Here I am in 5th grade, already hoping I can get by on my looks because my penmanship wasn't all that great. (I'm the only kid wearing the tie - but sitting between two girls!)
Penmanship was actually on the report card. I don't think I ever did very well at it.
I was forced to practice, practice and practice, all the while envious of those who had
pretty handwriting. Girls had pretty handwriting, boys weren't suppose to. 
By the time I got to high school I was forced to take typing class. The only good thing -
then - I was one of the few boys in the class. But, I learned. Now, speed counted, nothing about style. Boys liked speed. Speed counted, pretty wasn't in the equation or on a report card. (accuracy was another issue)
So, I learned the new way to
write, via the below, fancy, state of the art typewriter displayed below. No hunt-and-peck method for me, either. I was taught to watch the words appear on the paper with the clatter, clatter, stop typing, grab the return lever upper right of the machine never looking at the keys and continue typing. (the ENTER key is the new return lever) I judged my speed to what I could hear around me, "
The quick brown dog jumped over the lazy red fox." Over and over again. Then I counted the mistakes. Yup, I made my share. . . .
Then, bingo! We graduate in life and technology to computers,
but still typing. No more reaching for the carriage return. No more feeding paper in, one sheet at a time, trying to line up where to start typing. . . . I just type where the cursor is.
Cursor, anther new word of the new world.
From typing one handed on the Mobile Computer Terminal in a patrol car while driving, I now sit at a computer almost all day, typing away. I'm not envious anymore. . . . I
learnt well . . . my keys are spitting out words on the
monitor (another modern word) faster than those around me who are not only slower than me, but have commented on my typing speed. Some who didn't take typing class; they either hunt and peck or just haven't evolved to the modern penmanship yet. About the only thing I need penmanship for now are post-it notes or my steno pad taking notes while talking on the phone. Sadly, I sometimes have trouble deciphering those. As a society, penmanship is a thing of the past.
Evolution is alive and well in our written world.
I was forced to practice, practice and practice, all the while envious of those who had pretty handwriting. Girls had pretty handwriting, boys weren't suppose to. 
By the time I got to high school I was forced to take typing class. The only good thing - then - I was one of the few boys in the class. But, I learned. Now, speed counted, nothing about style. Boys liked speed. Speed counted, pretty wasn't in the equation or on a report card. (accuracy was another issue)
So, I learned the new way to write, via the below, fancy, state of the art typewriter displayed below. No hunt-and-peck method for me, either. I was taught to watch the words appear on the paper with the clatter, clatter, stop typing, grab the return lever upper right of the machine never looking at the keys and continue typing. (the ENTER key is the new return lever) I judged my speed to what I could hear around me, "The quick brown dog jumped over the lazy red fox." Over and over again. Then I counted the mistakes. Yup, I made my share. . . .
Then, bingo! We graduate in life and technology to computers, but still typing. No more reaching for the carriage return. No more feeding paper in, one sheet at a time, trying to line up where to start typing. . . . I just type where the cursor is. Cursor, anther new word of the new world.
From typing one handed on the Mobile Computer Terminal in a patrol car while driving, I now sit at a computer almost all day, typing away. I'm not envious anymore. . . . I learnt well . . . my keys are spitting out words on the monitor (another modern word) faster than those around me who are not only slower than me, but have commented on my typing speed. Some who didn't take typing class; they either hunt and peck or just haven't evolved to the modern penmanship yet. About the only thing I need penmanship for now are post-it notes or my steno pad taking notes while talking on the phone. Sadly, I sometimes have trouble deciphering those. As a society, penmanship is a thing of the past. Evolution is alive and well in our written world.
10 comments:
Cool photo. I like to look at older photos of Las Vegas. It is amazing to see how much things have changed in our lifetime.
Oh, Ron...that is not you in the photo! You were cuter than that. I love remembering the olden days of non-electric typewriters. Wasn't the computer suppose to make us a paperless world?
okay, disclaimer: that's not me in the picture, not even my school class...just used the "visual" effect. (I never wore a tie to school. I woulda gotten beaten up!)
hahahaha I was thinking that kid in the picture didn't look at all like you...glad you cleared that up!! LOL!!
Ok, Now that I know it's not you I can say what I was really thinking. The teacher is a MAN, and not a very good looking one at that.
As oppposed to a good looking man?
Not too proud to call it like I see it.
I was thinking that didn't look like you at all. I had to click on the photo to enlarge and I still thought it didn't look like you. Too funny! I remember putting paper in a typewriter too.
Who "forced" you to take typing in high school? Aren't you glad you did? I wonder how many years it took for the evelution from manual typewriter to computer, do you know? A paperless office was the ultimate desire at one time; but we still have lots of paper!
I Love your class photo. It is so great. I especially like the kid 2 to the right from you, and the boys in the top row! Hah! That is a keeper. As far as typing goes, I have a funny story- I went for a job interview that required a speed test for typing. I am not as proficiant as you, and I type watching my fingers most of the time. The lady said the time will start when you start typing and the computer will stop you in one minute. I typed as fast as I could, and when she came in to check it the caps lock had been on, and it was all oposite of what I had typed-(I never looked up:) I didn't get the job, and I was really embarrassed, but it is still good for a laugh to this day:)
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