A 1930’s ROYAL MANUAL TYPEWRITER was recently given to the CVT by one of our friends. We were told it was used at the CVT during the Stewart’s ownership of the paper. It’s easy to imagine Eugene and Gladys Stewart, or one of their employees, using it to compose editorials and articles prior to typesetting.

Pictured above – a 1930’s vintage Royal typewriter ad.

If you haven’t used a manual typewriter lately, you should give it a try. In order to operate a typewriter like this one, you must type “in rhythm” to avoid jamming the keys. A specific amount of force, and knowing the split second to release the keys are also required skills. Clerks and secretaries in business offices of the mid-20th century obviously had tired fingers at the end of the day.

This typewriter still works well despite being almost 90 years old. Will any computer today last that long? We think not.