[BP2]

It’s not like they had a central computer database in 1961 with data entry terminals at each clerk’s desk.

Gosh Brown-eye,

It's amazing those cavemen in the "Stupid Ages" — before the the Personal Computer was invented — were able to get by.

However, IBM invented the Standard 5081 punched card in 1928, based from a format used by the US 1890 Census ... which, in turn, were based upon various punched cards before it, including punched cards first used around 1725 for controlling textile looms in France.

The Army routinely used punched card to send data back and forth between Hawaii and the mainland before the Pearl Harbor attack. The State of Hawaii government also used punched cards to track data — especially information such as "birth certificates" — necessary during the exponential population explosion going on the islands following WWII.

Magnetic tape became into use in 1952.

IN FACT, Hawaii Act 31 in 1962 financed the development of three computer centers to augment and consolidate existing computer data processing needs of all State of Hawaii agencies.

So, yes, they had ways to computer track and manage birth certificates, death certificates and other vital statistic documents back in the 1960s and before.

[BuckeyeTexan]

You’re deliberately taking my words out of context. I specifically said the clerks at the registrar’s office likely didn’t have data entry terminals at each of their desks.

Yes, of course they probably had a mainframe for the master filesystem. I seriously doubt the clerks were punching cards though.

You’re ridiculous.