In a later episode of “Foyle’s War” – an excellent historical (WWII England home front) and murder mystery show – a main female character, Samantha, was being walked through her new job area. She was to be the assistant/secretary/driver for the main character, Chief Inspector Foyle. As an established secretary walks Sam through a room full of secretaries, showing her to her desk, she throws in a “How many wpm’s (words per minute) can you manage?” Sam answers, “Oh, I expect I can manage 20.” The established typist gives her a look as my brain stops mid-show. What? Really? Only 20 wpm??? Anyone who’s taken a typing/computer class knows 20 wpm is pretty measly for a secretarial type position (even for some two-finger typists, lol!). If she hadn’t come with the main character (and it wasn’t fiction), she would never have gotten the job. A decent typist should be able to type at least 40 wpm. Great typists can type 80 to 100+ wpm…preferably with no errors.
Now, part of the quirkiness and charm of Sam is that she does not have the best secretarial skills. Even her driving skills – which is what she was originally hired for and mostly does throughout the episodes – are a little squirrely at times (women were just getting into the work force thanks to the war and she was understandably floundering). Still – only 20 wpm? As the show continues, my mind suddenly registers the sound of moving fingers on very loud typewriters. The room of secretaries are typing on the original, hefty typewriters with the shift keys that make your pinky fingers strong enough to do amazing feats. (The shift keys sunk rather low, so it took more effort.) I was fortunate when I took typing back in the 70’s to experience them. Of course, at the time I didn’t feel fortunate, especially as half of the room had the new humming electrical typewriters. We couldn’t wait until our turn to switch to the electric versions. Pretty exciting stuff – and so much easier. They also were very bulky and nowhere near as easy to type on compared to our modern keyboards/computers. So, I’m watching the show and thinking to myself, lol, modernly speaking 20 wpm is slow, but given the machines they were on it’s not as bad as it first seemed.
I’m grateful to have had the experience of going from one century of technology to the next in the span of one class, and then gradually into the ease of the digital age. This helps me to know how people had to function over the years and to recognize the many changes that have taken place. It also helps me to see as how difficult it is for some to learn the new processes – especially since they keep changing so fast! [That’s analog brain vs. digital brain – tough.] This is good, as it helps me to rethink other’s 20 wpm. It just goes to show that we need to stop and look deeper when we find ourselves judging someone else’s skills. Most of us are doing the best we can with what we’ve been given – or not been given. Ease up on those around you and deal with building your own skills instead. You’re the only person you can change, improve, build upon. And you are unique and wonderful and able to learn. Amazing.
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