1930s era typewriter that accompanied Australian journalist Ron Boland through his journalistic career, a Remington Portable - State Library of South Australia (on loan from Jasin Boland)
Ron Boland played an important role in the expansion and maturation of Australian newspaper journalism in the 20th century — in the era before Rupert Murdoch, mostly – though Boland worked for Murdoch and could be said to have created the style that made Murdoch rich — in an era when newspapers still set the pace of the Information Age. He retired in 1977, the year Altair was a top computer name, the year RadioShack almost got the TRS-80 to market, the year Jobs and Wozniak started work on the Apple II (before Macintosh).
For nearly 50 years, this typewriter was the peak of technology, for a world class journalist.
Boland’s life and timeline could make for some interesting projects or study assignments — see Boland’s campaign for topless swimming on Australia’s beaches. Topless swimming for men.
Boland’s work is probably mostly invisible to American students, but it should provide some good enrichment for students of world history.
The case for Australian journalist Ron Boland's Remington Portable typewriter, testifying to the globe trotting done by the typewriter, and Boland. State Library of South Australia
Resources
- Teachers kit for learning activities from the Boland exhibit
- Below the fold, the Texas connection
From March to October 1978, after his formal retirement in Australia, Ron Boland was a consultant for the Publisher’s Office at the San Antonio Express-News in Texas. He was presented with this certificate, an honorary rank of Admiral in the Texas Navy.
Ronald Boland's commission as Honorary Admiral in the Texas Navy
Texas last had a navy in 1845, prior to its admission to the union of United States.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
[…] way back when I was in grade 4. It was our neighbor’s–a verrrrry old 1930s model (like this) which was obviously so frustrating and difficult to use. I’m not even sure why I even tried […]
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