.
I paid $5.00 for this old Underwood electric back when the college where I was teaching phased out typewriters in favor of computers with keyboards.
And now for my Thursday Two Questions: (See Thursday Two Questions by Poetic Shutterbug for more reading. You could also make your own by checking in at this link.)
Last week the consensus of readers in your comments wanted to make sure that the kids didn't get spoiled with giving ice cream to help them stop their crying.
But most did have some sort of 'change the subject' type diversion which is great. There are too many kids with good reasons to be crying in this world of Seven (7) Billion folk to add ours who really shouldn't be unhappy and crying for all the advantages they have.
This week I did some reminiscing after finding my old typewriter on the floor of our utility room. I haven't used it in ages, not even after repairing a stuck ribbon shaft to restore it to operation.
I bought it mainly to fill in forms that really shouldn't be handwritten. Seems the computer is complicated in that matter although there are programs to help make this possible.
My two questions:
1. Did you learn to type? If so, was it on an electric or a manual, or even a computer keyboard?
2. Will your kids learn keyboarding in school?
I learned to type on the old manual typewriters. I preferred the Royals, perhaps our school had newer Royal machines that the others.
My class of 27 (if I remember right) consisted of 25 junior and senior girls and two of us fellows. This paid off for me when I went into the Army as I was slated for Clerk Typist school.
Of course I passed and could type well over 45 words per minute corrected. Fifteen WPM would get a fellow a Clerk MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and over 45 got one a Clerk Typist MOS.
After graduation they kept me at the school to teach typing and personnel record keeping. I taught for a year until the school shut down. Then I was transferred to the Fort Bliss (at El Paso, Texas) Fifth Anti-Aircraft Division personnel office as a records clerk.
I still type very fast on the computer keyboards. Probably about 60 WPM when things are flowing right. Of course I'm a little slower than that when I am composing poetry for my other blog.
Bonus Question: Should keyboarding be a mandatory course in high school?
It has become that way in quite a few. Some even in junior high or middle school. I'm all for learning the keyboard to type with all five fingers without looking for them. At least 15 WPM would be nice, I think.
Lastly, you can count the keys on this LARGE PRINT typewriter pictured below. Please also note that it is a manual and not electric.
I haven't seen one of the old manual typewriters in a long time. I took a typing class in high school, we used manual typewriters. When I started college my parents gave me a brand new electric to use for reports and term papers. Later I learned to use a word processing machine for work.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I touched a computer keyboard I said I would never use another typewriter and I haven't. I'm also around 60wpm.
I think all schools should offer a basic typing class. It is a very useful skill.
Fantatic historical rows!
ReplyDelete1. When I was really little, my dad would keep me occupied by letting me type on his electric typewriter. (I have no idea what kind.) I took keyboarding in high school--on a DOS based system, with 5-1/4" discs. Fun times! I don't remember how quickly I topped out at. Somewhere between 30 & 40, I suspect. However quickly I type, I managed to land an evening data entry position with a logistics company during my last two years of college, which was great!
ReplyDelete2. My kiddos are little and I have no clue if they offer a true keyboarding/typing class in their school right now, let alone when they're older.
Bonus: Since many schools are looking at phasing out "advanced" handwriting skills, like manuscript/cursive writing, it seems a logical step to require keyboarding as part of their basic computer usage. I'm sure somebody could argue against it, though. :-)
Thanks, Jim!!!
I love the old typewriters! I, too, learned to type on a manual typewriter in high school. We would listed to an audio tape. I can still hear the woman's voice "O - O - O space"! Ha ha! We needed a lot more strength in our fingers back then, right? I definitely think keyboarding should be mandatory in schools!
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to watch CBS Sunday Morning? They did a little snippet about typewriters and featured a typewriter repair shop right here in Mesa, AZ! The owner said that business is actually picking up!
My daughter is 30 - worked in an office a couple of years ago that still had typewriters (for legal documents with carbons) (still - they are old-fashioned)! She was supposed to use a typewriter for those and she said, "I don't know how! I've never used one before!" Her co-workers got such a kick out of that!
I took typing classes in high school. Back in the day when girls were all going to be secretaries. I didn't want to be a secretary. I learned on a manual typewriter and used them for years. Then the electric typewriters came along and I used those. Then the computer came along and I've been using them ever since. At 60 years old there weren't any computers back in my early days.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day. :)
Havent' seen a typewritter like that in ages! My parents had a manual similar to the one in your last photo. I played on it has a child!
ReplyDeleteI learned to type on an electric and manual in high school.
My kids learned keyboarding in school. (we homeschooled)
Yes, it should be mandatory!
Yes I learned keyboard on an electric typewriter. And I still type very fast. Now when my kids were in high school - I made them take a year of key boarding. They have been grateful. Yes to keyboarding. Sending my ten year old grandson to take it this summer. HAHA. sandie
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a typewriter in a long time.
ReplyDelete1. I did learn to type in a school after I graduated. It was on a computer keyboard. I learn pretty fast. I forced my fingers to cooperate.
2. If the school don't teach them, then I will.
Happy weekend.
I learned to type in Junior high when there were no laptops yet. But I have to say I became a better typer when I started typing on the laptops.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping my daughter who is four will learn it through just being on her own computer, but that seems to be 50/50 now since the ipad came out. There is a lot of swiping and not so much typing.
Fascinating. I loved this post and your response to mine. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI learned on a Royal manual and my grands are amazed when I tell them that. :-) Yes, they should have to learn where the keys are for crying out loud and how to spell correctly - not just text lingo. :-)
I was also in the military. I took photo journalism but ended up being an MP. Go figure. I typed AOL forms, took dictation and wrote letters for the General, and wrote traffic tickets.
Yes I took typing in school. I'm pretty good at it. I can find the backspace key in the dark. I've worn the word off of it as a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteI remember how mad Mrs Ray would get if she caught us erasing a mistake without taking the paper out of the machine.
Yes keyboarding should be taught early. It's the way it is.
What foresight, Jim! It would be a rare item now.Hold on to it!
ReplyDeleteHank
I miss typewriters. Except when I type.
ReplyDelete