How far we have come - a 1949 iPad

When I was a kid there was barely television. You could outrun the cops and get away. You could drop out and really be out. When we were in school we had strict teachers and we watched a 16 mm movie in the auditorium once in a while (if we were lucky). You could die if you fell asleep in the school bus and you ate what your mother packed in your lunchbox.

 So I came across this Whoo's Whoo bird teaching, electric board. I vaguely remember something like this from 3rd grade growing up on the east end of Long Island. I think that it might have been heavily used by the time I saw it but it looks strangely familiar. Basically this "teaching tool" is a picture on a piece of plywood with some wires, a battery and some lights to quiz and reward kids. I don't specifically remember seeing this particular wonder of technology but it must have thrilled kids in the 40's and all the way through the early 60's. It was state of the art.

 The tag says that it was designed by the Museum of Science in Boston MA. The museum is still going strong and I searched their archives to see if there was a reference to this cool article of history but I came up with nothing. If anyone knows anything about this or remembers seeing it in action please let me know. 

 The back of the board has has wires, probes and a battery holder. It was definitely made in a homemade style but mass produced - probably about 25 of them were ever made. 

The craftsmanship reeked of world war two styled stuff and it is clear that it was built by a person that had some science or electronics background. The battery box at the top of the back was framed in pine. The "answer probes" were ripped off from a meter or perhaps some WW II salvage/left over materials. 

Really rugged and so tough it has lasted into the year 2014 still in working condition, Not like the plastic relics created in the middle 60's and through the 90's.

It appears that the objective was to match the screw and grommet next to the picture of the bird with the screw and grommet next to the name of the bird. The front of the teaching tool had two lights that were wired to light up if the correct association was made between the two.

I can hear the giggles and roars of my classmates to this day while looking at this relic of better times. 

Simple times! A couple of batteries, some plywood, bird pictures and a room full of screaming kids. Pretty cool.

A close up of the probe. Definitely vintage electronics when compared to an iPhone or an Xbox.

I think that even if you are a recent actor on the stage of life with all of your fancy stuff you can appreciate the simplicity of this device. Kids were drawn in by the "technology" and the awe of magic flashing lights just like they are today with the magic of precision electronics and manufacturing. This was the iPad of 1949.