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Ida's avatar

My highschool played The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson a couple years ago- complete with a vintage typewriter! By far one of the most fun pieces we’ve ever played.

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David W. Zoll's avatar

Awesome! I love Leroy Anderson! Plenty of pizzicato in that one!

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Lois Thomson Bowersock's avatar

I taught myself how to type on the old-fashioned black Underwood typewriter you have posted a photo of. Like you, I took typing in high school on an IBM Selectric. At home I had an electric Smith Corona for my assignments and it served all my needs until I bought an IBM Selectric from a friend who was upgrading the equipment in his office. I've been typing since... I was old enough to put the paper in the typewriter. Thanks for writing such a nostalgic article.

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David W. Zoll's avatar

Thanks for sharing your memories Lois. Isn’t it amazing how things have changed? Do you still use a typewriter, or even still have one? One got a physical pleasure from typing on those old machines.

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Lois Thomson Bowersock's avatar

I don’t own one anymore. I’ve always enjoyed keyboarding. :)

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Jane Baker's avatar

At my school (in UK 1960s) no one had typing lessons because it meant that girls (typing lessons were only for girls!) who learned to type would be destined to "only" be secretaries. And if you watch any old comedy show from that era that features an office scene it'll give you an idea of how leftie type intellectuals saw "being a typist/secretary". I don't recall our school being political but now I think of it that one thing is odd. I know it's so because our English teacher told us sometimes. Very snobbish and elitist I think. Now,lol,everybody types! As an extra my school had a comprehensive stream and a grammar stream. We,the comp thickos had cooking lessons making yummy things to take home. They the uni directed grammar brain boxes has to dissect frogs and worms. They envied us!

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Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Think I’ve typed on a few of those in h.s. typing class. We had an old Underwood at home.

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