Stratford: The Stories We Tell
By David Wright
Town Historian
In January of 1972, the Town of Stratford leased its first computer, an IBM System 3 Model 6. This computer introduced many small businesses and local government agencies to computing. The System 3 launched the “mini-computer” age of “affordable” computing.
The IBM System 3 required no special air conditioning or humidity control in the room where it was housed. This fact alone was revolutionary, as computers prior to this time required specially built rooms which could be kept very cool and dry. Also, special electrical wiring was required, which could be very costly to install.
Prior to the purchase of the IBM System 3, the Town had been using Burroughs electronic accounting machines. These machines were temperamental, frequently breaking down at the most inopportune times.
The System 3 was purchased with a maintenance contract from IBM. IBM prided itself on maintaining its equipment, and keeping it fully functional during the business hours of any organization deploying one of its new mini-computers.
The IBM System 3 Model 6 was shipped with 4 kilobytes (4,000 bytes) of memory. Compare that to the average smart phone of today which contains 4 gigabytes (4,000,000,000 bytes) of memory, or 1,000,000 times as much memory as the System 3.
The System 3 was normally also shipped with two 13-inch disk platters, one for programs and one for data. At least one of the disks, usually the data disk, was removable. Each disk platter contained 5 megabytes (5,000,000) of storage capacity. Again, the average smart phone of today usually has at least 128 gigabytes (128,000,000,000) of storage capacity (for photos, texts, email, etc.), or 25,600 times as much memory as the System 3.
The System 3 came with the new and novel 96 column punch card (96 bytes), which was about 4 by 4 inches in size. The original IBM computer card was an 80 column card, which measured about 9 by 4 inches. The punch card was the method used to enter data and programming instructions into the System 3.
The IBM System 3 also included a belt chain printer, which was capable of printing between 100 and 200 132 column lines of print per minute. The average laser printer of today usually prints 20 or more pages per minute.
The Town had major improvement plans, which the IBM System 3 was to enable in January, 1972.
The Stratford Bard
January 20, 1972
Stratford enters computer age
…Called “the smaller business computer” by IBM, the System3 is supposed to put “a computer within reach of the smaller company that didn’t think it could afford a computer.” For $1200 a month ($9,200 in 2025 dollars), the “smaller Company” of Stratford, Connecticut will be leasing an IBM System 3.
The benefits in using a computer are primarily those of speed, accuracy, and convenience. The System 3…is looked upon as the machine which will enable the Town to handle a host of bookkeeping problems.
One of those is in payroll, an area which will receive the first computer treatment. Much of the current payroll for the Town employees is done by hand, using the assistance of business machines which have a disturbing tendency to break down. In fact, one of the reasons IBM was chosen over its competitors was the strong belief that the IBM service bureau could handle difficulties quicker and more efficiently than the company which produced most of the equipment which is now being used.
After the payroll has been successfully computerized, the next emphasis will be on programming the tax receipts and billing. One aim of modernizing the tax system is to get the tax checks deposited in banks more quickly so that they can begin to earn interest. According to Miss Gloria Minie, Assistant Director of Finance, the Town might be able to earn between $20,000 and $30,000 per year in increased interest if it is able to process the tax checks quicker, and put the money to work earning interest before it is spent.
One significant savings will be the eventual elimination of an $8500 annual bill, which is paid to a service bureau to computerize the Grand List, the tax bills, and the tax rate book.
To be in charge-of the new IBM System 3, the Town has hired a trained computer programmer, Don Marchetti of Trumbull. Marchetti has begun work here, and hopes to familiarize himself with the operations of Stratford to be ready to move ahead rapidly when the computer actually arrives this spring.
When the computer does finally arrive, the Town hopes to eventually put it to work as a data storage and retrieval unit available to the Welfare Dept., the Police, the schools, and all other Town agencies concerned with data storage.
At the beginning of the Stratford Computer Age, however, work will be confined to an efficient computerizing of the Town payroll and, after that, attention will be given to other areas of operation.
Ahh! The computer age!
