An article in today’s paper gave me pause. Cursive handwriting has one foot in the grave.
Remember this paper? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A debate wages as 45 states adopt school curriculum guidelines for 2014 that exclude cursive handwriting, but do require keyboard proficiency by the time students exit elementary school.
You can read the full article here, but some highlights are:
“ . . . it has teachers and students divided over the value of learning flowing script and looping signatures in the age of touchpads and mobile devices. Some see it as a waste of time, an anachronism in a digitized society where even signatures are electronic, but others see it as necessary so kids can hone fine motor skills, reinforce literacy, and develop their own unique stamp of identity.”
“When a kid can text 60 words a minute, that means we’re headed in a different direction. Cursive is becoming less important.”
“School assignments are required to be typed, and any personal note, such as thank yous and birthday cards are emails.”
“It’s not necessary to write in cursive. Whatever you write in, you say the same thing.”
“For kids, the only practical purpose for learning cursive may be to sign their name.”
Hmmm . . . I struggle with this on several levels.
Call me old-school, a fuddy-duddy, or stick-in-the-mud, but I think kids should learn the fine art of cursive handwriting. Why? Just because.
The days of handwritten letters are gone. I get that. However, I miss when letters were lovingly written on beautiful stationery and then bundled together with a satin ribbon and saved in a satin box. I have dozens of letters my mom, uncle, and grandmother exchanged before the electronic age. They are treasures. Some of these letters are 70 years old. I can hold them in my hand, see their personality in their handwriting, and read them when I am feeling nostalgic.
Now, we email, text, Tweet, and FaceBook Grandma rather than sending her a note on linen stationery and signed with a flourish. Maybe electronic notes will be saved in a file on Grandma’s computer, but do you think that years from now the next generation will consider a typed message as part of their legacy? Besides, technology will have advanced to such a degree that my grandkids won’t be able to open old word.docx files.
My husband and I insisted that our kids wrote their thank you notes in cursive. They cursed the cursive, but acquiesced after we tied them to the chair until the notes were properly written. Don’t worry, Child Protective Services never knocked on our door.
I recently showed the girls some of the thank you notes they wrote my folks. It was fun for them to read that Grandma gave them pink Barbie pajamas for Christmas in 1992. But it meant more to them that Grandma cared enough about their notes to save them. Can’t save a text message in a satin box.
If Shakespeare wrote his sonnets in block letters or on his iPad, some of the magic would have been lost.
I guess I am lamenting the loss of two things here . . . the art of letter writing and cursive handwriting.
Where do you stand on the demise of cursive handwriting? Is it dead, or should the patient be saved?
I mean it.
Robin Coyle 
hOur site offers a wide variety of non prescription drugs. Visit our health portal in case you want to strengthen your health with a help of generic supplements. Our company offers supreme quality non prescription products. Take a look at our health contributing website in case you want to feel better. Our company offers herbal health products. Look at our health contributing site in case you want to feel better. Our site offers a wide variety of non prescription drugs. Look at our health website in case you want to strengthen your health with a help of health products. Our company offers safe general health products. Take a look at our health contributing site in case you want to feel better. Our company provides herbal supplements. Take a look at our health contributing portal in case you want to strengthen your health.
Our company provides a wide variety of non prescription drugs. Look at our health portal in case you want to to improve your health. Our company provides herbal health and related products. Visit our health contributing website in case you want to feel healthier. Our site offers a wide variety of non prescription drugs. Visit our health site in case you want to to feel healthier with a help of health products. Our company provides a wide variety of non prescription products. Take a look at our health website in case you want to feel better with a help health products. Our company provides a wide variety of non prescription drugs. Take a look at our health website in case you want to look healthier with a help health products.
I will always love a handwritten letter or even a note. They bring with it a part of the writer. Something personal that connects the reader to the writer. A sense that you can almost feel it and hear it, apart from the contents, from the texture, smell, the crimps and folds of the paper used, by the strokes of the pen, the ink blots and the weight of each of the written letters. These are things a keyboard cannot replicate.
Pingback: Cursive handwriting…an art of the past? | The Chapel
Sometimes when a book is written in cursive, it’s tiring for my eyes (my eyes aren’t the best). But I still LOVE cursive and have been writing it since kindergarten.
I have only just seen this post after the link in your most recent one. It’s interesting that cursive writing is being phased in America. Here in Australia we have a new national curriculum and in English, one of the strands is handwriting. My year threes are beside themselves with excitement at learning cursive this year. It makes them feel so grown up. It’s interesting seeing them develop their personal style too.
I couldn’t wait to learn how to write in cursive when I was a kid. Before it was formally taught in school I made up my own version. Then, my teacher had to break me of my style when it came time to learn the real thing. Thanks for hopping over for a peek at this post!
I always tell my students to wait until I teach them the correct way before they try their own version. That way they don’t develop bad habits.
My teacher should have thought of that.
Pingback: Death of a Mailman | Robin Coyle
I am late reading. I know, but here I am. I would love to see cursive handwriting stay around. in the school district where I substitute teach on some Fridays, teachers still teach cursive handwriting. I write in cursive handwriting when I am in a certain mood as a writer or just recording a note. I don’t think about it. What if someone could not read it?
You are right about future generations. They will not be able to open the documents have now. My husband was complaining the other day because he still had important information saved to a floppy disk from many years ago.
Hopefully, some schools will keep it around.
Never too late to hop on the comment train!
Someone commented here that in the future, there will be a branch or archeology devoted to decoded ancient writings on floppy disks, jump drives, and CD ROMs. Just like hieroglyphics on pyramid walls. Funny to think about.
I am in my late teenage years, and do write and love cursive. I use it as my primary style of writing in my school notebooks, and print Math formulas. By doing so, I found that notetaking has been very effective for me. Hence, I argue that cursive remains vital for all.
I love hearing that young folks value cursive writing. And you are right . . . note taking is more efficient in cursive. I have to say tho . . . note taking in college ruined my penmanship! In trying to keep up with the professors, my writing turned to mere chicken scratches.
Pingback: Funny Signs « Robin Coyle
I love writing in cursive, but that is just my preferance. Schools should continue to teach cursive so that students can pick whatever form of writing suits them.
And I agree! Kids still learn math even though we all use calculators!
Robin,
It does not surprise me that most States in the USA have set keyboard skills above handwriting but it is sad. Did you know that some 38 million letters could not be sent in the USA last year because the handwriting was illegible? And Kodak had 400,000 processed films returned because no one could read the handwritten address. So clear handwriting has an economic side. Like you I think careful legible handwriting is fundamental to who we are and how we learn and communicate and it can be pleasurable to write attractively. Bruce
I never thought about the monetary implication of illegible handwriting. Or how about this . . . the gazillions of dollars the postal service is losing because of emails, texting, Facebook, Twitter, etc. And phone companies. Who picks up the phone to actually talk to someone anymore?
Great post! This is a topic that has been on my mind for a while now. Nice job. Congrats on getting “pressed.”
Thanks for stopping by, Marti! The topic of the dying art of cursive writing hit a nerve with lots of people, that is for sure.
Hey there! So I’m 17, and a senior in high school. Although I usually type or print, I think handwriting is really important! I use cursive occasionally. I think children should still learn cursive, and when they are older they can choose to use it or not, like everything they learn in school. Majority of what we learn in school is forgotten, but we still need to learned 50 thousand so vocabulary words (thesaurus) and grammar (spell check) that we’ll never use, it doesn’t change us needing to learn them! Your handwriting looks the same with both hands if one is amputated, handwriting is like a fingerprint, unique. Yes some traditions need to be let go, but others, need to be saved, and I believe cursive is one.
I’m so glad to hear that a senior in high school (you) thinks cursive is still important. You are right . . . everyone’s handwriting is distinctive and says something about their personality, or even their mood. So happy you weighed in ont he debate.
This makes me really… sad! I remember “suffering” through English class and having us to write words for a hundred times in cursive. At that time it was horrific, but there was something fun that came along with it: “the fancy handwriting style.” I cannot believe how cursive is out of the curriculum. It may seem dead, but I will make sure my kids learn cursive even if they have to sleep at 10pm every night just to master it before going to school.
It makes me sad too. I can remember longing to learn how to write like a grown-up and I made up my own version of cursive writing.
Personally, I was traumatized by my third-grade cursive-writing teacher. I had my hand slapped with a ruler, what seemed like a thousand times, simply because of the way I held my pencil. I still remember her name, and the old-lady pin-curl hairstyle she wore. To this day, almost 50 years later, the only thing I render in ‘cursive’ is my signature. I print, exclusively.
But to answer your question, yes, I believe that cursive writing, along with any other kind of handwriting is dead. As a professor at a major university, I soon prohibited my students from turning in anything but word-processed papers. While I do think that penmanship is worthwhile for elementary school students, I’m wasn’t interested in trying to decipher the so-called handwriting, printing or cursive, of university students. Without the benefit of penmanship classes, very few can write legibly.
There are other unforeseen ramifications to this. The other day at the post office, a young man of about 17 years of age approached me with an interesting question. He was mailing a “real, live card” to his mother. The question: Does her address go at the top of the card, or in the middle? He’d always sent her email cards…
Nonetheless, now that I am just a little over the half-century mark, whenever I want to send someone a special message, and make it seem ‘personalized,’ I make it a handwritten message (printed, not cursive). I know this makes me feel ‘special,’ when someone does the same for me.
Not knowing “how to address a real, live card” is worthy of a post in itself! Another lost art.
Several people mentioned the scars (physical and emotional) over being taught how to writing in cursive. Teachers were belligerent about doing it properly, but we still have people who write in chicken scratch. Rulers and the fear of God didn’t give them good penmanship.
Oye
this makes me cringe. Handwriting is unique to each person, it’s personal… it’s a part of a person that makes them live eternally. A stamp in history that says we were each here. Yes, emails and texts have taken over handwritten letters in popularity and ease. But there’s still a magic that is in opening an envelope and finding a note card or letter that’s been handwritten. Oh, and the sweet giddiness that I feel when I get a postcard from someone!
To say that there is no purpose for children to learn cursive other than to sign their name is an encouragement of laziness.
There is a little magic in a handwritten letter. That is why people saved letters and reread them often. Think of the lore our future generations will miss out on now that our communication is mostly electronic and will get lost in cyberspace eventually.
I need to come back to this post just to read all these comments! That’s a good hour of reading!!! What fun. I love the post. I hated cursive writing as a student ( and more as a teacher!) I still can’t write well! I could do a whole post on that, but I agree with your reasoning 100%. There is nothing more precious than a note from a 5 year old just learning to write. I’ll never forget a note written over 35 years ago by one of my kindergarten students. I should scan it. She wrote, “Dear Mrs. Alvord, I Love you very very much. Thank you for being nice. I will miss you. I hope you have a fun vacation LOVE, KELLY Under that was a drawing. She drew the two of us, and she was giving me a flower. The conversation bubble above my head said, “Thank you.” Her bubble said, “You’er wecome.” For years my husband and I said, “You’re wecome” every time the other of us said thank you. You can’t replace that with emails, for sure!! I had to go get the scrap book it was in to write out the entire note. 🙂
That note from your student is precious. Wouldn’t it be fun to find Kelly and give it back to her. She would love that you kept it and she would love to see a glimpse of her childhood.
Slightly off topic . . . I remember the first word I learned how to read and write by myself. “Air.” It was an earth-shaking moment for me and the moment I learned to love to read.
Reblogged this on The Linden Chronicles and commented:
I also miss the lost art of penmanship. The society is changing over to an electronic technology for communication. A great question to raise concerning the shift to a paperless society.
Pingback: So, What’s It Like Being Freshly Pressed, Robin? « Robin Coyle
Pingback: A digital post about handwriting - Eat At Dave's
I am too old-fashioned to let go of cursive handwriting. There is a certain fluidity that cursive writing provides. In fact I write my ideas on paper first and then type into my doc. I find handwritten notes charming. I call my parents everyday and yet I send a card with a page long hand written note on their birthdays and other special occasions, electronic cards just don’t feel that personal and special. I use Script MT bold in MS Word in my personal documents.
What a good daughter (or son?) you are . . . calling every day ant writing birthday letters. Before my mom developed Alzheimer’s she was a great letter writer. Shame on me . . . I would answer her letters by email. I know it would have meant a lot for her to receive a handwritten note. It was faster. She didn’t care about fast. She cared about the personal touch of a handwritten letter. Again, shame on me.
Daughter! I wasn’t always thoughtful, I started writing letters and calling regularly after I turned 20 because I lived far away and used to get a chance to meet them only once or twice a year. This kind of bond between parents and children is very common in India.I am sure it is not suitable for everyone and moreover I do it out of love and not duty. Why ashamed? You should be thankful to have such a wonderful mother and be happy that you acknowledged her letters even if electronically 🙂
I should have known you are a daughter based on your blog’s title. I’m in the mood to write Mom a letter. Thank you for the prompt to do so. It will make her happy.
Happy New Year to you!
That’s nice. Thank you. You too have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!!!
Pingback: The Cybercliff
I write regularly in cursive; I write well in cursive, and, indeed, I have burgeoning fountain pen collection. I dreamt of cursive handwriting ever since I discovered the written language system. Nevertheless, I cannot see why I or anyone else should get his knickers in a twist over how other people choose to write. I am a regular letter writer, and I cannot see a difference in style between what I’ve written in paper or what I’ve dashed off in a word processor.
Despite my obsession with pen and ink, I have little patience for those who moan incessantly about the demise of cursive or manually written notes even when I cannot sympathize with those who take digitized notes. Not using cursive does not diminish someone’s IQ. Handwriting does not reflect creativity. Handwriting merely reflects how much the scribe invested into his script. I say this because many very creative and intelligent people I know have poor handwriting.
And really the sorts who wax nostalgic about cursive handwriting are the sort of people who have characterless handwriting. Despite being an bit of a regular writer, many of these people would find my personal, and favorite, handwriting sloppy and improper in many ways because I do not subscribe to the prescriptions of Spencer or Palmer. They talk about character in handwriting, but they think the best handwriting are the ones that look most like the stale examples in a Zaner-Bloser exercise book. They are hypocrites and can never match the intellectual verve of many those whose handwriting they deride – and that is what infuriates me most of all.
Judging someone’s intelligence or competence by how neat and pretty his handwriting looks is a mark of profound stupidity. These stupid people are the very same ones who drove away many young children from ink and pen because of their mania for “proper” script.
And really just because schools are closing the doors on cursive handwriting – which given the measly education budget, teaching it is, you must admit, a grotesque extravagance – does not at all mean that the written script should become extinct. My love for the written word began because as a child I was surrounded by letters and notes and impressive script. As a four year old, every time I came across a sweeping signature or an ornate manuscript, I vowed to equal the art of their creator; and when the time came for me to learn cursive, I jumped on the opportunity, finishing all my exercises many weeks before they were due – I was already at the Zs when my peers were only at the Es. It shows that a love for handwriting is not hatched in school but at home.
In our digital age, the written script is useless (this is a fact; accept it, you troglodytes), but like all useless things it is charming. It is a bit of a minor art. But if we persist in maintaining our schools in penury, we have no resources to teach minor arts. We barely even have the resources to teach the major arts properly.
In my view, it is entirely the fault of the parents that their children have bad handwriting and that a generation of men and women will grow up thinking that writing by hand is either a practice in obscurity or a form of torture.
