This phenomenon of collective false memory is so fascinating. I had not heard of this documentary but it sounds so weirdly up my alley! Thanks for putting it in my radar.
Sometimes I remember the wonderful episode of Dick Van Dyke when the cast sang "Alan Brady, Alan Brady" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHByjZhFR8), and it plays in my head for a while. Maybe now I'll mix it up with "Mavis Beacon, Mavis Beacon," which will sound at least as good.
Good story. I taught myself to type, which is why I still can't type, but I wish I had known about this. It was probably already too late for me. A side note regarding the little boy on the package: "Mavis" might have been a successful businesswoman, but the odds are that she would not have been walking along holding a little white boy's hand unless she were his governess or something of that nature. Which "demotes" her a bit. No? Too paranoid?
Love this! I don't remember even knowing about Mavis Beacon, as I taught myself to type and improved my time and accuracy in high school typing class. I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary, of course!
Fascinating. I remember the initial ad from the early days of my 1st IBM PC. Being in the UK I just assumed this was some typing star of whom I had never heard. The whole idea of such a figure seemed very US. I couldn’t imagine such a person in the UK. That she was black seemed fair enough: just one more hyper-efficient secretary. I did, not I intended to take the course, wonder what her USP might be.
This phenomenon of collective false memory is so fascinating. I had not heard of this documentary but it sounds so weirdly up my alley! Thanks for putting it in my radar.
Sometimes I remember the wonderful episode of Dick Van Dyke when the cast sang "Alan Brady, Alan Brady" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHByjZhFR8), and it plays in my head for a while. Maybe now I'll mix it up with "Mavis Beacon, Mavis Beacon," which will sound at least as good.
Good story. I taught myself to type, which is why I still can't type, but I wish I had known about this. It was probably already too late for me. A side note regarding the little boy on the package: "Mavis" might have been a successful businesswoman, but the odds are that she would not have been walking along holding a little white boy's hand unless she were his governess or something of that nature. Which "demotes" her a bit. No? Too paranoid?
It's definitely odd!
Love this! I don't remember even knowing about Mavis Beacon, as I taught myself to type and improved my time and accuracy in high school typing class. I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary, of course!
Fascinating. I remember the initial ad from the early days of my 1st IBM PC. Being in the UK I just assumed this was some typing star of whom I had never heard. The whole idea of such a figure seemed very US. I couldn’t imagine such a person in the UK. That she was black seemed fair enough: just one more hyper-efficient secretary. I did, not I intended to take the course, wonder what her USP might be.