How/when/where did you learn to type?

[hsmith9491]

In 1966 typing was required jr year high school. Being a male a hated the class, but in the end I really enjoyed it. I actually learned to type both hands.

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, I've never really learned to type, even though I write for a living. I can hunt and peck with tolerable speed and fair accuracy, and even use most of my fingers. Actual typists just shake their heads when they watch me.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[steveno]

self taught and it shows

 

[Steve in Vermont]

Freshman and Junior years in HS (early 60's), all manual typewriters. The keys on our typewriters were marked but the second time you were caught looking at them you were moved to a machine w/o letters. And I swear the "Dragon Lady" had eyes in the back of her head. Beyond the three "Rs", that course, plus bookkeeping, public speaking and debating proved to be the most useful.

 

[Evil Dog]

1962 in high school... absolutely the most useful class taken. Had those old manual machines, cloth ribbon and a pencil like eraser. No letters on the keys to look at either. Learned to type without looking at the keys (except for the numbers)... sure came in handy ever since.

 

[sophie]

Learning to type. What a strange thread. I took Typing I in my junior year in high school ('57-'58) and we had lots of girls in the class and a fair amount of guys. Some of the girls were a way ahead of anybody in the fact they could do the hunt and peck way of typing. You know that didn't go over with our teacher as the first thing you are taught are your home keys and don't look at the keyboard. After not too long it seemed to come natural for me and I entered in several speed contests. We had 1 electric typewriter at the time and once a month we all got to try it. Boy could you make some mistakes after typing on our old manual typewriters. I had signed up for Senior Typing II class and the counseler called me in and said it would be of no use as I could already type faster than the second year students. I could type 60 wpm with no mistakes. I really never give it any thought so I changed my schedule and didn't take typing in the senior year. I am not bragging, this is just the way it turned out.

I worked as a mechanic for 47 years for Cadillac and never had use for my typing skills until we computerized all dispatch and record systems, and repair orders in the late '90's. Typing is something you never forget especially if you can remember your home keys. Now that computers are on the forefront it really helps.

__________
James

 

[mg357]

I took 3 semesters of typing class two freshman year one my sophomore year at Limestone Community High School.

 

[medxam]

Man O man do I remember those "black out" covers for the keys back in the 1950's. That was hell, but it taught me not to look at the keyboard. I too, was one of the only boys in my typing class, but it started out as a reason to sit by my main squeeze in typing class.

I used it sparingly in college and medical school. Later, when electronic medical records came along, just before I retired, I was one of the few docs in our hospital that could type. Now all of the college and medical school students type 60+ words a minute, or the can't keep up. I only wish that i had kept up my skills. It has been complicated by losing the end of my left index finger in a woodworking accident. After 28 years ago today, the accident has left the tip of my finger sensitive and the shortness is also a complication. I predict that typing instruction will begin in elementary school in the near future.

medxam

 

[NFrameFred]

Never did . . . obviously . . .

 

[CajunBass]

When I was in high school, there was a pretty serious shooting war going on in some place half the world away. I was pretty sure my Uncle Sam was going to send me an invitation to join in the festivies over there pretty soon after I got out of school. There seemed to be this pattern.

Everyone I talked to who had gotten this invitation advised me to learn to type. There seemed to be this line of thought that if you could type, it was quite likely that Uncle Sam would find something else for you to do other than tote a rifle around in a rice paddy. And somehow "Company Clerk" sounded safer than "Rifleman."

So I took typing. And enjoyed it. So I took a second year. Then my senior year I was looking for a "blow off credit" so I signed up for a "Vocational Office Training" class. More typing. Not only did I get my first real job through this class, I like the OP was pleased to find out there were 28 girls, and one other boy in this class. Even better.

They started a draft lottery. I drew number 328. Then the war ended. I never got that invitation to join my Uncle Sam's big green machine. I didn't use a typewritter for 20 years or so until i got a computer. It came right back to me.

 

[cbvanb]

I learned about 12 years ago, long past my school days. I had a book I wanted to write, and the hunt and peck method was really slowing me down. So I bought a "teach yourself to type" program for my computer, and within a week I could type about 60 WPM. As all I wanted at the time was word typing skills I didn't follow through the program to get to numerals. Even today I can type around 50-60 WPM but I have to stop and look at the keyboard for numbers.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Never touched a keyboard until the company I worked for started using an IBM 36 in the 80s. It was just hunt and peck to request reports... stacked to the ceiling in my office It wasn't until the 90s when I got a PC did I begin to start typing more. At the time I had decent handwriting... not anymore. Now I'm starting to use voice recognition quite a bit and expect that what low level typing skills I have will erode back to the 80s. If this trend keeps up I'll probably have some type of transmitter hooked into my brain for communication and forget how to speak.

 

[DeadAye]

High school.
Our high school (Lew Wallace) had a fairly nice print shop. I was made the LinoType operator my freshman year. Our teacher (Chief ) insisted that I take typing so I could be a better Linotype op.
The joke was on me!
Typewriters use a QWERTY keyboard while LinoType machines use a totally different layout.

 

[Poodle Soup]

Elementary school I learned to type on a computer... you people are freaking old...

 

[DeathGrip]

I took typing in Jr. High and within a few weeks,

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I broke my left arm.

Then I graduated without a credit for it and had to make up for it when I changed schools the following year. I didn't take typing again.

I finally got a computer about 7 years ago and I'm learning but at a much slower pace and certainly not proper. My hands are busted up a bit these days anyhow.

What the heck, I get by.

 

[Grayfox]

Never had any formal training. I'm totally self taught.
I type by the Bible method.
Seek and ye shall find!

 

[DeathGrip]

If this trend keeps up I'll probably have some type of transmitter hooked into my brain for communication and forget how to speak.

That right there is my first Halloween fright of the day.

I could only imagine the scramble that something like that would put to writing if I was hooked to my brain.

 

[RonJ]

I learned to touch type in high school. Then I went into the army and they wanted me to copy morse code on a typewriter (mill). It's hard to copy high speed morse with touch typing. So I started using my forefingers and I'm still using them.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I taught myslef to tpye.
And I thing I did prettty good at it.

 

[Joewisc]

I was a radioman in the Navy, joined at 17. Learned Morse Code and had to transcribe on typewriter. Eventually became a writer and editor and, well, the rest is history.