I learned to sew on a treadle machine. My mother taught 4-H and many, many girls learned to sew on one of our two treadle machines. She had a black electric singer also. Many of the girls didn't have sewing machines at home. So to allow more girls sewing time, mom set up both treadles, and her electric machine. We all learned on the treadles first. She felt it gave us more control than the electric machines.
I now own one of those family treadles.
Kat