Handwriting maniacs don’t show children the beauty or the pleasure of written script; they just obsess over handwriting minutiae and gloat over people who can’t do it (but may otherwise be able to do things like computer programming and differential calculus.) They have turned the art of the written script, already a dry subject, into a narrow and sinister pursuit, which every now and then rouses memories of being hit by rulers or being tied up to chairs. Handwriting is dying because it has been superseded by a simpler writing system. It will go extinct because its advocates are narrow-minded, sadistic imbeciles, who, having no other discernible talent, cling to the exclusivity which the practice of an obscure, superfluous skill brings.
Having been raised in France, I learned writing cursive first and didn’t realize people wrote any other way until I visited the U.S. and saw teenagers writing script. Today my handwriting is atrocious because I spend more time typing than writing. I don’t know about the value of cursive for fine motor skills. My kids draw every single day (http://perfectingmotherhood.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/my-little-artists/) and that beats cursive any day. My six-year old likes writing in cursive because he thinks it looks nice. That’s actually how he signs his artwork.
I think those of us who grew up with cursive everywhere see if as a fleeting part of our history. In the grand scheme of things, I see it as a tiny item. What do our kids really need to learn before entering the workplace? What do we need to teach them so they become active contributors to our community? What will give them great character? How can we preserve and encourage their creativity? It’s not just cursive that’s disappearing, it’s art, music and anything creative. That’s the bigger scheme we should be worried about.
Well said here. It saddens me that art, music, and drama programs are disappearing from school curricula as well. I understand the budget restraints, that is where we are right now. We are lucky here to have a School Foundation that raises money to keep such programs in place. In fact, the district is turning to the Foundation for more and more support – even to keep some of the academic programs going.
Lots of parents volunteer in our school district to keep these programs happening. Teachers volunteer after school too. The rec center in our town and the town right next to us offers creative activities too (even though sports are the major part of their offerings), so we have options out of school.
California is trying to make a lot of changes to bring back creativity and innovation in the classroom. It’s going to be quite a challenge when you only test kids with multiple-choice questions. Something I’d never, ever seen until coming to the U.S….
Pingback: I will not cry that cursive handwriting is dying. « the tao of jaklumen
Reblogged this on kimmblog and commented:
I can’t believe the idea could be real
A lot of times it is easier and faster to email and text; however, I do love a handwritten note in a card.
I haven’t read all the comments, so this may have already been stated…if so, sorry! Cursive is more than just tradition. It affects the cognitive development of children. Until the early part of the last century, most everyone learned cursive FIRST. It was the primary mode of converting thought to written page. America’s founding fathers had such beautiful script on the vellum simply because they had been writing in cursive since they were toddlers. They only studied printing when they were in higher grades. When you think about how a toddler pretends to write, it is all swirls and squiggles. This tendency converts naturally to cursive writing. I firmly believe that the rise in dyslexia is at least partly due to the delay of cursive training. In print, b, p, d and q all look the same to a pre-reader. There is also the n and u to think about. In cursive, they are none the same! When printing, a child must decide at least once, usually multiple times per letter where to pick up and put down their pencil. In cursive, you put the pencil to paper and keep it there throughout the word. You only have to remember to cross those t’s and dot the i’s. I would argue that it is not only a tragic mistake to remove cursive from the curriculum, but that we have done a massive disservice to our children by delaying cursive writing until third grade. Stamp out dyslexia! Let’s have a cursive revolution! Teach your kids cursive FIRST!
Movement is one of the most important means of brain organization. The micromoviments involved in cursive writing, the coordination requested, the sight improvement… Abandoning the cursive is a curse!
Good share. 🙂
I say, save it. There is nothing more personal than giving and receiving a handwritten letter. Holding the pen– I think that’s what makes the words truly yours. You just can’t help but hear the writer’s voice in your head when you read the letter. A lot of people still learn vintage photography despite the prevalence of digital cameras. Hand-written letters need more love.
Sadly, it seems like the majority of kids and teens doesn’t care much about their handwriting at all, not just cursive. We were taught as children, so now every summer or winter vacation my nephew stays with us, he is expected to practice his handwriting. I do like to receive and send handwritten letters and notes, it feels more personal.
When I learned how to write in cursive in the third grade, I was miserably horrible at it. I kid you not–I was kept in from recess more than once to practice something I was convinced was torturous and evil, and I hated every second of it. But I had to stick to it, because for the next four years, assignments were to be handwritten and in cursive unless they were math assignments. My parents also required that any thank-you notes or invitations I wrote be in cursive, as it was actually more readable than my printing. (And, as my handwriting has rather lamentably deteriorated since then, mostly because I want to write much faster than I can think, cursive has become even more of a boon.)
I also love cursive for aesthetic reasons, though. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I believe that it lends an elegance to writing that my printing certainly could not, which is all too important when I need to contact my my grandmother and a few of my aunts and uncles who don’t use Facebook, or, in some cases, don’t use a computer at all. Penmanship also teaches patience. It teaches us to think about what we’re going to write before we write it, because once pen touches paper, it’s done. I truly hope that it is not a dying subject in schools–it would just be too great a loss.
I was referred to this post by Vanessa Chapman’s blog, vanessa-chapman (dot) com. Having taught 7th & 8th graders, I absolutely believe that more time needs to be spent on handwriting in the lower grades. Some of my middle schoolers had truly atrocious handwriting, and since we were in a pretty poor area in LA, nothing was typed. Assignments might be typed in middle class neighborhoods and up, but these kids couldn’t afford ink for printers even if they had printers. Cursive is essential in order to be able to write quickly AND legibly at the same time. Handwriting still has its place, even if that place is note-taking on a tablet with a stylus.
I love Vanessa! So glad you found me via her blog. Boy, did this post generate a lot of discussion. I plan to add up all the comments in favor of keeping cursive alive and the comments that say it shouldn’t be taught anymore. It won’t be scientific, but my gut says that so many people think cursive is important, it won’t go away anytime soon.
Interesting comment about families in the inner city not able to afford printer ink, let alone a printer and computer.
Yes,, I still yearn to receive a written letter by post. Thanks for sharing!!
Nothing like a real letter in one’s mailbox!
Handwriting matters … But does cursive matter?
Research shows: the fastest and most legible handwriters avoid cursive. They join only some letters, not all of them: making the easiest joins, skipping the rest, and using print-like shapes for those letters whose cursive and printed shapes disagree. (Citations appear below)
When following the rules doesn’t work as well as breaking them, it’s time to re-write and upgrade the rules. The discontinuance of cursive offers a great opportunity to teach some better-functioning form of handwriting that is actually closer to what the fastest, clearest handwriters do anyway. (There are indeed textbooks and curricula teaching handwriting this way. Cursive and printing are not the only choices.)
Reading cursive still matters — this takes just 30 to 60 minutes to learn, and can be taught to a five- or six-year-old if the child knows how to read. The value of reading cursive is therefore no justification for writing it.
(In other words, we could simply teach kids to _read_ old-fashioned handwriting and save the year-and-a-half that are expected to be enough for teaching them to _write_ that way too … not to mention the actually longer time it takes to teach someone to perform such writing _well_.)
Remember, too: whatever your elementary school teacher may have been told by her elementary school teacher, cursive signatures have no special legal validity over signatures written in any other way. (Don’t take my word for this: talk to any attorney.)
CITATIONS:
/1/ Steve Graham, Virginia Berninger, and Naomi Weintraub.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HANDWRITING STYLE AND SPEED AND LEGIBILITY.
1998: on-line at http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/27542168.pdf
and
/2/ Steve Graham, Virginia Berninger, Naomi Weintraub, and William Schafer.
DEVELOPMENT OF HANDWRITING SPEED AND LEGIBILITY IN GRADES 1-9.
1998: on-line at http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/27542188.pdf
(NOTE: there are actually handwriting programs that teach this way.
Shouldn’t there be more of them?)
Yours for better letters,
Kate Gladstone
Handwriting Repair/Handwriting That Works
and the World Handwriting Contest
http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com
Wow! This is the first comment I’ve received with citations. I guess I’m ok with a morphed version of cursive handwriting. I just hate to think of all future communication as the electronic kind. There is something personal and intimate about words written with pen on paper. Thanks for weighing in!
Pingback: The Magic of the Written Word « Robin Coyle
Cursive writing was dead in 1993. I remembering being told constantly that I needed to learn it. That my essays and homework would never be accepted in middle school unless it was done in cursive. Never had to use it outside of signing my name.
I believe cursive handwriting is a dying form of writing. Everything is electronic now. Very few people write and mail letters anymore, its all done by emails and texts messages. Its very depressing to watch cursive handwriting slowly fade away.
I totally agree! Children should get the chance to develop their own special handwriting as it definitely is a way to express your characte!
Pingback: Is Cursive Handwriting Dead? | somethinglikeswap
Next thing you know spelling wont be in the curriculum either.
Great post! I still appreciate receiving a handwritten letter and writing one as well. I am also glad to have learned cursive handwriting, and be able to physically sign my name. It seems unfortunate that this personal form of writing may be totally gone from the classrooms one day. Hope not.
Also, have you seen people who’ve never been taught cursive write??? Their letters are half formed and look absolutely retarded. It’s like cave man print! As kids, we had handwriting competitions and used to take pride in our writing. It shouldn’t die out… it can’t!
Pingback: Love letters, they’re not meant to be funny, but… | Vanessa-Jane Chapman
I’ve not read the comments (nearly 500) but after reading the article the reasoning behind it is truly idiotic. Hand to eye coordination coupled with mental focus has to be a good thing. Furthermore, what happens when there’s a powercut? Or when someone is posted to work in a developing country where they don’t use computers or keyboards too much? Or when there is no internet access (or it’s down) and a letter has to be sent? Taking notes? Writing notes for students on a board? On a personal level an individuals’ handwriting is an expression of their identity, on a practical level it’s just plain useful. Most people travel on public transport, bicycle or in a car, should we stop teaching children how to walk? Look what’s happened to American’s and us British after years of car obsession – we’re fat and lazy! The article talks about young people typing 60 words a minute, I’ve got a teenager and those 60 words are barely words, it’s 60 bits and pieces of bad spelling and awful grammar punctuated by abbreviations and acronyms. And as for keyboards adding the benefit of spellcheck, that isn’t always a good thing because it’s just like when you arrive somewhere in your car via your SatNav GPS – you have no idea how you got there! When I write I use a keyboard and paper. Those rapid fire ideas that are projected straight from mind to fingertip are often the golden nuggets, the jewels in the crown of the detail of a lot of my writing. No, young people should be taught to have decent handwriting before they enter high school. Then they should be encouraged to use it until they have the income, because until a child has an income they can’t really buy the keyboard or computer to write, right? Whereas any child can get hold of a pen/pencil and some paper to write down their thoughts and ideas.
Reblogged this on Windy City Wilderness and commented:
What do you think? Is this a worthwhile pursuit for today’s elementary school teacher, or should the cursive hit the junk pile with typewriters,* and shorthand? As far as I’m concerned, an email or Facebook message will never be an acceptable substitute for a handwritten thank you note. That said, I’m not sure if it matters whether the note is hand printed or written in cursive. What say you?
*Yes, I know that a few individuals (mostly erstwhile business college and secretarial school ladies) still love and use typewriters. In my family, this accounts for at least two 50-pound dinosaurs saved from the landfill.
Great post. I’m a qualified teacher from the UK and you’ll be pleased to hear that most primary schools (5-11 years) teach cursive handwriting as standard, and a lot insist on it being used all the time. Over here, it is usually lost as children become teenagers; predominantly because at this age they want to develop their own style. Lots of research does indicate that joined writing can aid the flow of thought onto paper. After teaching for several years, I still write with approach strokes myself!
Pingback: Is Cursive Handwriting Dead? « Cogito Ergo Sum
I miss seeing cursive handwriting too, actually it’s not only the cursive handwriting that I miss…. writing in general… How many people write to each other these days?
Probably 90% of the time we only type and text… just like blogging: We don’t write a blog, we type a blog.
Ever thought what it’d be like if we had to hand-write out blog?
I think it will be quite interesting, it will show us so much more of our individuality since we all have different handwriting style, it distinguish us from each other…!
Plus, it’s not only the ‘grandmother’ handwritten letter we are missing out, but the fun of learning the elegance of cursive writing. I still remember having to do them in textbooks in primary school! Love it!
I adore letters, notes, even postcards. Anytime I’ve been away from home for more than a week I’ve written a letter. I’ve letters from when I was 7 staying in my grandparents house. Emails, Twitter, Facebook etc are fine as an instantanious form of communication but for memories handwritten notes and letters are the best.
I hope not. We’d lose a great way to personalise our written communication.
I’m all for saving cursive and hand written letters…
My NaNo novel last month was based on the discovery of old letters left in a trunk. It was loosely based on letters my grandmother from the courting by mail between she and my grandfather. It may be quaint and old fashioned, but what a treasure trove old letters are.
While I confess to typing most things, if it is something really personal and touching, I write it–in cursive. I don’t think it should die. I think it’s something that should still be taught. Maybe I’m old fashioned too. Congrats on the freshly pressed!
Reblogged this on Quaint or Saint.
Reblogged this on tommiastablet and commented:
As friends and family prepare for the holidays – e-cards vs. traditional, this drove the point home on the treasures of the latter…
The cursive way of life is a dying breed. Well, that and proper grammar.
I remember when I was a kid, I had to learn cursive extensively. I didn’t like it one bit but now I appreciate it because my handwriting is a very deformed version of cursive but it looks better than 98% of everybody else’s handwriting.
– Don
Great post! I’ve had thoughts about it myself. I’ve lived my life in two countries. In one country, where I first grew up, cursive handwriting was a must. And I’m glad it was so. And we, students, never in our minds objected against cursive handwriting, it was so logical to learn it.
Now in my other home country, people learn cursive handwriting too, but they also learned block letters, and use this instead. Students here need cursive handwriting only during tests in basic school and high school. And I felt weird to see that their writing looked like a 6 year old’s, as if they just started learning it. No own identity, no nothing. In my first home country writing in block letters was not an option. And it should be so also in other countries. Block letters are for keyboards, cursive handwriting is for papers. I think you can feel the person writing the text like that. Feel their personality and feelings too.
Call me pointlessly strict, but I can see from my friends that they feel sorry for not having used cursive writing when younger, because now it’s more difficult for them (and they do like the writing).
Great post! I’ve had thoughts about it myself. I’ve lived my life in two countries. In one country, where I first grew up, cursive handwriting was a must. And I’m glad it was so. And we, students, never in our minds objected against cursive handwriting, it was so logical to learn it.
Now in my other home country, people learn cursive handwriting too, but they also learned block letters, and use this instead. Students here need cursive handwriting only during tests in basic school and high school. And I felt sad to see that their writing looked like a 6 year old’s. No own identity, no nothing. In my first home country writing in block letters was not an option. And it should be so also in other countries. Block letters are for keyboards, cursive handwriting is for papers. I think you can feel the person writing the text like that.
Call me pointlessly strict, but I can see from my friends that they feel sorry for not having used cursive writing when younger, because now it’s more difficult for them (and they do like the writing).
