Another who learned typing in HS as a sophomore. Took it because the JV basketball coach taught it and I really wanted to be on the team. Somehow I guess I thought that might give me an in. Didn’t help, LOL.
We often typed to music, too. The only one I remember now was Melanie’s ‘Brand New Key.’ It must have been about 1971 or so...
We had about 60% manual typewriters and 40% electric. In the batch of 40% electric were two IBM Selectrics with the ball. They seems so high tech at the time.
I started out on the manual and part way through we all switched. The people who had been on the manuals couldn’t hardly keep from hitting keys just because we were used to resting our fingers on the keys. It took a while to adjust. But the ones who started on the electrics really struggled more than we did to master the full manuals.
I trained on and used only manual typewriters for the first 12 years or so transcribing as a court stenographer. When I moved to the electric ones, it was just as you said -- resting my fingers on the keys led to some interesting transcription.
However, one thing that I never could get away from was pounding on the keys. Even now, I probably go through four or five keyboards a year because the keys just can't handle the mistreatment ...
I trained on and used only manual typewriters for the first 12 years or so transcribing as a court stenographer. When I moved to the electric ones, it was just as you said -- resting my fingers on the keys led to some interesting transcription.
However, one thing that I never could get away from was pounding on the keys. Even now, I probably go through four or five keyboards a year because the keys just can't handle the mistreatment ...