 |
| Note to self |
It seems that the Department of Education in Indiana believes hand-writing is becoming redundant, stating that it will no longer require public schools to teach cursive (joined-up) writing, expecting students to become proficient in keyboard use instead.
I have no problem with the keyboard part. Having been sent on a secretarial course when I left school and learning to touch-type has been one of the singularly most useful pieces of education I have received in my life.
The idea of my children and their generation being unable to write a letter or a birthday card, without it looking like it's been written by a monkey, makes me sad though.
For me, hand-writing is an extension of self. I think slightly differently when I'm writing by hand. I tend to think before I write, rather than splurge it all on the page as I'm doing now.
A generation of
graphologists will find themselves unemployable. Detectives will be one clue down in their endeavours to track criminals. "Billets doux" will be a thing of the past.
The people in Indiana have clearly failed to think this through.
I can't claim to be an expert in hand-writing, I just like doing it, but here's a potted history with thanks to
Lauren Marshall's article for the Columbia News.
Secretary hand was developed in the 15th century from medieval court hand and was used for informal writing throughout the 16th and, in various forms, right up to the 19th century.
 |
| A Booke Containing Divers Sortes of Hands, as Well the English as French Secretarie with the Italian, Roman, Chancelry & Court Hands, Jean de Beauchesne. London: 1570 |
When I worked in the past with the most brilliant lettering artist, Bob Stradling, (who is now retired and has sadly closed down his website), he very generously gave me some tips and guided me in the direction of classic guides for Penmanship from the 19th century. The best of these was
"The Universal Penman" and
"Penmanship Made Easy" by George Bickham.
 |
| An example of George Bickham's English roundhand lettering skills |
It's been said that one of the most important penmen of this period, Platt Rogers Spencer, picked up his art from the observation of nature.
In more recent times, and with the advent of education for all, hand-writing was taught in schools. Austin Palmer's approach was to enable children to write more clearly and with less effort. He introduced his method in 1888 and it became the standard in schools for many years.
I remember vividly the arduous task of learning to write and was quite interested to come across this image of the D'Nealian (a distant relation perhaps?) handwriting system, developed in the 1970's.
 |
| D'Nealian Handwriting Readiness for Preschoolers: Book 1, Donald Deal Thurber. Illinois: c1987 |
Several hand-writing styles since, I have settled for my own distinctive scrawl. It's become more scratchy and hurried over the years (probably a reflection of my developing personality!), but it's mine.
I hope we don't follow Indiana's example. Keep on writing!!!!
