Actually, the secretary who 'coronatyped' all day in 1930 would have been exhausted too! She wouldn't believe how easy it is now to express our thoughts digitally. In fact, I sometimes think we can express our thoughts far too quickly. At least the old Coronatype machine gave one time to ponder and perhaps retract, as they reached in to untangle the clump of keys that were stuck together, tried to get erasures out of the machine, or tried to patch a hole in the paper made by the eraser.
Teacher poised to begin toothbrush drill!
Floating around the internet last fall was an article from the Washington Post with a copy of an 8th grade exam from 1931.
I've tested the link. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Here's the address if the above link doesn't work: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/education/v/tests.pdf
With only 33% of Wisconsin's 8th grade students reading proficiently at grade level today, it is hard to imagine a time when schools successfully taught children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history and gum massage! :-) on a much smaller budget, I might add.
I found these two photos in a 1930 issue of Normal Instructor and Primary Plans.
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17 comments:
My grandfather used to use a typewriter like that to write letters, loooong after electric typewriters and even computers showed up on the scene. I think my father may still have it ... it's priceless!
I think I learned how to type on one of these! How did I get so old? It might have been because I grew up in a very small Texas town and everything we learned on was an antique. I remember how wonderful typing on my first electric was, now look at me. We've come a long way baby.
Oh the old typewriters! Love it! Can't believe there are actually kids who have never even seen one of those :)
Yes! On a much smaller budget indeed! Don't even get me started on way students are taught these days- especially for students not in Honors or AP classes--here, there is a major difference in the way students are taught depending on their academic level. Our girls were all in honors and AP with the exception of only two classes and the difference was ridiculous. I can only imagine what those kids in the tech classes DON'T get taught.
It is crazy to think about! My grandma was a secretary for many years. And look at us now! Instant Communication! We never have to wonder what a friend is up to, or if a family member is going to be home for dinner.
I am kinda glad I live in this time though, I would miss calling Becky! (sometimes a couple times a day!)
It is quite amazing to think about and yet some things have NOT gotten better...........
What a great post, Judy! I enjoyed seeing the vintage photos so much.
Have a wonderful day, Candace
I was just thinking about old typing class the other day and how much easier it is now. I think we had electric typewriters though. I may now only be a few words a minute faster than I was then and that's not that fast! By the way looks like you have been busy, knitting, cheesemaking, saop making, cooking and so on.
Oops, I meant soap making - see my typing is not that good!!
Thanks for taking us back in time here. I had an electric typewriter when I was in highschool, not quite the same but not quite a laptop either:-) We're entering into the school years here. It seems like rather than becoming more efficient thanks to technology we find that we need so many more resources to do so much less.
I was called "old" recently because I said I learned to type on a typewriter when I was in school (okay, it didn't look quite like that, although I LOVE that old typewriter). My uncle still has one like that! :) Whenever I'm typing at the computer and I have to go back and change a mistake, I think about how less I would type if I had to use a typewriter! :)
So, yeah, I think I would have failed that 8th grade exam. I knew more than I thought I would, but probably not enough to pass. I used to watch Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader until I realized I wasn't! ;)
Hope you have a great day!
:)
Rach
Great Post, Judy! Our Governor has his hand full. I think he is brave man!
Oh Dear,
I think he is a brave man.
I love the ease of the computer keyboard, cutting and pasting, dragging and dropping, etc. but still miss my old Selectric typewriter. I think that even before that, the schools had old Royal manual typewriters that we learned on. They certainly kept your fingers in shape!
It is amazing how far we have come in technology! That old type writer is really cool, but I will take my handy laptop any day. I think changes need to be made in our education system all over. As a teacher I have found that the expectations and the focus on teaching to the test has taken away from actually learning what should be learned. I hope you are doing great my friend!
Mama Hen
I recently saw a typewriter used for decoration. My kids could not believe someone would use that thing. Pretty funny. Loved this post.
Judy, I LOVE my trypewriter and still use ot to write letters! It's just fun and uses no electricity.
I found mine at an estate sale and researched that it was made in 1936 by the L.C.Smith company (which also manufactured guns, wouldn't Ian be proud).
The problem is finding nice paper to type on as cardstock is too thick and printer paper is muchtoo thin and gets holes....
I learned to type on a manual typewriter and I loved slapping that return carriage LOL
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