First Typewriter

June 23, 2009

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Profile America — Tuesday, June 23rd. The keyboard on your computer owes a lot to a man you probably have never heard of — Luther Sholes of Milwaukee. On this day in 1868, he received a patent for the first practical typewriter. Its acceptance was slow, and for several decades, many people considered receiving a typewritten letter to be slightly insulting. But as machines improved, the time saved over handwriting all correspondence became clear. The need for skilled typists allowed many women to first enter the world of professional business. In the 1950s, about a quarter of all high school students took typing classes. Now, nearly three-quarters of adults use a computer at school, work or at home, where typing is an important skill. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 326
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 377
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1121
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html