This cursive letter written by a child in 1873 is probably a handwriting assignment for school. I think it is such a shame cursive isn't taught now. I went to a birthday party last week for a 9 year old neighbor who said she couldn't read cursive. Penmanship lessons were my favorite when I was in grammar school. I loved dipping the pen into the ink and doing those continuous ovals!
I have posted about handwriting in the past. This old post contains many helpful links to help kids learn this dying art. CLICK HERE.
19 comments:
What gorgeous penmanship!
In France, kids barely learn how to print, and they start doing cursive. Handwriting is very important--people think you can judge character on it.
And signatures are like personal logos. People really work on developing it. No John Hancocks here. Instead, they go for an illegible but distinctive design.
In third or fourth grade the student with the best penmanship that week got to write the spelling list on the board. I WANTED it so badly--and now, people stop and look on in wonder as I write checks at the DMV or the bank.
Lovely handwriting is good exercise for the hand/brain connection. Kids in their 20's and 30's can't write their own names. Can't spell. And have no concept of math. At least the ones I work alongside. But they can fix my cell phone.
When I started 3rd grade my teacher asked me is your father Frank R----? I said yes. She informed me she was his 3rd grade teacher and I wouldn't get out of her class if my handwriting looked anything like his did. She had been his teacher too.
So for months everyday after school I spent and hour with that old witch. I hated her with a passion. Today, she is the only teacher I ever had I would like to thank. I won every penmanship award (every year)until I got out of grammar school. Later in art school I studied calligraphy with a master! Queen Elizabeth's calligrapher came to study under my teacher for a couple of weeks. That was long before I had him for a teacher though.
I remember my boss in a graphic design firm complaining that his signature was too legible. He worked at making it less so.
Linda Sand -- I guess it's never too late to improve your signature.
xo, Rosemary
Catherine...You should write a book, "Adventures in Handwriting" would be a good title. What a story you have. xo, Rosemary
Joanne S -- I know what you mean about really smart people not being able to spell. I don't know too much about their handwriting though but boy can they text fast! It's good to know someone who can fix your phone.
xo, Rosemary
francetaste -- I have been told that cursive isn't being taught here in public school. I am not sure if that is nationwide What a pity. France has the right idea. I also think penmanship is important.
xo, Rosemary
Excellent at spelling, sentence construction, grammar, but my handwriting/penmanship was horrid, no matter how hard I tried! I do so love to read beautiful script. My late mother's handwriting was beautiful, God rest her cotton socks.
Lisa D.
Rosemary,I do believe that you have opened the proverbial can of worms. I live in Northern CA and have heard that cursive will no longer be taught in the Public Schools. Shameful! I grew up in the Midwest where we had to strive for a PalmerMethod certificate to leave 8th Grade!
Annette -- All the schoolwork is centered around the computer. Typing is the new cursive. Sad but true. I grew up with the Palmer Method too!
xo, Rosemary
lisa -- we can't be good at everything!
xo, Rosemary
In South Carolina, a law was passed a year or so ago making cursive handwriting and memorization of multiplication tables mandatory. The story behind it goes something like this: a grandmother wrote her grandson a birthday card and he could not read it. The grandfather was in the SC Senate. Anyway, I am very happy that it is law here.
Donna -- That's the best story ever. Hooray for South Carolina. The child at the birthday party I attended last week said she had a really hard time trying to read the cursive on her cards too. I hope other states will follow.
Thanks for the post.
xo, Rosemary
I agree, Hooray for South Carolina. I struggled in school with handwriting, mine was never the best or consistent but it wasn't the worst either. My grands can't read my script but then they probably can't read anyone's script. I continue to write and mail notes via snail mail, I think a handwritten thank you is timeless and always appreciated. I love getting a note in the mail, who doesn't? I believe that not to far in the future historical researchers will have to take a class in script reading so that they will be able to research material in archives and libraries.
The Queen Vee -- Victoria, I was just thinking about the many disadvantages of not being able to read script in adulthood. Being an archivist will never be an option. I can just see a CEO at a board meeting looking at proposals and confessing, "I can't read cursive." This is really a serious problem for today's youth. My own handwriting is now a quirky combination of printing and script but it's highly legible.
xo, Rosemary
DEAR READERS --
I have added a link for one of my old posts on handwriting. It contains many helpful links to help kids learn cursive.
http://contentinacottage.blogspot.com/2009/01/today-is-national-handwriting-day-and.html
Just click on the link within my blog.
xo, Rosemary
Two years in a row, when we had a graduation party with our church for the graduating seniors, there were graduates who could not read the comments on their cards because they were written in cursive. Ridiculous and sad!
Nyla -- I am sorry to hear this. Yes, it's sad that after 12 years of school, the graduates cannot read cursive. This is going to turn out to be a real handicap for them for the rest of their lives. So very sad.
xo, Rosemary
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