On Returning to Correct-o-types

Fall 2002

I made a discovery yesterday--a discovery that did not altogether surprise me; mistakes get better with age.  For about thirty years I have been carrying around an envelope containing what I have simple referred to as "correct-o-types"--these are those small sheets of correction paper of sheets that "lift off" the mistakes made by a typist on a conventional typewriter. (Although these sheets actually lifted of and covered up simultaneously--part of their charm worth discussing later).  There were indeed many different styles, shapes, and sizes, not to mention their relatives, the correction cartridge made popular by  the Smith-Corona (though awkward for this typist to use).  Ultimately, however, the IBM Selectric was the Mercedes of typewriters providing the built-in correction key--kind of equivalent to today's navigational systems offered in some high-end vehicles.  Of course, all of this became moot (or invisible) with the personal computer and "word processing."  Now our mistakes disappear without a trace--in fact, if one is not careful, a correction can now be made by accident; a deleted item by mistake.  Before much labor went into the removal of unwanted letters, words, expressions, "typos"--now we sit and often debate with our computer over the word sequence or choice we have made.  I can't even type e.e.cummings without feeling guilty about the red line beneath his name.