Picturing the Past 126: Working at the Celebration

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2011, at 9:23 AM

Employees of The Celebration's entry office in August 1974. (T-G file photo)

It's part of living in Shelbyville for many: Working at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

From parking cars to selling tickets to cleaning the grounds, the days leading up to the final Saturday night become busy.

Here employees of the Celebration entry office sign up an unnamed exhibitor on Aug. 13, 1974 the old-fashioned way -- with typewriters and adding machines. From left are Ethel Lee White, Martha Himes, Susan Renegar and Katherine Potts.

Picturing the Past is featured regularly in this blog. Reader contributions are welcome.

Comments
Showing most recent comments first
[Show in chronological order instead]

Does anyone remember the comptometer? I took a course in comptometer at Draughon's Business College years ago but I never used it and I never knew of the comptometer becoming popular. That was like the math that was taught in the 60's or early 70' on the base 7. I never was able to grasp that and as far as I know it was never used.

-- Posted by Poksalad on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 2:05 PM

Notice the lever on the side? They weren't electric either, when you entered your numbers you had to pull the lever back to enter and advance the paper. This was more modern than most, the one we used had a row of about ten l's thru 9's and a handle to turn left or right to do multiplication, as well as addition and subtraction, which was a calculator. I don't recall either doing division.

-- Posted by walrite on Thu, Aug 25, 2011, at 1:11 PM

Where's the flat screen computer monitors? lol

-- Posted by Tim Lokey on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 8:31 AM

Katherine Potts was the wife of J. Ivan Potts, Jr. of Stewart-Potts fame.

-- Posted by leeiii on Wed, Aug 17, 2011, at 1:34 PM

It is amazing just how far electronics has advanced since 1974. Pictured is a 10 key calculator. Today calculators that can perform many more functions can easily be held in the palm of your hand, and they are much faster as well.

-- Posted by leeiii on Wed, Aug 17, 2011, at 1:32 PM

David Melson

- Recent posts
- Archives
- Blog RSS feed

- Comments RSS feed

- Login

David Melson is a copy editor and staff writer for the Times-Gazette.

Hot topics

Picturing the Past 184: Hootenanny lineup
(8 ~ 9:36 AM, May 24)

Picturing the Past 92: Stopping by Parks-Belk
(20 ~ 6:57 PM, May 14)

"Ag-gag" bill full of problems
(1 ~ 9:26 PM, May 13)

Picturing the Past 183: Square in 1965
(10 ~ 11:09 AM, May 7)

Speeding drivers on the loose
(8 ~ 10:06 PM, Apr 27)

Home