Teletype Corp.,"chad," B. Popik

[Gerald Cohen]

   Earlier today I posted an e-mail I had received Mr. Chris Jensen
and commented that his mention of "The Teletype Corporation" might
furnish a lead as to who introduced "chad" into telegraphy jargon.

    I just noticed that Barry Popik had already drawn attention to the
Teletype Corporation a month ago. So Jensen's information jibes with
Barry's and brings the date of Teletype usage back to 1952, while
Barry had already taken the lead a step further (recommending that
authors Adams and Butler be contacted).

---Gerald Cohen

>Date:         Sun, 3 Dec 2000 23:03:02 EST
>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>From: Bapopik at AOL.COM
>Subject:      Teletype Corp. & "Chad"
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>    Try Teletype Corp.?
>    Several ads for the Teletype Corp. ran in BUSINESS AUTOMATION.
>One ad, July 1961, pg. 61:  "Tape Readers--Will read chadless or
>fully perforated tape. (...) Teletype Corporation manufactures this
>equipment for the Bell System and others who require the utmost
>reliability from their data communications facilities."
>    Teletype Corp. was a subsidiary of Western Electric Co., Inc.
>(now Lucent Technologies--or whatever).  Its address was 555 Touhy
>Avenue, Skokie, Illinois.  I have no idea when Teletype Corp.
>started, but Western Electric was around for a long while.
>    For further information on Teletype and "chad," perhaps someone
>can get in touch with Stephen B. Adams & Orville R. Butler, authors
>of MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE: A HISTORY OF WESTERN ELECTRIC
>(Cambridge University Press, 1999).
>
>MISC.
>
>August 1961, BUSINESS AUTOMATION, pg. 50.  Systematics tape punch
>has a "jam-proof chad disposal box."
>
>October 1961, BUSINESS AUTOMATION, pg. 6, col. 1 ad for Avery Label Company:
>4.  Clean punched pin-feed holes--no "confetti."
>5.  No bent edges or "dog-ears."