Open Thread Update: Morse Code, Cursive and other Outdated Skills
In our previous discussion, we explored which life skills have become outdated. It’s evident that after a hypothetical zombie apocalypse, those of us who grew up in a different era will possess unique abilities. We’ll be the ones who can make change, calculate percentages without a calculator, operate a cash register, drive a manual transmission, and tell analog time—among other skills that may seem arcane to younger generations.
I’d hardly consider it a life skill, but I can pin curl my hair….it was also common to see women at the market or running errands wearing scarves over rollers in their hair.
-Ali
When the EMP takes us back to the Stone Age, Ali and the rest of us will still have fabulous hair.
The Three R’s
Many readers mentioned cursive writing, while others recalled using protractors and compasses. Several shared their math skills, reminiscing about how they could easily confound the younger generation.
I encountered a cashier who frowned when I proffered cash at the register because it was too difficult to make change (I’ve seen other youngsters need their phone calculator…)
-Donnal
Readers like Eric W. still rely on their trusty slide rules.
I still have my slide rule from high school and college, and, once in a while when I’m looking for something else in the same desk drawer, I get it out and work a couple of multiplication and division problems. Then I try to remember what I was looking for in the first place….
-Eric W.
Former Kelly Girl Jeanne can type 120 wpm in Gregg shorthand, while others fondly recall diagramming sentences and the joy of receiving handwritten notes. In a different vein, many readers mentioned their ability to read paper maps or use a compass. If civilization collapses, at least we’ll know where to go and how to get there.
The Needle Arts
When the apocalypse arrives, our readers will be warm and well-dressed. Readers like Susan and Pam can knit and crochet; Nancy knows how to use a darning egg, and Pam can expertly turn a shirt collar. Many can hem skirts or repair socks, leaving younger folks out of luck.
Think I’m exaggerating?
I asked the sales clerk for natural fabric. She asked, “What is natural fabric?”
-Jeanne P.
The clerk at Target didn’t know what a thimble was.
-Kinla
REALLY Outdated Skills
My outdated skill is copying Morse code. Back in the 80s, I was in Army Intelligence and was a Morse code interceptor in Berlin, Germany. Not much call for that skill today.
-Ray A.
Reader Annie can hook a rug, while C. Menard can parallel park a car—likely one with a manual transmission—without backup cameras. Susanne D. added a list of outdated skills, including this nostalgic one:
And going way back, playing in my school’s Tonette Band! (Do schools still even have these?)
And the Winner is…
The standout in the Really Outdated Skills Open Thread comes from Nancy, with a comment that every woman our age will recognize:
Putting on a pair of nylons with a girdle/garter belt.
That’s it for now—wasn’t it fun? We’ll keep the comments open for more of your outdated skills because who knows when they’ll come in handy someday!
ORIGINAL COLUMN:
Many years ago, I worked as a switchboard operator at my college. I now smile in recognition when I see a switchboard scene in an old movie—because once, while watching an old film with a younger friend, they asked me what was happening.
Analog Time
Recently, I reflected on other now-useless or obsolete skills when my good friend Susan, a linguistics professor, mentioned telling her students to take a break and return at “a quarter past two.” They all came back at 2:25 PM.
“They thought I meant a quarter, like 25 cents,” she said, “they didn’t understand the analog concept of quarter past the hour.” Later, my brother shared that his son had put a clock in a credenza, and none of his children (the youngest was 12 at the time) could tell the time. Thankfully, my nephew quickly brought them up to speed.
Other Outdated Skills
Is cursive writing on its way out? What about the ability to drive a manual transmission or sew at home? A colleague mentioned a home sewing renaissance, partly due to COVID boredom and partly due to the outrageous prices for clothing made from cheap fabric.
YOUR TURN
What outdated skills and arts do you possess? What skills do you see fading away? Share your thoughts and observations in the comments.