I started teaching my daughter cursive while she was in pre-k. I think it should remain a regular part of the curriculum in elementary school! Face it, some kids and adults have horrific penmanship and there’s no real excuse for it if you ask me, but teaching cursive allows kids to see another way to do the same thing. Print or cursive, sign language, speech. The variety of ways to communicate should be protected! I think writing cursive allows for some independent creativity as well. Do you remember when you “settled” on what your signature was going to look like? Think about it, it’s evolved over the years from the time you were a school kid until you were an adult and realized THIS is MY signature, there are no two like it! I write cursive more than print. I remember when I was in my thrities and had to write a legal statement, the judge asked “is this from a type writer?”. Can’t help myself, I enjoy writing with a pen far more than I enjoy being able to type 67 w pm. Where’s the fun in that? Keep cursive in schools!
Saying cursive will die because we can type is like saying painting will die because we can take pictures. It’s an art, a form of expression, a history. I don’t think it will ever be gone completely, though I dread the day it’s forgotten in the curriculum.
I certainly hope that it is not dead. I think that it is a beautiful form of writing.
I personally only write in cursive when signing my name but I DO still write personal notes on cards in print. I just prefer my printed handwriting as opposed to my cursive.
I have a fourth-grader and a second-grader at home and know that they aren’t really learning cursive in school. I am frightened that one day schools will incorporate texting into the curriculum instead of teaching kids how to print..
Nice post! I still make notes in cursive, but I do like to type as it’s easier to edit. The worst part of the decline in cursive writing is not the communications technique, but what stands behind it. Suddenly, it’s OK to send someone a “electronic birthday card,” an email as thank you for a week long stay at your house, or a “break up note via Facebook.” Society can debate learning techniques all they want, but there is no substitute for class! Write it down!
I agree there is something special about a hand written letter and it would be great for these traditions to continue. However, modern technology and the digital generation practically demand the need for instant feedback. The quantity of writing has increased, but maybe the quality. I myself would not blog if it wasn’t for the computer, in part I never thought my ideas were worth sharing.
As an educator I know that the demands for what is taught in the classroom continues to grow and something has to give. I know of schools that have actually dropped subjects such as Social Studies so they can put more of an emphasis on Math and Reading.
It is important that students know at least how to write their name because many legal documents require this. Handwriting makes it more difficult to forge, although the scribbles most people put on the electronic signature is typically not remotely close to how peoples signature looks.
Cursive is beautiful, but so are hieroglyphs and many of the other “dead” language. It would be great to expose students to cursive writing, it just shouldn’t have such an emphasis in the classroom.
I haven’t used cursive in 30 years. We shouldn’t teach it anymore, for the same reason we don’t teach Latin or have students memorize The Iliad or teach fencing or Morse code. The world has moved on. It’s nice on some level, and maybe students could take calligraphy as an art class or something, but there are so many more useful things that kids aren’t learning. (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and so forth.)
I agree, cursive should stay in the schools. I recently found an on-line copy of the Palmer Method Handbook. I printed it and sometimes, on the weekends, while I’m drinking coffee, I will practice the Palmer Method. I grew up learning Palmer, but my handwriting has strayed since then. Now at 45 years of age, my handwriting has morphed into a combo of Palmer and mess. 😐
Here is the link to the on-line Palmer book in case you’re interested…
http://archive.org/stream/palmermethodofbu00palmrich#page/n3/mode/2up
Cursive should stay in schools! Or at least, let’s all try to keep it alive and teach our kids ourselves. My son learned cursive in 3rd grade in 2005, but by the time my daughter got to third grade (just four years later in 2009) the teachers had taken it out of the curriculum! So my son learned, but my daughter didn’t. I see it from the teachers point of view, it frees up more time to work on other things, like math, reading and computer skills. I think this is the way of the future. It’s sad, but also, it’s progress. I realize now that I need to teach my daughter. But since my son now types or texts everything, he is losing those skills also! Use it or lose it.
They don’t even teach correctly anymore, I look at how my son and his friends ‘draw’ letters and I realize that they have never seen the letters with arrows pointing in the direction your pencil should flow. Yes they are only preschool, but they are all required to be able to read and write (minimally) by the time they enter kindergarten. They are shown a letter and taught how to mimic it, which results in them drawing a letter rather than writing it, there is no flow to the letter at all. IF this is how they teach printing, I think I will leave the cursive up to me to instruct him in.
Reblogged this on alism20 and commented:
Can the standard font you use to type up essays say anything about you? I remember looking at my handwritten essays from sixth form and I can clearly see at which point I got desperate to finish on time! I’m sure the teachers knew also…
Handwriting reflects our personality and individuality. I rue the day that Penmanship is dropped from the school syllabus here in Trinidad & Tobago. Today, if all job application cover letters were to be done by hand, unemployment levels would be significantly higher – no matter the education level. Do you know how many people hide their inabilities behind their computer keyboards and spell-check?
Just awesome.
http://alfredo239047.wordpress.com/
I just wonder how we will identify commitment or authenticate identities anymore… A signature was our 1 most identifiable mark of authenticity of source in our physical absence. “Put your ‘John Hancock’ here” no longer has any meaning. There is a special code of honor associated with one’s signature on a document. How will we translate that with digital? Already it bothers me that simply typing in my name on a digital document is considered a legal signature. How is that possible? And what about the art of handwriting analysis? That provided crucial insight for so many circumstances. 😦
Yes, the culture is changing, but not having the ability to sign one’s name is just hard to wrap my head around.
Nice post! And congrats on being picked for Freshly Pressed!
Pingback: Does My Child Need to Learn Cursive Handwriting? « Applied Behavioral Strategies
I feel very nostalgic when I think of my school days and cursive writng. I was terrible at it, I hated it and my teacher was a nightmare but it was such a fundamental part of our education that I can’t imagine not having learnt it.
I think writing in cursive should still be taught in schools. Let’s say that the children grow up in a curriculum that doesn’t teach it. When it comes time to sign a document, they’re going to put their name in print? Un professional, and sad.
I wonder whether my little comment will be read coming after so many comments. Obviously this is a topic that touches many people.
I believe handwriting, whether print or cursive, ought to continue to be taught. Just because, is a good enough reason, but I have two other reasons.
One is, as we evolve we need to expand our abilities. I can still see reason to write notes, lists, letters, cards etc by hand. Cursive is nicer than print, and, once mastered, faster than print handwriting for most people. It is nice to be able to write, and write neatly, attractively. It is elegant. That seems to be a vanishing concept these days.
Two, and more importantly, it has been scientifically proven that handwriting triggers parts of the brain that typing does not. These parts of the brain that have been triggered by handwriting has brought on technological advances, working in conjunction with all the other parts of the brain. It would be a good idea to keep those parts of the brain ticking along. Let us learn both how to type, as well as good handwriting skills. This way we use more brain, fire off more neurons, and evolve better. ( I am not saying that this is all we need to do) Every thing we do brings on benefits beyond counting and measuring. Just because we have absolutely fabulous digital paintings does not mean the original Picasso is less valuable. Just because we can use the computer to create beautiful pieces of art, does not mean we stop teaching future generations how to draw sketch and paint in the old fashioned ways. In the same way, just because we know how to type does not mean need to forget how to write.
🙂
Yeah I agree, I am 18 from Singapore, where cursive is not taught. But when I was 8 I studied in an International school in Prague where we were required to learn how to write in cursive. It was greatly embraced that time (2002).
However right now, with the need to write with speed and vigorously in Singapore and the system without requiring us to write in cursive, (I would suppose that the teachers may have counted it as untidy and probably illegible handwriting) I have forgotten entirely how to write in cursive. Which is such a pity. I should start practicing before it dies off. 😦
I almost always write in cursive. When I print, it looks childish and unpracticed. It’s silly but I take pride in my cursive and I actually get lots of comments on it. I have a small business making hats and other crocheted/knitted items and I like to include a little thank-you note with the items I sell. It adds a personal touch and lets my customers know I really do appreciate their business.
In Romania kids still have to write cursive in school, at all times. I know nobody here that doesn’t write cursive. I remember at one point in high school I had an American teacher and everybody found his handwriting strange. He had troubles in understanding our handwriting all the time:)))
Thankfully, when I exchanged to a private schoo I was forced to write cursive. My teacher would make me rewrite words that I had written in print. Years later I’m proud to see I’m one of the few who still writes cursive. I definitely want to teach my children to write cursive one day.
Someone (or two) already mentioned this but cursive is definitely faster. My class notes tended to start off in nice print and then end in hurried cursive because print just takes too damn long when your professor is a fast talker. I also write my journals in cursive too just because it’s harder to read should anyone ever pick it up and want to read it. A lot of my friends comment on my “nice cursive” and wish they could write like that so it’s nice to know a ‘dying skill’ in this technological age I suppose.
Reblogged this on BgPronto.
LONG LIVE CURSIVE HANDWRITING!
Your handwriting reflects you. Type is cold, impersonal. “I recognize your handwriting” will be familiar to some. “Look at this beautiful script?” “What an awful scrawl!” But it was him. And what about the joy of using a fountain pen? Do kids even know what a fountain pen is? There is just something personal and warm about writing by hand. I recommend it to everyone, except doctors, of course.
I have actually been think about this myself. And I have decided to start practicing my “penmanship” for fun. I do think something is lost by not knowing how to write in cursive.
It would be a pity if cursive writing wasn’t taught. As you say it helps with fine motor skills and it will always have a place. I used to win prizes at school for my ‘copy book writing’ and I can still be very neat if I try. Typing just isn’t the same.
I like to write with pen on paper and I like my handwriting especially because no-one other than myself is able to read it. Do you get that with a written piece on your laptop? No! Never. So I’ll stick with it forever and if I would have children and the cursive won’t be teached at school I would teach it on my own. Just because I can.
At 32 years old, my cursive writing is horrific.I was never really good at it but now, besides my fancy signature, it’s just sad. Cursive was drilled into me and mandatory during elementary school. In middle school, it was our choice how we wanted to write and I chose to print since I struggled with cursive. In high school and college, everything had to be typed. It’s a dying art for sure and it is a skill I personally wish I was better at and I would like my children to learn cursive someday, if nothing else, to appreciate how easy they will have it.
I definitely struggle with this. I write cursive, but I’m old-fashioned, and I don’t know how valuable it will be for the next generation. But at the same time, I think it combines fine motor skills with a beautiful art form, so in that sense, I hope it sticks around for awhile!
Love your post!
I totally agree with you.
I loved getting notes and also writing letters to my friends and family… I used to keep all of the handwritten notes that I received in a box until I moved out to America. It is a lost art. This post makes me want to write someone something. ❤
Reblogged this on Tuesday Dreams and commented:
Interesting. And I hope not! Lately I’ve been itching to write all my thoughts in a journal and despite my love of my eReaders, I still love to stick my nose in a book and curl up with a real magazine. Maybe we can have both, old and new.
The hand written note is something to be cherished. While in my thoughts I can’t believe everything is thought to be reached by using one finger flowing across a screen. No not in my world. I refuse, and each individual must stand up for the things they believe in and make it a big deal, teach values to your kids. Printing and handwriting is an art for of sorts, a personal touch. Lost these days but only if you let it.
I certainly hope that the current generation will not be the generation that kills a form of communication that has truly survived the test of time. Every major historical document in the history of our Country – the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, were all written in cursive script with a quill pen and the penmanship is something that makes the documents stand out and, I for one, as an American, am proud of their majesty.
Penmanship & Handwriting is not a fad that can be retired because of technology, rather it should be reinforced and strengthened. I am 44 years old, I have extremely nice handwriting and I continually work at it. As a professional Executive Assistant, I often have to communicate quickly through hand written notes, and my bosses need to be able to easily and clearly read and comprehend what I am writing. This is not a fad or old tech – handwriting IS a current/relevant business skill.
I look at the scribble the generations who followed me make due with and I find it a travesty of our educational system that they can graduate a person who cannot clearly present their work without the need to have technology involved. I would suspect that a majority of the population that is under 30 has little to no handwriting skills or experience.
I would hope that the teachers of America (and abroad) unite to keep this important facet of human communication alive.
My younger sibling (now in University) certainly did not have cursive demanded of her in school. I recall learning it early on, but don’t require teachers forcing it.
I always attempted to write and now in my 20s I do write pretty much exclusively, and of my peers I have quite a legible and nice hand, but unlike my peers I took quite an interest in making it better which meant a good deal of practice.
I wonder, though, what it will look like in a generation or two when our top-brass officials are not able to write cursive. Will the Prime Minister be signing documents with a circle above their ‘i’s?
It’s hard to say. I’m 21, and I have always been bad at writing cursive. I think a frog would have prettier handwriting than me. And my signature is essentially a scribble. Then again when I look at my handwriting, it is actually half cursive. My “L” and “F” are often written and cursive, though I’m not sure why I do that.
Anyway, I know this is a bit off topic. But I would be happy to see letters coming back into style. I know they take a lot more effort, but when you get one, something that takes time and effort, you have a piece of a person with you forever. You could always print off and e-mail and stick it aside to look at later, but what’s so great about that? Technology is making people less and less personal.
I’m ‘only’ 43, but I’m of a generation that was the last year in our education area to have handwriting lessons once a week at junior school. Even by the time I got to high school some of our peer group we’re not writing in ‘joined up’. I’ve managed to survive this long without having to adapt my writing to a print style but many younger people often say they love the look of my writing but can’t read it. This is just laziness as far as I’m concerned; In my History Minor last year at Uni we learnt Paleography so we could go back and decipher handwritten text that was centuries old (non of us could read it at first whether we were ‘mature’ aged students or not) and it was really interesting to have to use crib sheets for not only the cursive style but the abbreviations that are no longer used as well (I ‘cursed’ many times at Oliver Cromwell who liked to use different versions of the letter ‘e’ in one document!!!) – it’s not the ability to write that we are in danger of losing, it’s the effort of reading anything that isn’t immediate and spoon fed to us that is at stake because writing and communication continually adapts and changes, and there will come a time when the crib sheet will inevitably have lol wtf and btw on it!! Great post and really got us all thinking, reading and writing!
I agree with you, too. I was very surprise when a friend of mine – he mostly works with computers – said to me he is not pretty sure to remember cursive handwriting.
I like writing in cursive, and I think children should keep learning it in school. It is an art, and it stimulates both part of the brain too.
In addiction, everyone has its own style: it’s the expression of the identity vs. the standardization.
Sadly, handwriting in cursive is a dying skill. I personally write rather than print in block letters and always get compliments on my handwriting. And each person’s handwriting is so unique 🙂 it’s like you can see their personality when they cross their “t”s and finish a sentence with an exclamation mark.
I’ve been “following” the demise of cursive writing for a few years now, and am saddened that more and more schools are dropping cursive handwriting in favor of keyboarding. Right now, it seems to be about 50/50 as far as schools that teach it versus those that don’t, at least in my area.
Cursive handwriting is more than just about writing in a unique, beautiful way:Learning to write in cursive stimulates different parts of the brain than printing or typing; it’s similar to learning to read music or learn a foreign language. It is yet another way for young people to expand and open their minds to new concepts and ways of thinking, possibly improving their “academic mind.”
It’s a shame that some children will never learn to write in cursive. Thank you for your post.
Handwriting rules. But computers are convenient for work.
I worry because children who don’t learn to write in cursive are unable to read it–my high school students cannot read it and have not been able to in years. That, I suppose, is okay, except that all of the important documents related to the founding and development of this country were written in cursive. We are approaching a day when cursive writing will be taught to history students in graduate courses so that they can read primary documents. The rest of our citizens will be unable to understand them in the original and will have to trust that they have been “translated” correctly. Ordinary citizens will be able to see documents displayed in the Library of Congress and other institutions, but will have to look at printed wall texts to know what they are: I’m thinking here of the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble of the Constitution, letters from Vasco de Gama describing first landing on this continent, and the Gettysburg Address. Now, because of a few changes in cursive styles, these are already a bit difficult to make (those “f”s and “s”s) but it is still possible for most adults to do so right now. The next generation will be unable to.
