ASCII was started in 1960. A terminal then would have been a mostly-mechanical teletype (keyboard and printer, possibly with paper tape reader/punch), without much by way of "circuit logic". Think of it more as a bit caused a physical shift of a linkage to do something like hit the upper or lower part of a hammer, or a separate set of hammers for the same remaining bits.
Look at the Teletype ASR-33, introduced in 1963.
Yes, that's true ASR-33 was first application, but IBM has impact on ANSI/ASA comeete and ASCII standardisation. In 1963 IBM System/360 was using BCD with digits quick "parse" and in it's peripherals. I remember it from some interview with old IBM tech employee ;)