immense crowds which had gathered, and overflow meetings were arranged for the Assembly Hall. This in turn became overcrowded, and o pen air meetings were held. … No more cosmopolitan crowd could be imagined than that present at the conference, representing, a it did, tow-thirds of the nations of the world.’

Of the actual reporting, little need be aid. The reporter is expected to make an accurate report of the proceedings, and as most of the addresses are published it is obvious that a reasonable reporting speed and accuracy are requisites that are indispensable. There is greater variety in the subject matter than might be supposed. Not only do the discussions of local speakers cover a considerable range, but visiting lecturers, statesmen and educators are often invited to speak in the Tabernacle, and many subjects are treated. With the exception of the time given to devotional exercises, practically all the time is used by the speakers, of whom there may be one, but often tow or three. On regular occasions the reporter has about an hour of continuous writing, musical numbers being rendered between the addresses, but it sometimes happens, especially during conferences, that several speakers follow each other in rapid order – then the work of the reporter is more strenuous.

As requested, I am sending you a leaf from my notebook, also a newspaper clipping giving the transcript – same as the notes, except that a repetition is omitted. This is taken from a recent address by Dr. J.E. Talmage. I am also sending several photographs, from which I trust you can make the cuts you desire.

As you probably know, the veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic are holding their 43d annual encampment here this week, the main sessions being held in the Tabernacle and Assembly Hall. These buildings are shown in the distance in cut numbered 1. In this cut is also seen the Temple, in which church ordinances are performed. ((Those illustrations not reproduced here; they are standard pictures of Temple Square.)) This structure was forty years in building and cos t four million dollars. Illustration numbered 2 shows the tabernacle and illustration numbered 3 shows the interior of the Tabernacle, though a large part of the first floor and part of gallery cannot be seen. its size can best be appreciated when I say it will seat eight thousand people, and that during conferences and on special occasions there are often 12,000 in the building. this picture is taken from the edge of the balcony and shows a typical Mormon audience. The great pipe-organ and the large body of singers known as ‘The Tabernacle Choir,’ (all of whom give their time gratis) are well shown in he picture. In front of the choir, three pulpits are seen. These are occupied according to the grade of office, the presidency using the upper one. Services are held in the tabernacle every Sunday in each month. The seats are all alike, and all are free. No contributions are ever taken up. all people of every nation, kindred and tongue are invited. The church depends for its support upon the payment, by its members only, of the system of tithing established in ancient Bible days.

The Tabernacle is an interesting piece of architecture. One of the most unique features is the ponderous dome roof which is self-supporting as will be seen from the picture. It rests upon stone pillars which stand about twelve feet apart around the building. They support wooden arches, ten feet in thickness, which span the whole width of the building. These arches are put together with wooden pins, no nails or iron of any kind being used. The building was erected before the advent of the railroad, so all manufactured material used had to be hauled by ox teams from the Missouri River. It was completed in 1867 at a cost of $300,000 exclusive of the organ. The acoustic properties of the building are so perfect that when all is quiet, a whisper or a pin-drop can be heard from any part of the building – perhaps 250 feet.

The full-page cut also shows the great organ, one of the finest in the world. Its dimensions are 30x33x48 feet. It has 110 stops and accessories and over five thousand pipes, ranging in length from 1/4-inch to 32 feet. It comprises five complete organs and is capable of producing thousands of tonal varieties. In front of the organ, seats are provided for the noted Tabernacle choir of 400 singers (often enlarged to 600). About two hundred members of this organization have visited other States on concert tours. this organization won a $1,000 prize at the Chicago World’s Fair.

Very truly yours,

F.W. OTTERSTROM.
Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 9, 1909.

The following is the transcript to the shorthand reporting notes (Benn Pitman system) by Mr. F.W. Otterstrom, the official reporter at the Mormon Temple, Tabernacle and Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City:

Key.

But I have not lost faith in my Father’s children, I have not lost faith in the family to which I belong. I believe that the human family is destined to progress, to advance and to go from one stage to another, higher and higher, ever extending its influence for good.

You will say that the gospel called Mormonism is materialistic, grossly so, some have said. We admit it. A religion that has to do only with theory and dogma can have but little immediate effect upon us in this life. I would rather see a man pray by his deeds that the poor may be relieved, than to see him spend his life worrying over the intricacies of the doctrine of original sin. I would rather see him go forth and accomplish something in the Father’s service than spend his time in wordy prayer. Prayer, my friends, is made of stuff more durable than words, and we should interpret that scripture, that we should “pray without ceasing” to mean that we should forever be working out deeds as prayers for good. We believe in asking the Lord to answer our prayers and then doing all we possibly can to bring about that answer. I remember once being a guest at a house far form home. The father called the members of the family about him for family prayer in the morning, and he prayed very earnestly. He prayed that the widows and the fatherless might be looked after, that the hungry might be fed, and that the cold might be clothed. he was known among his fellows as one who was well to do, who had many of this world’s goods, a very substantial citizen. When his prayer was finished, his boy made a remark that has lived in my memory; said, “Father, if I had as much as you have got, I would answer that prayer myself.” And do you know I was sacrilegious enough to believe that that boy’s prayer would have as much effect as his father’s prayer, because with that wish and with that honest heart I believe he would go out and try to answer it according to the means within his power. Yes, we can answer many of those prayers ourselves if we will but try, and make the world better for our being here. Prayer is absolutely essential to the advancement of the human soul, but, I repeat, it is not made of words. The words we utter in prayer should be but the index to the volume of the prayer within our soul.

If we consult the index of a well arranged volume and then turn to the page indicated, we expect to find there the treatment of the topic noted in the index; and so it should be with every one.

–oOo–

That clever Frank … how many ways did he find to turn a simple account of shorthand reporting into a missionary opportunity? 🙂