My 4th graders always complain about cursive, but I agree that in order to be complete adults, they have to be able to at least write a decent cursive because yes — handwritten notes still have a role in society and what about having a cool signature? I guess I’m glad that California still requires cursive even if my own (lefthanded) handwriting is horrible!
Reblogged this on THE WANDERING GYPSY.
These are the human touches, which no computer can achieve. We should practice cursive and not forget those things, which are fast replaced by the computers.
Reblogged this on KEEP THE INTERSECTION OPEN. and commented:
cursive it is. I remember back in elementary when we have penmanship classes, even during my last years high school hahaha
I have to say, reading this surprised me. I have noticed that people around me tend NOT to use cursive handwriting. I, however, actually have a ‘cursive accent’ implemented into my standard writing. Sometimes, I switch back and forth between my ‘accented writing’ and actual cursive writing. I think that maybe children should learn cursive, since I know that my friends MIGHT have messy or terrible writing.
My son was writing like a cave man until cursive writing came along for him last year in the third grade. When he showed me his first paper all in cursive I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was beautiful! I saved it, and put it in the box of special childhood memories. I just hope it doesn’t remain a distant memory. And I do have my children hand write all their thank-you notes, some things should never die. Congrats. on being FP’d.
Yes,it seems so. I’m surprised when I see a cursive apart from mine.And it improves writing speed which is one of the reasons why it’s ineligible.. Maybe its one of those endangered things(Wouldn’t be surprised if the whole action of writing,itself is extinct with all the tech changes.Even still a nicely written cursive is beautiful and graceful..
Congratulations! We loved your great and interesting posts, so we’ve decided to give you a BlOgcean Christmas Greetings Award! If you want to know more about your award or nominate someone else, then visit:
http://blogceanawardsofficial.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/blogcean-christmas-greetings-award/
Our aim is to spread the love of Blogging and encourage achieving Bloggers to do their best, so keep up the brilliant work!
The frightening thing is not that children are not learning to write cursive, but that as a result they can’t read cursive. I can just see some future college history major program requiring Cursive as a required foriegn language.
I’m 19 years old,but i still like to think that i”m an old soul.Why? Because i still write letters to people.The longhand ones,where pen actually touches paper? The most i have unbent to technology is to use a typewriter. Its not that i don’t now how to handle technology…its just that a letter is a lot more personal. And just makes way more sense,literally. I hate it when people send me sms’s that go “Yo man,wazzp? c u in clss tmrw,or shld v meet at ccd l8r for cofe? let me noe…” I”m sorry but that is not english ,let alone worthy of being deciphered. Believe me ,i’d much rather decipher heiroglyphics than read lines like this! And yes, i actually am learning latin…..and its pretty cool.
When I was young, I learned to write perfect cursive in a Catholic School. Writing was an actual class and we were graded on it. I always got A’s in that class and won an award for having the best handwriting. To this day, I love writing cursive, although my perfect structure has changed a bit over the years. It feels good to put a pen to paper and watch the letters form into words and sentences. I admit that I also love typing and I’m pretty good at that, too. I think that cursive writing is a dying art and our children will have little use for it. Technology will win out over pen and paper. 😦
Like you I went to Catholic school and writing was a class since 1st grade (I’m 29). I actually never thought that it was acceptable for people to write in all big letters until I visited the US for the 1st time in 1999. I can’t imagine writing any other ways and I plan on teaching my children the same. Technology I am afraid already won in the US but in many countries kids are still taught cursive writing.
When my 18 year old son had to sign his passport we were panic stricken. He could print, not write his name. Cursive writing is not part of the school curriculum in my part of Canada. Students with poor penmanship are encouraged to submit all work fresh off the printer. I treasure the handwritten letters collected over the years. My children find the practice of pen to paper “quaint”. An animated ecard vanishes faster than you can hit “delete”
I fear for a time when the post mark enters the realm of the wax seal. A word that can vanish before your eyes loses so much.
I really miss those days when we used to write assignments 🙂 and talking about cursive handwriting ,mine is also cursive .I remember there used to be days when we made pen friends just to write letters.I liked your post very much.
Cursive handwriting needs to go. This doesn’t mean we don’t need writing skill, because we still do. But a simple italic script is easier to teach and to learn, as well as being much easier for recipients (including posterity) to read.
I am always a cursive writer. 🙂
No. It’s not dead. And never will be. And schools that don’t teach cursive writing are bad schools. And I swear a post similar to this was on FP a year ago 🙂
My handwriting is only used to sign my name, I rarely use it, and tend to forget how to do x and z in handwriting. I also don’t even remember most of the capital letters.
But I can type with my eyes closed… Our culture is changing… Again.
Yes, all kids should learn cursive. And Latin. And to use an abacus…
I think you see where I’m going with this. If you want to study antiquity, great — we /need/ people like you — but to make it part of elementary curriculum is absurd.
I have to agree. I think the content of what is being written is much more important than the text itself, whether it’s typed, printed or in cursive. I’m almost 40, but I haven’t written in cursive since my sophomore year in high school because my English teacher couldn’t read my writing!
Btw I did take two years of Latin, but all I remember is Veni, vidi, vici…
I was wondering this as well when my son came home from kindergarten with that very penmanship chart at the beginning of the school year. They’re to practice their letters and how to write from top to bottom using the three-lined paper. I recall doing this in elementary and enjoyed it. It was/is an artform, and in my opinion it should be taught. It teaches creativity, beauty, and fine motor skills. And as someone else mentioned, each person makes their own mark with it. Penmanship adds a human touch to whatever we write. Although I enjoy using electronic forms of communications, I enjoy the traditional pen and ink more. For myself I write in cursive majority of the time. And when I do print, it has a very curvy form to it.
Yes, cursive is dead.
Just Because, is a horrible reason for sucking up resources out of the educational system. We don’t teach Greek in elementary education, and we don’t teach Hieroglyphics either. We don’t have the capacity for everyone to learn everything any more.
I’m positive that 70 years from now your grandchildren will be writing blog posts about how they think it’s sad that no one understands the short hand texting that they used when they were teenagers, and that they grandkids won’t understand the notes they exchanged 70 years previous.
Your decedents will be able to understand what you wrote because they’ll have devices which will translate it for them
Looks like spell checker is dead, too! 🙂
When I was in primary school, cursive was a huge deal. Let the kids write cursive. It’s beautiful when written by some people.
When I was in school, cursive writing was a HUGE deal. People in school would call me the human typewriter (print and in cursive) cause it was so clear and orderly. Not so much now. (sigh)
I think everyone should learn cursive…just because 🙂 I would prefer to write that way, but I don’t have nice handwriting, so I normally print. It’s a little easier to read.
I read this earlier too. It seems to suggest, cursive will be an elective learning. This seems to be another way to segregate the learned from the unlearned. I don’t cursive will ever be globally abandoned. What about hardcore legal documents, marriage or divorce papers, bank loans, and just being able to convict a criminal because he dropped a signed legal document at the scene of a crime. This does not seem to have the best interest of all at heart in the least of my thinking. Certainly cursive would become a status symbol.
I’ve always felt there was an artistic beauty in cursive writing… It still tickles me pink when the random note finds it’s way into my mailbox…even if it IS just to say Thank You, merry Christmas or Happy Birthday…
I think students should still learn cursive handwriting. As a home educator (after being a 4th grade teacher), I insisted all of my students learn cursive for a bunch of reasons -in my opinion it’s faster in the end than printing when taking notes in class, I think it has more style than printing usually, and it can be an art form like calligraphy (think monks copying books way back in the day with those gorgeous illustrations next to the first letters on a page).
I don’t think cursive is archaic – journals and letters on paper are a part of history. Electronic versions can become inaccessible (hard drive failure before it’s backed up, anyone?) and then what do you do? Handwriting can tell a story. It’s used to authenticate things (watch one of those pawn shop shows – I just saw one where they paid $13,000 for a book that had a fake certificate of authenticity; when they checked with their own expert, sadly AFTER paying $13K for it, the signature turned out to be a fake). It’s harder to fake handwriting than an electronic file.
Just my thoughts. Long live cursive!
Robin,
Cursive writing isn’t dead – it has become “something else”, like archery.
It’s called evolution.
When I was a much younger kid, I spent many an hour learning things that are no longer useful, two of which are Morse code and cursive writing.
I still use Morse code (I’m a Ham radio operator) but I have not used cursive writing for 40 years, or so.
I don’t think either should be taught in public schools, and I think both will be in use, long after both you and I are gone, simply because some folks will want to continue doing them.
Congratulations for earning well deserved recognized on Freshly Pressed. Your writing is good stuff, no matter what format you use!
Clint (my real name)
Retired and living the good life in Southern California
^^ What he said.
I’m 42, and I haven’t written in cursive in 20 years. I honestly have no idea how to do it anymore, and I don’t see a need for it. It’s hard to write, and hard to read. I say let it go. People absolutely need to know how to write, just like they need to know how to do math by hand instead of a calculator, but I’m happy for cursive to die.
When the ability to read and write cursive dies out in our society, so does our ability to read historical documents (e.g. the Constitution) which means our ability to understand the past dies as well. Since the present is built solidly on the past, it’s imperative that we, as a society and as individuals, preserve this form of communication and encourage it to be taught to each succeeding generation.
Thankfully, there are many others who do not hold your self-centered, short-sighted views.
You are so right. Reading cursive writing shouldn’t become reading a foreign language.
You are so right. Reading cursive writing shouldn’t become reading a foreign language.
Not being able to read cursive won’t kill our ability to read historical documents. We already have Optical Character Recognition technology that can “read” cursive, and it’s only going to improve over time.
dncresearch –
I hold 2 master degrees, including one in education. I am certainly not uneducated, as you seem to imply.
You are absolutely correct that our understanding of the present is predicated on our understanding of the past. Our past as a western culture includes Latin, Aramaic, Greek… I could go on. Can you read those languages? Society and language evolve. Our past as a human society includes many other written and oral languages that have been left behind. Are you suggesting that everyone should be required to learn all of them? I am not suggesting that people not be taught to write, I simply believe that it is time we leave behind this one FORM of writing.
I am sorry you felt the need to insult me just because I disagree with the views in the post. I disagree with your belief on the issue; I have no desire to insult you as a person because of it. Discourse should be civilized.
I think you’ve nailed it on the head; we’re moving into an age of e-content and we’re going to lose the very thing that defines much of our past for us now – old letters, paper records, diaries and so forth. And the wonderful experience of reading them. I remember the thrill I got, to this day, of opening my grandfather’s letters to my grandmother. He wrote home often during the Second World War. The letters had not been read from the day my grandmother packed them away in 1944, until I opened the package nearly sixty years later.
What will our age bequeath to the future? Dead hard drives that nobody can resurrect or read? I fear so. And as a historian, that worries me.
Don’t worry, the documents will be stored in the cloud. Many more copies of digital documents exist than the vast majority of printed ones. We’re not entering a time when documents are being lost, we’re entering a time when there are going to be way too many documents.
Sometimes I feel like people around my age (19) are the last to have gone through cursive training. Growing up in a small school with an experimental education system in Michigan, we learned cursive in grade 1 and were “forced” to write in cursive since grade 2 – meaning the teacher would refuse to look at our work unless it was in cursive. At the time I thought it was mean, but then I was completely baffled when I moved to Canada in grade 8 and there were students who couldn’t even read cursive. Since then I decided cursive penmanship, regardless of how far technology develops, is a must; and I trained myself further in not only cursive, but traditional styles of ink calligraphy and script. Xmas card-writing is the best time of the year!
And people like me (age 30) got docked points in elementary school because our reports were hand written instead of being printed out.
Really?? Wooow that is quite interesting considering the age gap! Although we had computer science since kindergarten, teachers made sure that our elementary school journals were never printed from the computer! LOL
I totally agree with everything you said and hope that cursive does not get tossed to the curb. It teaches children fine motor skills, and there are just some things that cannot be done electronically. I am treasuring all the little notes and cards that my grandchildren are making for me now. 🙂
I LOVE cursive! I’m still in high school and I use cursive 90% of the time because I feel like it personally shows my ‘style’. Cursive is really classy in a way because it comes in so many forms, and you can really make it your own.
I heard last year that our school was getting rid of cursive and one of my teachers was really upset about it. I remember he said, “How are kids gonna learn to sign their name?!”
Many kids in my school don’t know how to write in cursive either which somewhat upsets me. I understand that we’ve gone from hand-written letters to computer-written letters, but handwritten letters (or ‘ones from the heart’) mean so much more than something you can buy and write your name underneath it. I really wish that they hadn’t stopped teaching it but when I have kids I’m still going to try to teach them. 🙂
To judge by the number of comments here, cursive handwriting still has a lot of supporters!
I am 32 years old and I was not taught cursive handwriting in school, but I was always fascinated by handwriting and wanted mine to look beautiful. Nowadays I type almost everything and in many ways it is much more handy. But I also make more of an effort with my handwriting now when I do use it, and sometimes practise it to keep it looking good.
I believe penmanship is very important, and I don’t care if I’m out of the times in thinking so. Besides its importance for developing motor skills, I just think it gives us such an opportunity for creating something beautiful and graceful in our everyday lives. Goodness knows, in our modern age there is little enough grace!
Also, I believe there is a great benefit in learning a skill that requires patience and perseverance. In our technological world we expect things to be done immediately, our thoughts to move in quick succession. We live life like we’re under rapid fire. We’re so conscious of time (though we may only register it on a digital clock!). I think we’re in danger of forgetting that the value in doing things slowly, and allowing our minds to have the time to craft our words and ideas.
I work in an archive and see a lot of historical documents, and I’ve often thought that 18th and early 19th century handwriting was particularly beautiful – clear, flowing and and expressive without unnecessary flourishes. The language of the 18th century is beautiful, clear and graceful too, and I can’t but wonder if the two aren’t connected. Somehow I can’t imagine Boswell, Johnson or Jane Austen creating their lovely prose if they were typing on computers and sending text messages!
I’m not a dinosaur – technology is a huge part of my life – but if I have children I’m going to make sure they learn to write properly.
Good post – it’s great to see so many people commenting. Obviously a topic many people care about!
I know someone who have this terrible handwriting… I asked him why was that, and he just told me, “I live in America.”
At the end I get why he said that anyways! Haha!
Technology— uhh.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed. I think cursive is an art that has value and needs to be taught in all schools. I learned cursive and I still write it often. My younger sister, in her 40’s, never learned cursive and her printing is horrid. I say bring back cursive 🙂
I live in Maryland. Cursive handwriting has always been a hallmark of a Catholic education, but also typically also taught in third grade at public schools. I am saddened that cursive writing has already been removed from the third grade lesson plans. It really does sadden me. I am a person that prefers cursive handwriting to print. How will students/future adults know how to sign his/her name?
Hahahaha I agree with you Decorum!
There’s much more than beauty to cursive writing. It creates an overlooked neurological connection for acquiring foundational reading and spelling skills.
Pingback: The Debate Over Cursive Handwriting « Robin Coyle
II am a cursive letter writer. My generation spent hours practicing the Palmer method of forming letters. I am not sorry. Often, I get compliments on my handwriting style.
