Took auto mechanics, electrical shop and wood shop, even metal shop! Learned just enough of all trades to get me in trouble! haha Never became a gear head but learned lots more about electrical and woodworking from my father-in-law. Never got interested in metal work and mechanics was great for all around tool types and uses. Kids these days just don't have the interest in most of that stuff.
I took typing as well. It sure came in handy while I was in the Navy. The recruiter asked me, "what do you want to do in the Navy, son?" I said, "I want to be a fireman." Well, fireman in the Navy means a boilerman or machinist mate. Thankfully, of the two, I ended up in the engine room. After a year in the engine room, we had returned from our last deployment to Vietnam.
One morning, the Engineering Officer, a Lt. Burke, came down in the engine room looking for a volunteer. Of course, no one stepped forward and he called out my name. He says, "it says you took typing in HS. How many words can you type a minute?" I responded, "about 60 or so." He said, "plenty fast for me, Follow me ... volunteer!" I became the Engineering Dept. Log room Yeoman. Great gig for my last 2.7 years. Lots of perks, lots of special liberty and lots of days off because the Engineering Officer didn't have any work for me. Thanks to my typing teacher! haha
I just saw the reply where Andy mentioned his typing skills; I must totally agree! I took typing the first time in the 7th grade and hated it initially. About the best I could do on the old manual Royal typewriters was 25 WPM, just enough for a *B*. Later on in high school, I took it again but now had finger strength for a consistent 45 WPM and an *A*. In college & the military, typing saved my behind several times. Probably the most useful course I ever took. Thank you Mrs. Caldwell for a job well done.
I just saw the reply where Andy mentioned his typing skills; I must totally agree! I took typing the first time
I took typing in the late 70s highschool. My school had limited budgets so only half our typewriters were electric. We took turns who got the manual ones
I never took typing in high school. Mostly the girls took typing, I had no care to be a secretary and being a "key punch operator" sounded too out there and not very technical. Little did I know where that would have lead. (For those of you who are too young to know. computer data used to be stored on paper cards via punched holes in the 60s and 70s, hence "key punch".)
Fast forward a few years in the Navy, I opted out of the ICBM program to retrain in instrument repair and calibration for a better career path. I was the the guy who calibrated your engine room gauges, Andy.
Ironically, part of my training was typewriter repair. Good thing I didn't need to know how to type to fix them. Still don't as I peck this out with four fingers. At least they are still quite flexible but other areas are starting to let me know I'm not 18 any more! I think its time for yoga classes!
Home Ec was a "girls" class as well, but I think it should have been mandatory for the boys. Can't tell you how many guys in knew in HS and FD that couldn't boil water. Besides, Home Ec was where all the girls were. Great hunting for a date for the weekend.
With the home computers now as common as a toilet, hunting and pecking is gladly something I haven't done since the 9th grade.
In the small high school I attended ALL the boys wanted to take Typing Class. For starters, the Typing teacher was THE prettiest, sexiest and nicest woman in our school. She was the wife of the head basketball coach and both of them were very popular with the entire school, staff and students alike. The other thing that made all the boys want to take Typing was, of course, that all the GIRLS did. In Typing I we all learned on Royal manual typewriters. Then, in Typing II (yes, we ALL took it a second year!) we switched to IBM Selectrics. By the end of that second year I was doing 60 to 65 words per minute. Later, in the Navy, my typing ability earned me the privilege of being the clerk typist for my A School and kept me from having to stand watches. Even later, in college, I was able to type all my own theme and term papers, while others were having to pay to have theirs done. When PC's came along, I was a step ahead of most, still being able to touch-type at about 60 wpm.
Taking Typing classes was the best thing I ever did in High School!
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