MB#82: 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙈𝙮 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 '𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜' 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚.

[MemoirBlogthon #82] In the 1970s, as I transitioned from school to college, my father insisted I master lower-level typewriting—a skill then often relegated to clerical work. He believed in the "touch typing" technique as a necessary, self-reliant skill for my entire life. This blog travels from the high-pressure classroom filled with the rhythmic clatter of typewriters and timed drills to the quiet efficiency of today's keyboards. It details the mechanical curriculum, the rigorous government examinations (like those by DOTE), and how that foundational discipline—honed further on my father's retirement-era portable Remington—not only boosted my journalist and job applications but prepared me for the unforeseen digital age, a legacy I pass on to my grandson today.

MB#82: Learned typing from manual typewriter to computer keyboard.

The Clatter of the 1970s Classroom

In the 1970s and 1980s, the skill of typing evolved drastically, mirroring the tremendous changes in technology and education. For me, the journey began in a classroom dominated by the heavy, rhythmic clack of typewriters, much like today's environment is dominated by software coaching institutes.

When I transitioned from school to college academia in 1970-71, my father, who always possessed an admirable foresight, strongly recommended that I learn this skill. Though often reserved for secretaries or clerical workers, he was particular about me mastering "touch typing," believing the skill would make me self-reliant and useful at any point in my lifetime.

My coaching classes were serious: one hour in the morning and another in the evening. With a heavy emphasis on speed, accuracy, and correct posture, instructors enforced strict adherence to form. I was expected to sit properly and methodically hit the right keys in timed drills, all while struggling with the anxiety of manually correcting mistakes with messy correction fluid.

The Discipline of the Mechanical Curriculum

The typewriting training was rigid and mechanical, mirroring the machines themselves, but it provided an invaluable foundation. The coaching curriculum focused heavily on practical skills needed in an office environment:

Touch Typing: Learning to type without looking at the keys, using specific finger drills like "ASDFGF" (left hand) and 'LKJHJ' (right hand).

Speed and Accuracy: Practicing with stopwatches to meet specific words per minute (w.p.m.) targets, such as 60 w.p.m.

Document Formatting: Mastering skills like typing business letters, reports, and tables and using carbon paper for multiple copies.

Certification Rigor: Examinations were conducted by government bodies like the Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE) in Andhra Pradesh to certify proficiency for office and government jobs. Exams were held in silent settings, characterized by "pin drop silence" before the "STOOOOP" command signaled the end of the timed test.

For many, this skill was the gateway to job opportunities, particularly in government roles like Lower Division Clerks, where passing typewriting tests was a prerequisite. I recall seeing educational films from the era, such as "Elementary Typing" (1971), which served as visual guides to the techniques and equipment.

The Portable Remington and the Freelance Shift

The most practical application of this skill came after my father's retirement. For his consultancy work, he purchased a portable Remington typewriter. I laid my hands on this machine to create my freelance journalist work, learning more than just typing. I learned the mechanical aspects of maintenance: applying light oil, changing and reversing the ribbon, and even collecting the ribbon boxes to use as pencil and eraser boxes.

This hands-on interest in the machine encouraged my father to have me orient my wife and friends in acquiring typing skills as well. The skill soon became an added value on my profile, assisting in job applications.

The Digital Legacy and the Grandson.

The introduction of personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s changed everything. Typewriting expanded beyond vocational schools into mainstream education, replacing clunky typewriters with computer keyboards. Typing became an essential, ubiquitous skill.

Today, I still reap the benefits of that early discipline. I am proficient at working on my PC or laptop with reasonable speed, without needing to look at the keypad. I often surprise my grandson, Vivaan, by demonstrating the systematic keyboard fingering, encouraging him to adopt it instead of the slow, single-finger style.

As typing continues to evolve from mechanical precision to digital literacy, I must convey my regards to my father, who foresaw this technological shift. His insistence that typewriting was essential—even if not for a clerical job—provided a cornerstone of digital literacy that prepared me for every stage of my ever-changing professional life.

MB#82: Quiz

MB82: Question: Which specific skill did the author's father insist he learn, believing it would make him self-reliant?

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• A. Shorthand.
• B. Touch Typing
• C. Mechanical engineering.
• D. Carbon paper filing.

MB#82: Quote

"The mind is like a clock that is always running down. It must be wound up daily with good reading and clear thinking." – H. L. Mencken