I am of the age of communicating via hand written letters. I too, have a stack of letters from my sweetheart saved for posterity. Someday, when my kids find these letters from their mother to me they will find someone to read them to them. Why, because they have trouble reading cursive and they were taught to use cursive.
I often wonder how people will make their sign on legal documents. Will they have special characters on the keyboard to denote their name? Will one have to have his character registered with the Bureau of Personal Identification to have a legal identity?
Great post, you are so very correct in all of your points.
While I am proficient in typing, I prefer to write by hand in cursive. My husband is in Afghanistan, and every package I send him has a hand-written letter. I have each of the dozens of hand-written letters we exchanged while he was at basic training three years ago. I have boxes dedicated to birthday, Christmas, anniversary, and ‘thinking of you’ cards that have been sent to my kids, my husband and myself. It’s not antiquated to have these keepsakes. They are a permanent reminder that at some point in time, someone took the time and effort to not only pick that card out just for you, but loved you enough to mail it to you. I enjoy looking back at things my daughter has written. She’s is nearly seven and years from now, I will be able to look back at her hand writing and tell you what kind of person she was when she wrote it. You can’t do that with typesets and specialized fonts. Typing is cold and impersonal. I will continue to teach my children to write. It is a valuable a skill to have in the case of a broken computer.
I grew up learning both cursive and keyboarding skills before leaving elementary school – and I don’t believe one should outweigh the other. Cursive is traditional, historical and at one time was truly a way of life – does that mean we should also ditch history lessons on the pretense that they are not relevant in today’s society (and yes, there’s debate here, too)? Besides the fact, learning to write, cursive or not, develops motor skills and aids in a bevy of other skills children utilize throughout life. No, cursive should not be scrapped. If we do not preserve history (heck, maybe we should scrap all those archaeological sites, too!), then we lose a large chunk of our identity, as well as the identities of those who came before us. Great article 🙂
I vote for teaching cursive and printing in school, and having remedial classes for kids whose handwriting erodes. Why? First off, it will allow them to read primary sources in history, literature, etc. that are handwritten. Second, they will need some way to document their identities, etc. when their computers crash or when the big thermomagnetic bang in the atmosphere happens and all electronics go boom. Third, paper and pen are not obsolete. The most personal way to communicate nowadays is really by paper and pen, because they make it a real object that can be touched and saved, like letters, notes, etc. Fourth, they’ll need a way to make important lists, like for grocery shopping, when their smartphones crash. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! It’s a lot of fun! Make the most of it….. Cinda
it will allow them to read primary sources in history Not true. “Translated” copies will exist to be read.
they will need some way to document their identities We have certificate management systems for that, which are way more secure than something as forgeable as a signature.
paper and pen are not obsolete We’re not talking about them being obsolete. Kids are still be taught how to use them. We’re not eliminating writing, just a form of redundancy that’s part of writing.
That may all be the case, jader3rd, but what a shame that primary sources will need “translation.” We already had documentation to prove identity, but cursive writing is unique to the individual and can reveal character, hence the existence of forensic handwriting specialists. Not all signatures are easily forged, nor all handwriting — printing is, of course. Printing and cursive handwriting each serves to develop a kid’s hand-eye coordination. I’m a writer, and I find writing things out by hand, in cursive, gives me time to think, forces me to think about what I’m writing. Computers serve an important purpose, but they lack the personality of cursive handwriting. Cursive is NOT redundant, only to people who don’t want to do it.
It was stillborn for me — I’m lefthanded. My cursive has always stunk on ice, although in a cosmic demonstration of some form of parity-based injustice, my mirror-writing is absolutely flawless. Utter perfection according to the old first grade cursive workbooks we had in elementary school … in a mirror.
If it weren’t for block capital letters, I wouldn’t be able to write at all.
I was discussing this topic this week with a co-worker. We’re employed by a university and rarely see anyone under 30 writing in cursive. interesting timing and it’ll be interesting to see the result of the debate over it.
It baffles me why states won’t teach cursive. All of our founding documents, historical writings, etc, are in cursive. We very well could lose the beauty and majesty of history due to this. mccrackenlove.wordpress.com
True, and yet when studying them we always read “printed” copies. Never the original hand written version.
I was recently struck by the same thought! Can cursive handwriting really be dying? As a result, I started to write everything in cursive. I also send hand written letters, and have some friends who write me letters. 🙂 These things aren’t going to die on my watch.
Reblogged this on Great blogs and commented:
I think it’s optional but on the orher hand technology has improved so much. I can’t remember the last time I used cursive, just for my signature..
I insist that my children learn cursive, as well. I would hate to think that we have raised the last generation that will be able to decipher the notes on the back of family photos.
I’ve lived for the better part of my life without computers and hearing that cursive handwriting is dead, or half for that matter, is shocking to me. I use it daily, whether it is to jot down new ideas, grocery list or write entire articles. Yes, I actually write an article on a piece of paper before publishing it. Thankfully however, paper is not dead. Not even half. Paper is what we need in a ton of places and hence, whoever wants to, can continue cursive handwriting.
Robin, this is a truly thought-provoking question and I am grateful, as an educator, you shared on the topic. I am not of mixed minds on this issue. It is hard work to learn to write, but it is central to our identity. I am a Canadian, but have many American acquaintances and the signatory nature of your founding fathers underscores the role cursive writing has played in democracy. I think your comment about your grandmother’s letters reveals the importance our cursive writing has in our life’s stories.
Quick Note Robin … I saw that you were Freshly Pressed! AWESOME! Congratulations!
Both sides of the argument have a point. As a busy and economically-minded person, I absolutely prefer the ease and low cost of email and texting. If all you want to do is let someone know that you’re going to be five minutes late, there’s no reason why the words themselves should be presented in a particular manner. Such throwaway correspondence actually works best in a throwaway medium.
But I value handwriting, especially cursive. If it is learned well, a person’s cursive handwriting is often more legible–and faster to write– than print handwriting. And there is something to be said for a signature that makes a statement. Physical letters are still sent in business, and a sloppy signature can project the impression that either the sender just doesn’t care, or that he has the motor skills of a six-year old child. I admit it, I used to practice my own cursive signature as a teen, adjusting the height and angle of my letters until I got the effect I wanted. I’m glad I spent time and energy learning to write beautifully. Good handwriting is a sign of respect for yourself, as well as for others.
At the school I attended we were each supplied with a Copybook and had to patiently learn thick and think strokes – page after page – all writing forward-sloping and I was a left-hander! I found the only way round this was to tilt my paper 90 degrees so my writing sloped forward. We had to practise cursive handwriting up til the day I left – mind you I did manage First Prize in the London Chamber of Commerce Examination for my year. Needless to say, my writing has deteriorated into a sort of inky scrawl these days – unless I make a great effot. Nice post.
Very nice post! Last year, I wrote a letter to my grandma, scanned it and then emailed it to my dad so he could print it and give it to her the very same day! 😉 Call it full use of technology or the eagerness to send her the letter asap! I still believe cursive writing is very important and writing itself is an art! I don’t see it as old school but ‘mandatory school’. Rest…we’ll see what the future holds for all of us!
I’m with you. Cursive handwriting should be preserved and taught in the schools. Despite the fact that I use technology for my blogs and other things, I’m still old school and like snail mail, handwritten letters, paperback books and cursive.
My husband and I home school a fourth grader who is still mastering beautiful cursive. She hates it but we think it is important for her to have neat penmanship. I agree!
Honestly, I can’t write in print anymore. I started using cursive on a whim in middle school and now, a decade later, I can’t write any other way. I’m one of the only people my age I know who uses cursive at all!
As someone with both TERRIBLE spelling and a minor (self-diagnosed) case of dysgraphia, I can’t say I lament the twilight of cursive. For me, composition, even in its most basic form, is about simultaneous revision. Without the delete key and using in ink on paper, I find the process of writing almost impossible. I suppose on some level I regret what I miss out on, but for all the amazing benefits of digital culture, I don’t think we’re getting a raw deal. As for future generations, I think they’ll develop their own nostalgic rituals. Who knows what form they will take, but people always adapt to the new reality of technology. It probably won’t be moving or even intelligible to older generations, but it’ll serve its purpose for the people creating it.
Interesting to find this on the Freshly Pressed page, because on Turkey Day, I asked a grade school teacher (at my daughter’s house, her husband invited his PhD community college political science instructor, but they say, “professor”, and his wife) if cursive was still taught. She said that it is more important to learn keyboarding because that is “the future”. “So cursive is irrelevant?” I ask. “Yes,” she answers. (I didn’t say nothin’, I just thought, “What evvv errr.”) I agree, nostalgia aside, that a handwritten letter or note is important to continue, so learning cursive is important. Handwriting is more personal; it has more of the real you in it. I believe handwriting contains spirit, the writer’s spirit, manifested by the energy it takes to think and control the pen. Thanks for the post. An important issue to discuss and consider.
While typing is a necessary job skill, cursive is a necessary classiness skill. I use cursive a lot in my journal, both personal and writing. I don’t want it to be some secret code to future generations. That also goes for journals from generations past. I think it’s a major handicap to students. Typing is a skill that can be learned relatively quickly. Cursive takes time and patience. Patience is something we could all use a little more of.
Pingback: Is Cursive Handwriting Dead? | Mrs. Henningsen's Homework Blog
In Pakistan, alot of emphasis is stiill given on the art of writing, and the different writing styles. There are still classes that get kids to practice on cursive writing templates.
I know I cant think of anything logical when I defend cursive writing, or any emphasis on writing for that matter, but I can feel its wrong. There’s a lot of romance and relationship value in things that are written rather than typed. I know that when I’m in the mood for poetry, I can never do it without writing.
Pingback: Is Cursive Handwriting Dead? | Parrots, Prose, and Peanuts
Pingback: Is Cursive Handwriting Dead? | karenartal
In the UK we used to call cursive writing “real” writing. I found it difficult and mine was rather spiky. I can do it better now if I try, but I converted to italics in my teens. Sue
Congratulations on the FP, Robin! You had it a long time coming. =D
I personally love cursive handwriting. There’s something elegant about all those swirly letters written on a piece of paper, and whenever I’m writing a letter or filling a birthday card, I try to write as elaborately as possible.
I put the death of handwriting at about 1995 when emailing became ubiquitous. I treasure calligraphy and consider it an artform. Not to have it taught lessens society in a fundamental way. Any artform that is not passed on will die or become the realm of eccentrics. However, lamenting the loss will not change the reality…
I learned cursive in school, the trouble was no matter how much I practiced it was hard to read and scratchy, so I was glad when I learned to type, my printing of writting is almost as bad even if I take my time and try to write nice. I seldom write anymore because no one including myself can really read them well, but I see no reason why theycan’t still teach it, considering I have seen some beautiful cursive writting by some of my friends who have beautiful penmanship.
I think this bothers me not so much because cursive itself would be lost but because they seem to be argueing that handwriting in general isn’t important at all. I still send handwritten letters to my grandparents and cards with notes to friends and family. Just like you said those handwritten notes become treasured memories to hang on to. I don’t think handwriting or cursive should die!
I’m with you. I love my cursive writing and I can recognise any of my family or friends from school by their writing. I have a box of over 70 love letters (and yes, it is tied with a pink satin ribbon). I could never throw these away as it would be like discarding a part of myself.
I have 4 boys and I am dismayed to see that my 14 year old does not write in cursive. I don’t know if he will ever experience the joy of waiting weeks for a letter to come and hungrily reading those words from a country on the other side of the world. Emails have all but extinguished the need for this romantic angst.
I guess it depends since I personally rarely write like that because most of the time I am forced to write really fast and I don’t have the time to write like that, especially when English is not my mother-tongue language.
But it’s the same thing in Russian and Bulgarian (my mother-tongue languages)-even in them we don’t write in Cursive because of daily routine I guess.
BUT, I would write like that if I write a love letter or a formal letter to someone since writing in other way is somewhat disrespectful if you ask me. 🙂
Hey, I read your artice with great excitement. I agree with you: it is very sad that cursive handwriting is loosing its importance.As I was in school i learned writing by hand, but by the time the computer got more and more into daily life and it got so much easier to get in contact with other people and you could write down your words faster than before. You can delete your words or you can copy them on a whole. What an effort with handwriting. Just imagine we had to send us letters to post to this blog? This wouldn’t be effective and I think this is the same with cursive handwriting. It is nice to have, but out of time. If you really want to save special words with a magic feeling you can print it out and set an association image on it. Something a handwriting could never express…
This is a very interesting topic. I agree with the notion that most of the cursive writings are beautiful. Also, I think children should learn how to write properly before even touching a computer. Nonetheless, there’re other styles of writing equally important, and I don’t think that learning all of them (or one of them in particular, which is this case) should be obligued.
Great article, thanks a lot for sharing..
I too have a collection of handwritten letters that are very near and dear to me. As a retired teacher who successfully taught students beautiful cursive penmanship that looked like it came right out of the practice books, it saddens me to think that this form of writing is now being considered art, very much like the old calligraphy practice. As an art, I think it will live on. I think it was great that you showed your children their own handwritten notes. It really does show the purpose and value of this type of communication. It was experiencing that affect while reading my own collection that inspired me to start handwriting letters again.
The art of letter writing whether via keyboard or by hand is more of a manners issue and should be maintained as part of the curriculum.
As far as classroom education is concerned, I agree that the emphasis should be put on keyboard skills because the advances in technology demand it. Children who are not very proficient in keyboarding will have a disadvantage whereas children who lack cursive writing skills will not. Times have changed and they should be given tools that will help them to be successful during their lifetime.
Pingback: Follow-Up Support to an Earlier Post « Matthew James Broderick
I was just talking about this the other day when I found out that my younger brother (he’s only 22) is writing a novel by hand. I was shocked! I’m 30 and had to learn both print and cursive in school, but I think by now, the muscles capable of producing that type of writing have atrophied. I barely even sign my name anymore, as most of my purchases are done online, or are under $50 and don’t require a signature. I maybe write a couple checks a year (thank online bill paying!). All thank you notes should be written my hand (whether in print or cursive) though. Regardless of the words an email may contain, they are impersonal. There is detachment between the sender and the screen, and the recipient and the screen. It’s so impersonal and heartless and is the reason so much bullying is perpetrated online. With a handwritten note, you can see part of the writer’s soul and part of their personality, part of their experiences and life. No matter how technology grows and evolves, it will never be able to replace that.
I agree entirely. My handwriting is awful, but it’s _me_. I sometimes write poetry, and I can only do that with a pen – creating with a keyboard just doen’t work.
Exactly! And besides, we can’t analyze people’s TYPED writing to determine if they’re a serial killer like we can with handwriting 😉
I had to learn cursive and print in elementary school. Since I grew up also having to learn how to write Chinese characters, I found cursive to be sometimes fun, sometimes troublesome. I didn’t like the capitalized, cursive Q, but loved the capitalized, cursive T, F, and D.
Over the years my print (writing with both hands) became a combination of print and cursive.
Great post. Congrats for being FP 🙂
http://alfjeremy.wordpress.com/
congrats and I am so jealous
My kids love cursive writing! They think it’s pretty to read and cool to write!
It’s not dead everywhere!
When I was 5, I moved from England to Scotland. In my English school I’d been taught how to write cursive, but in Scotland I was told to stop, because the rest of the class wouldn’t learn that for a few years.
I love to write things out by hand – I think it allows you to think more about what you’re saying and so word it more succinctly. And while you’re at it, you might as well make it beautiful to look at.
