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Why Typing Class Beat Early Computer Class (Hands Down)

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If you were a student in the ’80s or ’90s, you probably remember the distinctive click-clack of typewriter keys in your high school typing class. the class had a rhythm. It was a challenge, and it was fun, because each class meant that you could try to beat your previous words-per-minute best. By contrast, early computer classes often felt like staring into the abyss of a DOS screen, waiting for commands that made little to no sense. Let's take a look at why typing class beats computer class hands-down.

The Typing Class Experience

Typing class taught real, tangible skills. Students learned proper finger placement, quick keystrokes, and how to type without constantly looking down at the keyboard. There was also an unexpected bonus for being able to type fast or accurately or both, and that bonus was called confidence. As your speed improved, so did your sense of accomplishment.

  • Mini Anecdote: I remember Mrs. Thompson timing us on Fridays. The click-clack of the typewriters echoed through the classroom. Hitting 50 words per minute felt like winning an Olympic medal, and the kids who hit 80 words per minute, we knew they'd go far in life!
  • Typing tests were gamified in a way that made schoolwork feel like a challenge, not a chore.
  • Even punctuation and numbers were drilled, giving students a surprisingly robust skill set.

Fun Fact: Some schools even included exotic characters like @ and # long before email and social media existed, and unbeknownst to the students, they were learning the symbols of the future without realizing it.

The First Computer Classes

Then came the early computer classes. You might remember the computer classes from the 1980s or 90s, but the first computer classes were actually held in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania´s Moore School of Electrical Engineering, where lectures were given five days a week on the theory and techniques for the design of electronic computers. However, it wasn't long before word processors entered the computing scene. Two of the earliest digital word processors were WordStar and WordPerfect. I remember using WordPerfect. It was a clunky program that required an amazing amount of keystrokes if you needed to revise something at the top of the "page". We used it to write and format our high school newspaper articles.

And the problems were annoying and endless:

  • One wrong keystroke? Error.
  • Slow typing → slow processing → slow reward.
  • Exercises often involved mind-numbing copying or following instructions from a teacher who barely understood the system themselves.

(Typing class: thrilling. Computer class: the blinking cursor of intense boredom.)

  • Mini Anecdote: I spent 10 minutes trying to get a single command to work on WordPerfect. By the time it finally ran, half the class had moved on or given up entirely.

Historical Note: Early computer classes were experimental and optional in many schools. They were seen as futuristic but didn’t have the structure or immediate feedback of typing drills, making them feel more like trial-and-error exercises than skill-building.

 

Why Typing Class Won

Typing class combined skill-building with fun, which made students actually want to attend. Early computer classes were frustrating and slow. Typing gave immediate gratification; DOS gave endless blinking cursors.

  • Students could measure improvement weekly and brag about it. (AKA: Last week, I could type 30 words per minute, and this week, I can type 40 per minute.)
  • The rhythm of the typewriter keys was satisfying in a way no early computer program could match.
  • Typing built a foundation for all future digital writing, even long after typewriters disappeared.

Cultural Context

Schools valued typing for career prep, secretarial work, and literacy support. Typing was practical, immediate, and measurable. Computer classes were optional, experimental, and often left teachers and students frustrated.

Fun Observation: Typing class was seen as “the serious skills class,” while computer class was more a “mess around with technology and hope it works” class. No one really took it seriously, even though it was purported to be the wave of the future... Well, how were we to know that within a few years, we'd be carrying around the equivalent of a 1960s supercomputer in our pockets?

Reader Engagement Prompt

Think back: which did you prefer? The click-clack of typewriters or the blinking DOS screens? Did you ever master the speed drills or survive a frozen WordPerfect screen?

The Takeaway

Typing class wasn’t just nostalgia. It taught a lasting, useful skill while keeping students engaged. Early computer classes paved the way for today’s technology, but few remember them fondly. Your fingers learned speed, accuracy, and rhythm long before modern keyboards and apps, giving you a subtle edge even now.

  • Mini Tip: If you still type slowly today, blame it on the lack of weekly timed drills!
  • Next time your fingers fly over a keyboard, remember the lessons of your typing class and maybe chuckle at the blinking DOS prompts that made early computer classes such a trial.

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