Maintenance of Office Machines

This instructional film, likely produced in the 1940s for office staff training, provides a practical guide to caring for essential workplace tools during an era of manual technology. Filmed in black-and-white, it opens with a montage of office machines—typewriters clacking, dictaphones whirring, adding machines clicking, and calculators humming—before diving into maintenance routines. A narrator, possibly with a clipped wartime cadence, details steps to protect against “enemies on the office front”: dust, dirt, and carelessness. Scenes show a technician wiping typewriter keys with a soft cloth, oiling levers, and covering machines after use. Transcribing machines and dictaphones get similar treatment—cleaning playback heads and checking belts—while adding machines and calculators are brushed free of debris and tested for smooth operation. Visuals emphasize precision: aligning typewriter carriages, replacing worn ribbons, and storing equipment properly. Aimed at clerks or secretaries, it reflects the 1940s’ reliance on durable, repairable machines, urging diligence to sustain productivity amid wartime shortages or postwar recovery.