I still write letters, for the same reasons, and intend to continue to do so!
I think cursive is far from dead. Even if it is in the doldrums at the moment, it will more than likely see a resurgence at some point. As the saying goes: “Everything old is new again.”
Interestingly, cursive is not a uniform thing across cultures. I teach ESL in the Czech Republic and the cursive style most of my students were taught in school is markedly different in many ways to the style I was taught in my native Canada. So much different in some aspects that I had to ask my Czech colleagues what some of the letters were when I first started teaching.
I find low standards for grammar much more disconcerting these days. It doesn’t matter if you write something in cursive, block letters or on a keyboard, any form of writing can be thrown into complete incomprehensibility by poor grammar.
I think it IS a shame that penmanship (cursive or otherwise) is no longer a school subject anywhere in the world – which leads to many confusing penmanship with calligraphy. I must’ve been one of the last batches of schoolchildren (in the UK) to have penmanship as a regular school subject. I didn’t like my penmanship classes, but I didn’t hate them either. I took typewriting too, and today my typing speed is 60-80 wpm.
Whatever little wisdom I got out of penmanship classes, it is this: It trains up discipline if not also patience. Penmanship, above all, is a manual skill, and manual adroitness is increasingly lacking in people nowadays.
The idea that it’s got to be either handwriting or typing is an artifice. Just look at the handwriting and typing skills of secretaries two or three generations ago already tells us those are very basic life/work skills.
Thank you for indulging my twopence. Very good article.
Freshly pressed and rightly so! What a great article about a wonderful skill. Looking at all the posts here, perhaps cursive writing, and the art of letter writing with all its associations, won’t die out just yet.
I really love writing cards and letters! I think it is very personal and no one should forget how to handwrite. Your handwriting can tell a lot about you. Technology sometimes ruins it all 😦
Great post! I’m a teenager but I write almost exclusively in cursive. I find it more fluid than print since I don’t have to lift my pen as often, and it gives my handwritten notes a bit of character. It’s sad that cursive is being taken out of schools, because I think kids can learn more about their identities from the way they write. Not to mention that there are a lot of historical documents written in cursive, and imagine what it would be like if future generations can’t read those documents!
Congrats on being FP! Let’s band together to save cursive handwriting. Learning this skill taught such great initial self-discipline skills. Hopefully the teaching of this skill will endure.
I have cursive writing and use felt-tipped pens. Standard ballpoints make my writing look messy as it’s scrawly. It’s funny, I had terrible handwriting as a kid but as an adult, am complimented on my handwriting. I always get a thrill when I see somebody else’s stylised handwriting, it’s so oldschool and elegant. Modern devices are meant to help us do things faster and so lovely handwriting takes us to a better time where we went at a slower pace and did things carefully.
I agree with you.
I was born 1992 and didn’t have much cursive in my school then. I hate it now because I don’t have my own signature and my handwriting sucks.
I’ve bought myself a calligraphy pen to learn to write better and I’m practising on getting a signature.
But cursive should definitly stay in the schools.
I’m in total agreement with you. Kids need to be taught the basics before they move up into something “bigger,” or they will never understand how things work.
Love cursive, love letters. And yes, although this form is outnumbered, it will never be out. Look at Hallmark and other cards in the store. People are still hanging on to this tradition. Just visit this section after a major holiday – it looks like WWIII. So that gives me hope. Great article.
Reblogged this on thesparklingsparkler and commented:
Two thumbs up for this post. 😀
I totally agree with you! At my school, there are only some people who knows and practices the art of writing in cursive. It’s saddening to think that such a beautiful art is being lost due to the development of technology. That’s a problem about technology, art is forgotten and people opt for the easy way to do things. Teenagers, nowadays, do not even know how to write letters. All they do is click, click, click, on the keyboard. I’m happy to see that there’s someone who sticks to the art of cursive writing. Oh, I’m only fifteen. 🙂
**Neat topic! Not one we hear of often & enjoyed reading it. I LOVE using cursive writing and it “dresses” up anything one can use it on..Who wants to receive a card without it?!? I mean really…Though my straight penmanship is often mistaken for calligraphy(people ask me all the time did you hand write that???) I use cursive alot more ..It comes naturally. Mayhaps its a generational thing & if that is the case that I’ll do my part to keep it ALIVE
The post is so cool. (Yeah, I know…) But here’s the thing: I said cool because the content did not only open the readers’ eyes to some harsh realities and lessons surrounding cursive writing; it also entertained them–really! And, the thoughtfulness. You really got me with that card at the end.
Congratulations for being “freshly pressed”.
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown and commented:
Definitely saved.
I definitely think it should be saves. For one, I really adore the little oddities in cursive writing and some cursive font are truly beautiful – art-like.
As for speed, I do type pretty fast, but I am a lot faster and comfortable with writing.
I’m in uni and all my assignments and exams are handwritten, so you could say I’m used to it. 😀
You’ve been Freshly Pressed! Hooray!
Thank you! My friends and I love to send each other beautiful letters, and they truly are treasures. Handwriting is infinitely more expressive and personal than generic typed text. I’m so glad (and hopeful) to see the huge response you’ve gotten on this topic.
I sincerely hope it’s not dead, and that it will never die. You’re completely right about not being able to save a text message in a box; and it’s too impersonal. The gap between the person and their thoughts is somehow smaller in something that’s handwritten…
Plus, there’s the history. I’m in Europe and among other things from previous generations we have a signal, taken down in longhand, announcing the ceasefire at the end of World War 1. It was taken down by my very young grandfather 94 years ago in a trench on the Western Front, and it’s recogniseably in his handwriting. The past lives and breathes when you’ve got something like that in front of you.
I was interested to read this post and the comments, as I only discovered recently (courtesy of National Geographic) that cursive is not common in the US. I was astonished. For the last 10 years I have taught primary school in Scotland. Joined script (our name for cursive!) is expected of the majority of children by the age of around 8. Last year I had a P3 class, 29 children age 7-8, and they rightly took huge pride in their lovely handwriting. If it is taught well, it is easy to learn and actually helps with writing and spelling as the kids get a nice sense of how the letters flow on into each other. They can also easily grasp that if you can write cursive easily, you can write fast and smoothly, and that’s useful. It doesn’t matter how much technology we have and use (and I type fast and often, and spend far too much time texting), everyone still needs to hand write sometimes, and it’s great to be able to do it well. I have three stepchildren and the middle boy was very resistant to writing anything (no cards, no thank you notes, etc, etc). Now he is at university, and even though he has a laptop and submits his work typed, his handwriting has suddenly improved, because he’s having to do it much more and realising that his clumsy, childish style didn’t look good. Because of course you need to take notes for yourself at times, and write people notes. And it looks so much better if these notes are in joined script. Although I suppose, in the UK, that’s because if you got a note from someone and it wasn’t joined, it looks to you like it’s from a young child – which is only cute if it IS from a young child!
PS – analogue clocks – now that’s a hard slog to teach here too, these days! Especially the whole 10:45 is quarter to 11 thing!
I’m so glad that I was taught handwriting and good penmanship in school! Its a lost art now and I think its totally depriving children of a well-rounded education in general. Hand written things are beautiful now with all the tech stuff we have everywhere….(from a major tech user girl;)
cursive writing is worthy of freshly pressed? i don’t get it.
I was taught cursive writing but never took it up, although I never gave up writing. My handwriting is bad, but I am happy that I write. There is a bigger worry than just cursive, will the future generation stop writing at all…
To preserve the art if cursive writing I think the way forward would to encourage digital writing. May be with a stylus or something the kids can write on the digital devices like the iPad.
My cursive handwriting is part of my identity…..so yeah..I agree with you:)
I learned today that you are never to old to play with a large cardboard box. And I also read this blog I really liked – It was called robincoyle, an insightful blog – I read a post titled “is cursive handwriting died”? and the answer was “No” But it was not just any “No” it had a meaning, this “No” had a story and this “No” was good. A good “No”
Reblogged this on yiskahsthoughts.
My handwriting is bad, but I’m happy with it. Its not the best but I feel comfortable when writing so thats good, I like this thought on handwriting and glad you shared.
I must have been one of the only kids who enjoyed learning cursive. I really want to say that learning how to write in different types of alphabet actually helped me learn English better.
It breaks my heart to know that screens are taking over the world. Books aren’t even safe anymore. Computers may be beneficial, but that doesn’t mean people should completely discard a form of art because of them.
I really liked your post. Good job!
My two year old grand daughter will probably print the word ‘done’ before words I learned first – like Tip and Mitten, as she already recognizes ‘done’ as a step in many of the ipad aps for toddlers. That is progress – but can’t she learn cursive too – the way we learned French or Spanish – for enlightenment.
The quality of handwriting has been deteriorating for generations. If you look at texts written a few hundred years ago you are immediately struck by the quality of the cursive script. In today’s world it looks like high art. One of the most impressive things I have ever seen was one of Leonardo Da’Vinci’s notebooks. His script was perfect, microscopic and backwards. It was hard to believe a human being had written such a fine document with an ancient quill. Tossing cursive aside is just other bruise on civilization’s battered face. It doesn’t surprise me that “educators” are behind this; they’re the vanguard of modern louts loudly cheer-leading our accelerating decent into mediocrity. As one of my favorite bloggers is always noting, “enjoy the decline.”
‘bruise on civilization’s battered face’ and ‘the vanguard of modern louts loudly cheersleading our decent into mediocrity’ truely inspired writing there!
Save it. Do all you can to save it! Fine motor skills are worthwhile skills.
I watch as so many skills fall by the wayside, but suspect it happens to every generation. They sit and watch the next generation destrory of things that where worked so hard for.
Oh, I totally agree with you. No kid cares about cursive writing. I failed trying to teach my son, he is quite artistic but the handwriting is a chicken scratch. I cannot believe he could not transfer the curves in a sketch into his letters. Indeed, it is a dying art!.
It boggles my mind how the education system has gone kaput in the last decade! I am well aware that we’re embarking on a new technological era, but learning cursive must be retained. Just because. It enforces a traditional learning style and embeds any trace of humanity that will be lost at the cost of all these new advancements. Plus, it looks nice!
I’ve read several articles on this subject — and even commented to a blog in which someone actually praised the loss of cursive — and I have no ill will toward the skill.
What strikes me, is that the most abundant reasoning for eliminating cursive, is that younger generations have trouble reading it! It has nothing to do with keyboards or digital technology. The problem, then, becomes one of dumbing down education to meet the needs of a generation that is lacking in skills that were once prized and adored. I remember being in grade school, and my teacher telling us that we needed to learn cursive because it made our writing look “smarter,” more educated and stylish.
When I commented to the above mentioned praise-happy person, I noted that the ability to read cursive — which, I think, requires that one learn it, just as we had to learn the printed alphabet to be able to read words, sentences, book — was important, if for nothing else, than to read our primary history. Imagine if the U.S. Constitution, or the Declaration of Independence, were inaccessible to someone, because they could not read cursive! Yes. these documents have been digitized, transcribed, and what not; but the actual documents, sitting in the Library of Congress, require the need to read cursive (the fact that the wording is archaic and the handwriting less-than-legible is moot at this point).
A final point: though there seems to be no end in sight for the technology that we have today, and will have tomorrow, what happens if we find ourselves, as a world, in a situation similar to “The Post Man?” (Y’know, the Kevin Costner, post-apocalyptic film, in which communication is hindered by the lack of someone to deliver those hand-written letters?)
If technology fails us, then what skills will future generations have to communicate? (Sure, sure, printed letters will work, but they lack not only the beauty of cursive script, but also the speed, which is. I think, the real reason cursive was developed in the first place.)
I completely agree with you. I love cursive handwriting, it looks so pretty. I think that my handwriting has gotten better (although I’m still in school so…) but I have stopped writing cursive, mainly for ease and speed.
I’d love if you could take a look at my blog. 🙂 Great blog. Followed.
What year are you in school? Just curious. Do your teachers require cursive on assignments?
Once the flurry of Freshly Pressed has died down, I will most certainly visit your blog. Give me a few days . . .
Cursive is no longer taught in our school district, and keyboarding has replaced typing. I’m appalled. But it’s a sign of the times.
Sigh. Yes it is a sign of the times. But with all the comments here, maybe we can start a groundswell of resistance!
Like, like!
I agree 100% with you. I understand what they’re trying to do, but they’re going to learn those typing skills whether or not they replace cursive with it. It shouldn’t be a battle between the two. I grew up learning cursive but typing is just a thing you eventually learn. I had–what?–ONE class that taught me how to type efficiently and HEY I learned. I have a slightly unique way of typing but no one will see that in my message I type to them. They don’t see that instead of reaching for the Y with my right pointer finger as I’m taught to, I sometimes reach for it with my left pointer finger. You don’t get a sense of personality. I’m not saying that teaching cursive will teach kids to write letters or anything. No, they’re still going to send a text or an email. But you should be able to write a quick note to someone in class on a piece of paper that looks unique. I get it. You can do that without cursive. But a lot of people have similar print letters and wildly unique cursive. I don’t know. I’m a lover of that nostalgia-inducing feeling cursive letters give you, too. I’m with you. I don’t REALLY have a good reason to argue, but why should you NEED one? Since when is education based in necessity? We should be taught to learn things simply for the purpose of knowing them. To say “well screw the cursive and teach typing” is absurd. My generation learned to type exquisitely without a load of BS classes, and we also know how to write in cursive.
Well, actually, I do have a good reason as to why we should continue to teach cursive. Being able to study our own lives and histories without taking a language class called “Cursive 101.” What does my generation write in? print & cursive. Oftentimes, a MIX of the two. What happens when we write little notes in our grandchildren’s birthday cards one day? Are we suppose to force ourselves to write in print? What if they want to read our grandparents’ letters to each other and study the human beings they CAME from? Well, anyway, you get the idea.
Bravo! Great comment here. I am sad that my future grandchildren won’t be able to read a note I write them if it is cursive. They won’t be able to write the letters my grandparents wrote to me. Or, their great-grandfather’s love notes to their great-grandmother. Does it feel like dumbing-down the art of communication to you? It does to me.
BTW, I love your quirk of typing the letter “Y” with your left hand. Good for you. I may adopt the practice! Why? Just because I like the renegade feeling of it.
Cursive handwriting should be saved. It denotes beauty and elegance.
In fact, I am enthralled by the beauty of cursive handwriting though my handwriting is like a typewriter (most people says that to me). Sometimes, I try to write in cursive.
Oh, I love my parents’ cursive handwriting and their signature.
And I want to say thank you for liking my poetry “Act Cute Again” and “Whole-Life or Death Sentence”.
I would add the word “grace” to your sentence, “It denotes beauty and elegance.” Forgive me . . . did I stop by your place and like your poetry? My mind is addled with this Freshly Pressed firestorm. Let me revisit you right now.
Seems like.
Thank you for your response. “Grace” is also the perfect word for Cursive handwriting.
Reblogged this on Mooney's Footprints and commented:
Completely agree!! I’m going to start handwritting NOW! haha
Thanks for the reblog, Mrs. Mooney27! I’m off to check out your blog!
AMAZING!!! My husband and I were talking about this last week! And this weekend I tried practicing a little! I’m with you 100%!!
I’m with you. After this post and the conversation it generated, I’m off to write letters in cursive to everyone I know!
Cursive handwriting is a skill our future generations are going to lack, thanks to technology!
