I first typed on a much older big black typewriter. I took a typing class in High School where we learned on both the standard manual typewriters and on the brand-y new IBM selectrics.

These were looked at with skepticism by the nun in charge of the class because you could correct your errors which was sort of against the rules of typing class. More than sort of. It was verboten. That was a much bigger problem than that you didn’t have to push down each key with as much effort because the new machines were electric.

Things were changing. Times were a’changing. It was the time of Vatican II for pete’s sake. Therefore, the new and the old school typewriters. What’s more, the class was partly class time with timed exercises and tests and partly do on your own time and turn in the completed work.

My pal Maria and I completed the latter in bursts and rather speedily.

At the end of the school year Sister presented us with typing pins, denotings some special merit. She looked at us over her classes and allowed that she was torn about what to do. She said, “your speed was excellent but your accuracy…”

I still have that pin.

PS. This typewriter is the one I took to college. It weighs a ton and it would need a new ribbon to be useable, but I enjoyed getting it back a few years ago.

PPS. In High School, it was felt that people in the college-bound regents track shouldn’t take typing. More for young women going into business, don’t you know. It sure made typing school papers easier and when computers ended up being a thing, well… the rest as they say, is history. Being able to touch-type is a wonderful thing. I’m sure my typing teacher would not be surprised to hear I’m still bad at numbers. (I’m also really good at quickly making corrections.)