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; she writes frequently on Old School New York City and performs at open mic readings throughout New York City. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
In our previous discussion, we explored which life skills have become outdated. It’s evident that after a hypothetical zombie apocalypse, those of us who grew up in a different era will possess unique abilities. We’ll be the ones who can make change, calculate percentages without a calculator, operate a cash register, drive a manual transmission, and tell analog time—among other skills that may seem arcane to younger generations.
I’d hardly consider it a life skill, but I can pin curl my hair….it was also common to see women at the market or running errands wearing scarves over rollers in their hair.
-Ali
When the EMP takes us back to the Stone Age, Ali and the rest of us will still have fabulous hair.
The Three R’s
Many readers mentioned cursive writing, while others recalled using protractors and compasses. Several shared their math skills, reminiscing about how they could easily confound the younger generation.
I encountered a cashier who frowned when I proffered cash at the register because it was too difficult to make change (I’ve seen other youngsters need their phone calculator…)
-Donnal
Readers like Eric W. still rely on their trusty slide rules.
I still have my slide rule from high school and college, and, once in a while when I’m looking for something else in the same desk drawer, I get it out and work a couple of multiplication and division problems. Then I try to remember what I was looking for in the first place….
-Eric W.
Former Kelly Girl Jeanne can type 120 wpm in Gregg shorthand, while others fondly recall diagramming sentences and the joy of receiving handwritten notes. In a different vein, many readers mentioned their ability to read paper maps or use a compass. If civilization collapses, at least we’ll know where to go and how to get there.
The Needle Arts
When the apocalypse arrives, our readers will be warm and well-dressed. Readers like Susan and Pam can knit and crochet; Nancy knows how to use a darning egg, and Pam can expertly turn a shirt collar. Many can hem skirts or repair socks, leaving younger folks out of luck.
Think I’m exaggerating?
I asked the sales clerk for natural fabric. She asked, “What is natural fabric?”
-Jeanne P.
The clerk at Target didn’t know what a thimble was.
-Kinla
REALLY Outdated Skills
My outdated skill is copying Morse code. Back in the 80s, I was in Army Intelligence and was a Morse code interceptor in Berlin, Germany. Not much call for that skill today.
-Ray A.
Reader Annie can hook a rug, while C. Menard can parallel park a car—likely one with a manual transmission—without backup cameras. Susanne D. added a list of outdated skills, including this nostalgic one:
And going way back, playing in my school’s Tonette Band! (Do schools still even have these?)
And the Winner is…
The standout in the Really Outdated Skills Open Thread comes from Nancy, with a comment that every woman our age will recognize:
Putting on a pair of nylons with a girdle/garter belt.
That’s it for now—wasn’t it fun? We’ll keep the comments open for more of your outdated skills because who knows when they’ll come in handy someday!
ORIGINAL COLUMN:
Many years ago, I worked as a switchboard operator at my college. I now smile in recognition when I see a switchboard scene in an old movie—because once, while watching an old film with a younger friend, they asked me what was happening.
Analog Time
Recently, I reflected on other now-useless or obsolete skills when my good friend Susan, a linguistics professor, mentioned telling her students to take a break and return at “a quarter past two.” They all came back at 2:25 PM.
“They thought I meant a quarter, like 25 cents,” she said, “they didn’t understand the analog concept of quarter past the hour.” Later, my brother shared that his son had put a clock in a credenza, and none of his children (the youngest was 12 at the time) could tell the time. Thankfully, my nephew quickly brought them up to speed.
Other Outdated Skills
Is cursive writing on its way out? What about the ability to drive a manual transmission or sew at home? A colleague mentioned a home sewing renaissance, partly due to COVID boredom and partly due to the outrageous prices for clothing made from cheap fabric.
YOUR TURN
What outdated skills and arts do you possess? What skills do you see fading away? Share your thoughts and observations in the comments.
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; she writes frequently on Old School New York City and performs at open mic readings throughout New York City. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