But the future generations can sure text, Tweet, and Facebook faster than we old-schoolers, right?
As someone who would get A’s in all subjects except “penmanship,” and then have to hear grief from my parents about it, I say let it go. It’s like wrapping a present, in that all anyone really cares about is what’s on the inside, anyway. What you say is what matters, not what the letters themselves look like. Just my opinion, anyway.
You are entitled to your opinion, for sure. That is what is fun about this discussion. Your analogy about the gift-wrapped present is good. I am one that cares about the bow on the package too. But, that is just me . . . and from the comments here, a lot of other people. Perhaps we are in the dark ages and you are the beacon of the future.
wow. astonishing.
Amen to that!
Our school doesn’t have cursive in the curriculum, however, we have been fortunate that all of our children have had a teacher who insisted upon it (along with a desire to learn it). Sadly, we haven’t pushed it as parents, mostly because it seems to be coming along naturally. My husband actually NEVER learned cursive…can you believe that!?!?!
For now, our main focus is on having conversations, REAL LIFE convos, with questions, answers, opinions and the like, it’s a battle; we plan to win the WAR!!
Congratulations on your Freshly pressed post!! 🙂
Thanks! Being Freshly Pressed has been an wild and crazy ride! I love the conversations we are having (even tho they are electronic) about cursive. If you don’t mind me asking, how old is your husband that he wasn’t taught cursive in grade school? I thought eliminating it from school curricula is a new thing.
My kids are grown now, but I insisted that we have family dinners with the table set, the TV off, and all electronic gadgets in the other room when they were little. It was a time of bonding, laughter, and a place to share successes, heartbreaks, and joy. So glad to hear you do the same. My kids treasure those times now, even though in the throes of it, they didn’t like the occasional parental grilling. “How is this kid Johnny who wants to take you to the Junior High Dance?”
He’s 43. Apparently where he went to school in Massachusetts it was optional, either that or there was ZERO follow up. It’s bizarre. So yep, he only prints.
Does he have nice handwriting in printing? My friend is an architect and his printing is gorgeous!
Not so much. It’s legible and clear, just not “pretty”, certainly not like architect print (love THAT!!!).
There’s something amazing and beautiful about handwriting- and there are a lot of time I prefer to. It’s easier to keep track of all the ideas floating around in my head if I write them down. And I remember things so much better when I write them down!
I think it’s still important to learn, because you never know when you’ll need it.
Great post!
Thanks, Winged Creature. (Love that name.) Cursive is one of those life skills I think everyone should know . . . like how to swim, ride a bike, fly a kite, etc.
When I was in college (many moons ago), I would study for exams by re-writing my lecture notes. It was the best way to etch facts and figures on my brain. And, I did it all in cursive.
It definitely is one of those things everyone should know. And re-writing lecture notes is impressive! But it’s also a great way to study!
Re-writing notes etches the information into your brain, but also lets you know what you DON’T know. The process makes you go back and fill in the blanks.
Very true!
no, cursive writing is not dead yet. you have my support from Hong Kong.
i know what you mean when lecture notes (in which i am having right now) is all typed; assignments and essays are in electronic formats; lecture outlines and powerpoint presentation are in computers.
but, exams are still written by hands. good cursive writing is not only beautiful, also helps you to write more effectively.
Yes, you need to pause and drink in your thoughts when writing in cursive. With typing, you hammer at the keyboard, move and delete words, sentences, and paragraphs on a whim, and in the end, it may be good . . . but it isn’t emotional. Glad to have your support from Hong Kong!
I am in high school and I cannot imagine not knowing how or using cursive. I use it for everything, from physics problems to an English essay. Not only is cursive faster, but I feel more connected with what I am writing. While many cannot read my handwriting, (or go without complaining about it,) it embodies who I am and the rhythm in which I think. Cursive makes everything so personal, so meaningful.
I love hearing from the high school and college students like you who still embrace cursive handwriting. You can see someone’s personality in how they write. With electronic writing, you can only read the words hammered out, but not feel the words and emotions. Know what I mean?
The picture bring back childhood memories to me. Those times when I was just a kid and just started learning on it and mastering it with my mom’s help.
Although in today’s generation, we’ve been using a computer generated writing, nothing can be compared to our own unique writing. Nice post!
Thanks Jim! Did your elementary school teacher call the space between the lines on that paper, “No man’s land?” Mine did. When I was taught cursive, I felt all grown up and sophisticated. It was a rite of passage.
There are beautiful computer fonts out there, but none compare to the cool way my uncle signs off letters with his stylized “M” and a flourish.
It was actually a long time ago:D. I agree with you! that made us so unique. I’m glad you reminded us cursive writing through posting it. Anyway continue posting insightful ideas! Good luck..
It was actually a long time ago:D.I agree with you! that made us so unique. I’m glad you reminded us cursive writing through posting it. Anyway continue posting insightful ideas! Good luck..
I learned cursive in third grade and never used it again. The only way it is present in my life is when I sign my name on student loans!
Your comment made me wonder a couple things . . . what will student loan folks think when the generations that don’t learn cursive sign their loans in block letters? Or for fans when future celebrities sign autographs in block letters on footballs, guitars, 8 x 10 glossies, and autograph books?
Perhaps my comment came off in the wrong way…I personally think that cursive writing should still be taught in schools. It is very easy to detect that by getting rid of cursive writing, we are one step closer to disregarding writing by hand altogether, in favour of teaching typing/texting skills. What will happen to future generations when/if technology becomes widely unavailable (even for just a few hours)? Will younger generations be able to effectively communicate without technology once we toss printing as well?
Although I have my beliefs about cursive writing, I felt that it was necessary for people to consider the fact that although it is necessary for some aspects in life (mostly when it comes to signing things), it isn’t widely used for younger people. I am 19, and I don’t know one person my age who prefers handwriting over printing. For myself personally, unless i am signing my name, my cursive writing is very illegible. The reason for this is because it was never required (by any of my teachers) that assignments be written in cursive. For the most part, things were expected to be typed, and for the odd assignment that could be handwritten, printing was always the first option as it is easier for me (and a lot of younger people) to do because we have had more practice in it.
This is obviously a bigger issue than just handwriting being eliminated from curriculum; it has more to do with the impact that technology is having on the education of the future world leaders.
You are absolutely right. This debate/conversation/argument is bigger than cursive. It is about how we will communicate with each other for years to come. For example, “Face Time” on our iPhones gives us a “new” way of communicating. Face-to-face via technology. I think I understood you. You made, and make excellent points in this comment. Really. You. Did.
Thanks Robin, I enjoyed the article!
Reblogged this on Bertram's Blog and commented:
This is an interesting article and an interesting discussion about cursive writing. Me? I write my novels long hand because that is the easiest way for me to delve into into myself for the story. (I’m not one of those writers who can sit down and let the words flow. I have to sit and think about everything I want to say, and to figure out the best words to show what I decide to say. Sort of anachronistic, I know, but it helps me get deeper into the story. And I’m not the only one. Studies have shown that there is a direct mind/hand connection, that you think better when writing by hand, so it makes sense to teach both keyboarding and cursive, since both types of writing use different parts of the brain. I write my blogs on the computer, for instance because blogging for me is more stream of consciousness, and those words flow. I generally don’t have to sit and thing about what I want to say. What about you? Do you still write anything long hand, or do you strictly use the keyboards of your various devices? Or perhaps you use voice recognition technology? Such technology makes both cursive and keyboarding obsolete.
Thanks for the reblog and great introduction to this post. I have a blogging friend who makes all of his comments on blogs with voice recognition software. Now that must take some practice!
I write like the top image and I was also taught that way, I am only 19 so it can’t have changed that much since I was in school?
Apparently it has changed, A LOT. But, I also guess it depends on where you live. California, where I live, is keeping cursive in the curriculum.
Cursive is quicker.
Than printing
Yup . . . it is. Plus, I am lousy at texting!
Me too. I can type 90+ words a minute on a full sized keyboard (I am a legal assistant), but I am at a loss when searching for letters on my little keyboard on my phone. You would think I never saw a qwerty keyboard. 🙂
Cursive writing is getting its death knell. While it is neother bad nor good, it is a sign of the digital times. I will miss it.
It is a sign of the times. I don’t like it, but what can be done. Think of how differently we communicate now from even a few years ago.
This is an issue close to home; in fact, it is in my home! Our 7-year old son’s (private, Christian) school teaches cursive starting in grade 1. My little boy skipped kindergarten, so he went straight to cursive. It was hard at first regarding fine motor skills, but it has been to this day the only subject that has really challenged him! He had to learn fast, and within first grade, he went from a C+ in cursive to all A’s. His non-cursive writing is actually not as good as his cursive, now!
L.’s school also teaches keyboard skills starting in grade 2. Now, my 7-year old can write beautiful handwritten notes AND type better than some adults I know (and manipulate documents and other important computer skills).
I vote, keep cursive. Fine motor skills, courtesy, personalization, concentration, and etiquette suffer without cursive. Yes, it is the computer age, but I see in my own life, as you mentioned in your post, how special handwritten letters/stories/memories are. Enough of life happens in front of some sort of electronic screen…
A commenter said, “Why not teach cursive AND keyboarding?” Excellent question.
My mom is not a hopeless romantic. In fact, she jokingly calls herself, “Hard Hearted Hannah.” However, when my dad was in the Navy and out at sea for months at a time, she was left keeping the home fires warm and tending to 4 children under the age of eight by herself (I was still a twinkle in my dad’s eye), she slept with his most recent letter under her pillow. Can’t do that with an iPhone. Well, maybe you can, but it isn’t the same.
So glad to hear your little one gets A’s in cursive!
My handwriting has seriously deteroriated. However I did take several courses on hand calligraphy where letters are an art form. I still do it.
Other than that, the computer helps my friends and family read my stuff.
After all this conversation on the topic of cursive handwriting, I’m in the mood for a calligraphy class.
I think you would enjoy it if you like doing any type of craft or art with your hands.
I’ll be happy if kids just learn how to spell correctly.
Amen to that. And, proper grammar.
I hope it’s not dead, but I’m afraid my 15 year old brother in law has no clue how to write in cursive. I myself happen to write half cursive-half print almost all the time, but prefer cursive in general. It’s just so much more appealing!
My handwriting is a blend of cursive and printing too. I kinda run all the letters together.
This is absolutely ridiculous! Cursive is the only way I can write. I think print is absolutely ugly, yet a lot of people claim they can’t read my cursive writing. It’s really too bad. It’s beautiful. I think one’s cursive is a very important part of their identity, but of course that’s coming from someone that loves writing and has neat writing. It’s not a difficult skill, and although it’s not as common as typing, it should not be forgotten. Next time you know business men will be wearing flip flops to meetings! HMPH!
Our handwriting is a part of our identity. I can recognize all of my family and friend’s handwriting. What about this issue . . . the study of handwriting analysis? You know, how you can tell a lot about a person by how they dot their “i-s” and cross their “t-s.” How will the police analyze random notes if they are written on a computer.
Ew. The thought of businessmen in flip flops creeps me out.
I insist on my children learning to not only write proper cursive and print, but also read both. While the world goes about relying on technology I sit at my computer thinking “Gee, what would we do if the world went belly up and electricity wasn’t an option?”. The simple answer is that we’d be just peachy here in our little space. Why? Because I’ve taught my children values that will help them to survive. They are able to read, write, cultivate small plots of soil, properly tend a garden, and yes, even butcher wild game for the oldest in the pack.
There seem to be a lot of old lessons that the world has been leaving behind in favor of texting, McDonald’s, and instant gratification. I can only pray my own family is around to be the ones keeping those blind souls alive someday if technology fails.
It is strange to think that my future grandchildren won’t be able to read letters and cards I send them if I write them in cursive. They may not use cursive much, but they should know how to write it and read it. It is like other life skills . . . riding a bike, knowing how to swim, reading music, flying a kite, baiting a hook, etc. Sounds like we are on the same page on this topic.
It honestly scares me to think of the many things we have allowed to be removed from schools. We’re removing cursive writing, an important form of non-technical communication, yet we’re keeping square dancing in gym class? I mean honestly, please explain this one so I can somehow attempt to justify it.
This is no better than having removed the Pledge of Allegiance. First we remove our children’s pride in their country, then we move on to cut the funding for the arts (because we certainly do not want any future literary arts phenoms right? Instead we fund sports.), now cursive writing, and tomorrow? Who knows.
The myriad changes being made within schools brings forth my desire to home school my children. If I could afford to home school all four of them, I darn well would! At least then I could ensure they receive a properly rounded education that would serve them well for years to come.
I’m with you. Gee, what is this pad of paper for? Toilet paper hanging on the fridge?
Ha! A whole industry will be lost. Note Pad Paper-makers.
To me, as an European, this seems just so weird… (Although, admittedly, for all I know there might be plans to stop teaching cursive here as well, I haven’t exactly been following the news. But I think I’d have heard about that.)
The part that really bothers me about this is, it’s not just writing – it’s reading too. So, if I scribble a note to an American kid these days, a shopping list or whatever – will they even be able to read it? It’s a little shocking to think that cursive might go the way of Fraktur/Kurrent here in Austria and Germany, which I can just barely decipher (with a lot of guessing).
(And just for the record, I still write letters. And hope that my American pen pals can read my handwriting.)
Excuse my ignorance, but what is Fraktur/Kurrent?
It is strange to think that something written in English (or their native language) in cursive will look like a foreign language to our future generations.
So glad to hear you are doing your part to keep letter writing and cursive alive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraktur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurrent
Basically, old forms of writing (print and cursive) that died out some time during the 20th century. I can still sort of read Fraktur, but only very slowly. Never had to try Kurrent yet, though.
And don’t feel ignorant – I can hardly expect Americans to know extinct Austrian/German forms of writing. 🙂 I bet even many Austrians and Germans don’t know what they are!
It is a lost art, for sure. I used to pride myself on my penmanship, but now I can hardly remember how to hold a pen. I have been thinking a lot about sending cards to my friends, through the regular mail, in my old handwriting. Getting actual mail used to excite me….maybe we can begin that trend again.
My handwriting is rusty from disuse and my hand tires quickly if I write more than a thank you note. I’m with you . . . I say we all start writing letters to each other to save cursive, the mail service, and so that there is something in the mailbox beside bills and junk mail.
I completely agree!!
I am a retired school teacher and remember very vividly giving a model lesson in penmanship (Palmer method). My principal, whose handwriting was illegible, sat in the back of the room and did what the kids did,, and then wrote a 2 page review of my teaching skills and my handwriting skills.
To me, being able to hold in my hand the letters received from my parents while in college, to read the letters written by my parents to each other while courting and during their marriage is like holding on to part of them. I have correspondence from my grandparents, on paper, and this is a treasure to pass on to the generations that come after.
Neither the computer nor the typewriter convery that sense of connection to ones past.
And I trust that your principal’s review of your lesson was glowing, right? Bet s/he learned a thing or two.
Holding letters from the past gives us a peek into what was going on in the world and how it impacted them. Sure, we can research WWII, but books or the Internet wouldn’t tell us how having Dad overseas effected the whole family . . . and the dreadful worry.
Congrats beautiful
Well thank you!
The fact that my 10-year old proudly brings me anything she writes in cursive so that we can marvel over it, is enough for me. Her signature is a work of art.
How lovely. A signature should be a work of art.
Although I can appreciate a very nicely written letter or assignment (I’m an English teacher) I am very glad the cursive world seems to be over. Generally, I find things written in print easier to understand and I can hardly imagine trying to *write* legibly in cursive again. Though I do wish the schools would put “handwriting” class time to more creative things like painting or poetry. That way we could still encourage an aesthetic appreciation I think you are describing. 🙂
Hmmmm . . . interesting idea. Channel the artistry of cursive writing into a different creative pursuit.
Throughout childhood I have obsessed over cursive handwriting and have always sought to master it. I totally agree that children need to learn cursive handwriting! It provides an element of artistry to the written work and is a great way to present your work. Fingers crossed the art of writing doesn’t die down.
The irony of this discussion taking place online is quite amusing.
Ha! It is completely ironic. Perhaps I’ll do my next blog post by snail mail. That will be an interesting twist in the world of blogging!
There is artistry in handwriting. You can see the personality of the writer, and sometimes even their mood at the moment they wrote it.
I for one am thankful we no longer use chisles and hammers to write on stone tablets. Those were heavy to carry around.
Ha! Good point. Ruins one’s manicure and causes all kinds of back problems too.
Well, this post certainly makes me feel rather old and outdated. I am a strong advocate of cursive writing – begun in the 2nd grade, NOT in kindergarten. (Their fine motor skills have not developed enough at 4 or 5 to handle the intricacies of cursive. Plus, many kindergarten curricula that teach cursive completely overlook print – which creates problems of its own!)
As a high school history teacher, even in this age of technology, I still take study notes on paper (it’s just easier to hold a book open with one hand, and write with the other), write on my whiteboard in cursive, and require my students to take notes by hand. I read someone’s comment about the hand/mind correlation, and I agree. For some reason, writing the actual words,”the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066 between William the Conqueror and Harold Godwin” makes the information stick in your head.
Exactly! I remember studying for tests in college (many moons ago) by rewriting my lecture notes. It helps commit the facts to memory.
I feel bad that my mom often wrote letters to me and I replied via email or by a phone call. I know how much receiving a letter in the mail means to her. But as the mother of three, hammering out an email was a quick fix when the kids were young. You know what . . . I’m off to write her a letter right now. Well, after I reply to some more comments here.
I have horrible penmanship but that being said, I am so thankful that I know how to write in cursive. I was appalled when I learned that many many schools no longer teach it. What a travesty! Thankfully my two wonderful monchers go to a charter school where they start teaching them cursive in kindergarten. Both of them have beautiful handwriting and nothing makes me smile more and get a tear in my eye then getting a picture that they made for me with beautiful cursive that tells me they love me 😀
So glad your kids know cursive and that some schools are keeping it alive and well. With the firestorm here against removing cursive from the school curriculum, I am surprised the people in the states getting rid of it aren’t storming the gates in protest.
Oh, and I loved (and now miss) the pictures and notes from my kids. They went and got all grown up on me.
Unfortunately, yes, it’s on it’s way out. I think that’s ridiculous. I write in cursive and I can still type very fast. There is a traditional elegance to cursive, and it’s a fundamental skill that should be taught – like Plato.
Someone commented here that kids still learn math even though we all use calculators. I think cursive should be required along with other life skills, like learning how to swim, drive a stick-shift, and reading music.
I was an assistant teacher at a Montessori School where I worked for 2 1/2 years and although the debate came into the school about whether or not cursive should be taught in the classrooms, the classroom I worked in had cursive “sand letters” for the children to trace and learn from. This wasn’t something that was required for them to learn, if you know the Montessori method a lot is left up to the child to decide. I distinctly remember one 6 year old girl in my class that was so excited about learning cursive because she already knew how to write in print very well, and cursive was challenging her and making her learn.
Personally, I believe that cursive should still be taught in school because it helps with the muscles in your hand and it helps you learn. It keeps your brain working. And just for the record, I try to send out handwritten letters whenever possible. 🙂
I remember feeling all grown up when we were “allowed” to write in cursive. It was a rite of passage. Someone commented here that cursive has been shown to help with math skills. I wonder if it has to do with spacial learning. Also, pausing before you write makes you think about what you are going to say before you spew out the words.
Yes, I remember learning cursive as well. I think it’s still very useful in today’s society.
For me not. I love my handwriting. I think that maybe not as the beginning of the writing, but still working. When the typing machine started everyone thought that the handwriting was going to disappear, but still in the world. So, the computer, smartphone(for texting) or others devices that we use for writing is only another way to express by the writing. Handwriting only started the amazing way to comunicate through the lettering.
Someone said in a comment, “Do you suppose the cavemen lamented the end of cave painting? First the dinosaurs go extinct on us, now cave art?”
I love cursive and although I’m rather up to date with tech I still prefer, when at work etc, to make lists and make notes rather than open a writing program on the PC. I use all the social media outlets but I will always stick to the fact that handwritten is more personal, none of this send a card to someones door from “FunkyPigeon” – why not take the time to go out and buy one and give it to someone or post it to them yourself?
This is coming from an 18 year old – which proves that it isn’t just the generation of today, maybe its just laziness?
One of those cheesy e-cards says to me, “I’m too cheap and lazy and don’t care enough about you to drive to the store and spend money on a card an postage, so here . . . Happy Birthday, Grandma.”
Glad to hear you are keeping cursive handwriting alive in your neck of the woods.
Studies have shown that there is a direct mind/hand connection, that you think better when writing by hand, so it makes sense to teach both keyboarding and cursive. I wrote all my books long hand. Sort of anachronistic, I know, but it helps me get deeper into the story.
Wow . . . long hand? Really? How did you do your editing? I’m impressed.
You know, I edit everything I type. Everything. But, rarely (ever?) need/want to edit a letter written by hand. Interesting. It is that mind and hand connection point you made.
Yes, wrote five books long hand. Did the rewrites and first editing long hand, too. Typing the manuscripts gave me a different way of looking at the books, and in doing so, I was able to correct mistakes in grammar and consistency. After that, I did any further edits on the computer.
I write blog posts on the computer without any problem, but that is a different type of writing.
Again . . . I am impressed. How many notepads did your books fill?
I wrote on looseleaf paper and used less than a couple of hundred sheets per book since I write on both sides. Used mechanical pencils since they are easier on my hands than ink.
Wow. I tried to do that again this summer, and while it was fun for the first draft (of the first few chapters, anyway… I’m not a very consistent writer, and got kind of … distracted), I could not imagine editing it longhand, too.
My last novel wasn’t edited longhand, at least not much. By then I pretty much new how to write, so I did most of the editing when I typed up, and then the final edits on the computer.
I believe handwriting and anything literally written by hand is going to go away. I have not submitted anything in writing for over 3 years. Schools rarely ask for hand written stuff anymore. Its straight tests scantron and essays
I am afraid you are right. I don’t like it, but I think you are right. Heck, how many quill pens do you see around these days?
In a comencement speech at Stanford University, Steve Jobs talked about his dropout years and how he went back to college to take some calligraphy class. This eventually developed into what we now know as “Fonts”. He went on to say that maybe if it hadn’t been for that class, we might all be typing our emails with the same old font from old computers.
One thing should not be into conflict with the other. Why can’t kids learn both? Thats just my opinion.
Congratulations on being freshly pressed!
I forgot to say that the video of that speech is available at youtube; a way to find it is to search for “stay foolish”
Thank you for the Freshly Pressed comment.
I agree with you. Why can’t kids learn both keyboarding and cursive handwriting? But maybe I want to hold onto cursive because of tradition, not necessity. How many quill pens and ink wells to you see nowadays?
I’ll check out Mr. Jobs speech.
Cursive, like most things in this life, won’t completely die out. There will always be a few who keep it alive. To be honest, I am a freshman in college, and I write in cursive all the time. One: it’s faster when you take notes, and most people at my school still actually handwrite notes. Two: it’s so much more gratifying to see cursive on a page than anything else. And it has character too. I’ve been called an old soul, but I can’t be the only one around. However, when they taught me cursive in elementary, I hated it and refused to use it until high school. Then I decided it is superior, which it is. There will always be quite a few odd balls, like me. 🙂
I LIKE odd balls like you! I thought college kids take notes on their laptop nowadays. Huh. Learned something new today.
Unfolding a handwritten letter is much more gratifying than a letter hammered out on a computer. The words may be the same, but them emotional response is different for the writer, as well as the reader.
I love cursive handwriting and continue to keep working on it to improve. As a teacher I think it is important for students to develop the art of cursive writing. Not just because it is an “art” but because it also teaches your brain to focus on lines and following through (not lifting your pencil). As a tutor for public school children I have personally seen the correlation between good handwriting and math skills…so I definitely think it’s important. I always taught it when I was teaching in a classroom…and my students hated me for it – but they all had decent handwriting at the end of the year. When my son is old enough to start school he will also be learning cursive. It is important. And I don’t want my son’s academics to suffer because he lost out on a basic skill that cursive teaches.
My daughter’s name is Amanda Elizabeth. But, guess what we sometimes call her? Amanda Jane! Nice to meet you Amanda Jane.
Interesting about the correlation between handwriting an math. I wonder why that is. If my kids were still little and they took cursive writing out of the curriculum, I would teach it to them. I feel like it is one of those things everyone should know how to do . . . like swimming, riding a bike, reading music, etc.
Reblogged this on NadiaJWriter.com.
Cool! Thanks for the reblog.
You’re welcome! 🙂
As a former elementary teacher, not a lot of time was spent with cursive writing. But because teachers are so pressed for time trying to cover the entire curriculum for the school year, cursive often takes a backseat to math, language arts, science etc. But that doesn’t stop parents from teaching their children at home. Just like parents should read to their children every night when they are young, parents can help their children at home with some of the extras. And as much as I love to receive and send handwritten cards in the mail, I think we all just need to deal with the fact that writing on paper will probably become extinct. And I’m not so worried about the writing in cursive as I am about the absolutely awful grammar and spelling out there! That’s what nags at me.
Yes, teachers have to cram so much into the school day. If something has to go, I can see why it is cursive.
My husband and I were just talking about grammar and spelling and how it seems that it is OKAY to use poor grammar and misspell words in electronic communications. Why is that?
I too am afraid writing will become extinct. Heck, see an quill pens and ink wells lately? Or how about cave paintings?
A scene in a fantastic Woody Allen movie, “Take the Money and Run” where Woody Allen’s character is trying to rob a bank … the teller cannot read the scrawl and misspellings on the note. The character would have done better with an iPad that had a spell-checker.
My writing has deteriorated so that I cannot read it at times. I do think handwriting is going the way of Latin…only for scholars and researchers.
It won’t be long before no one can read the Declaration of Independence. That is the problem. To be able to read handwriting, it helps to be able to hand-write, even badly.
I still think it should be taught.
I know the exact scene you are talking about . . . doesn’t the note say, “I have a gun” but the teller thinks it says “gub”? Also, isn’t there a line about “I lurve you” rather than “I love you”? Is Diane Keaton in that movie? One of my favorite Woody Allen movies.
Some how, a diary in block letters just isn’t the same. Or a love letter. Or a note from your mom tucked into your school lunch bag in 4th grade. Or a sympathy card. Or a “I miss you, come home” note.
Yes, it is dead. Not many kids write cursive, they only are taught it, then they don’t ever use it again.
I know my cursive looks like a 7 year olds writing (cursive chicken scratch), it is pathetic!
I can type much faster, and it looks much better than my handwriting.
My handwriting is rusty from disuse and my hand tires quickly. But there is something romantic about a letter in cursive handwriting. I know, I know . . . it is going the way of the dinosaurs and cave painting, but I don’t like it!
Today’s electronic age is both a curse and a blessing. Although emails and documents on computers may be much quicker and easier than writing a letter by hand, this very phenomenon has elevated the sacredness of the written word. Maybe I’m not the best person to comment on the topic because my handwriting is atrocious!! 🙂 It is a shame that writing is in decline these days. Good post!
My handwriting is rusty from disuse, but I can’t imagine not knowing how to write in cursive at all. I think if I lived in a state where it is not longer in the curriculum and my kids were still little, I would teach them cursive.
Robin, my children are 17 and 14 and cannot write or read most cursive writing. They can come closer to reading mine because I am a stickler for making it clear enough for anyone to read, but this is definitely no longer taught in our schools. I also believe it is a shame we decide to forego such an artistic way of expression. I am sure to the technology world it is no big deal, but I believe it heralds the beginning of a bigger shift in our culture and will only lead to more of the same.
I guess schools stopped teaching cursive years ago then since your 17 and 14 year olds can’t read cursive. Huh.
I agree with you. The loss of cursive means a permanent change in how we communicate with each other. Heck, my kids use their phones for EVERYTHING expect calling and talking to people.
I could not agree more. I love my cursive. I use it every chance I get and still insist on sending little personal notes on things in cursive writing…or “script” as I call it. It is so sad that such a personalized thing is being tossed away. Maybe it will make a comeback…like bell bottom jeans…or perhaps disco…Hey platforms have come back why not cursive?
Ha! Maybe the generation who isn’t learning cursive will think it is cool later on and go “retro” and learn how to do it. Heck, my daughter asked us for our old turntable and is buying vinyl albums.
Thank you for this post. I treasure the hand written letters I have saved that chronicle my life, and the letters written by my mom to me are so important. I make my daughter write thank you notes, and I will teach her cursive writing even if the school doesn’t.
An advantage of cursive over typing is that it forces the writer to go slower and compose his thoughts–I think that is a really important factor that the keyboarding proponents are overlooking.
Yes, rather then hammering out an email, a handwritten letter makes you pause, think about what you are going to say, and breathe. Given how strongly people here feel about cursive writing, I’m surprised there isn’t more push-back in the states where they are eliminating it.
When you said that you ‘miss when letters were lovingly written on beautiful stationery and then bundled together with a satin ribbon and saved in a satin ribbon’ I wondered how old you were. But then you followed it up by explalining that it was your mother and grandmother and uncle’s experience. I remember learning cursive writing and being very, very bad at it. My handwriting looks a little like a chicken has done the tarantella across the page.
But I do agree that we shouldn’t phase out the old arts. There’s enough of it being done already. Whenever something new comes along I look to see what’s dropped out.
My mom was a letter-keeper. They are brittle with age, but they meant enough to her to keep them all these years. I wonder how many times she reread them.
My handwriting is rusty with disuse, and actually note-taking in college (many moons ago) ruined it. I love your description of your handwriting. My looks like a a chicken did the funky chicken across the page. Your chicken is more sophisticated than mine.
What kind of idiot thinks we no longer need to know how to write? I still write letters, handwritten thank-you notes and spend a good part of each work day writing. I too have bunches of old letters tied up in blue ribbons in boxes, and my children’s school papers and cards lovingly tucked away in boxes. No handwriting? No common sense I say. Great post.
My sentiments EXACTLY~! So glad you hear you are doing your part to keep cursive writing alive. There is something romantic about a handwritten note. Imagine if Romeo sent Juliette a text.
Well, here’s one teenager who cares about cursive! Handwriting carries so much more essence than typing does. A person’s cursive captures a part of their personality. Besides, I take far more pride in a carefully-written letter than a typed message. My best friend and I still send letters to each other, even though postage is so expensive these days. It’s like you said; there’s a magic to it. Hard to place, but I belive it’s because the personality of the writer carries through.
Good for you! So glad to hear you and your friend are doing your part to keep cursive alive and well. You CAN see a person’s personality in their writing . . . and sometimes you can see their mood as well.
I think kids should learn cursive because it’s useful for paper signatures and because it indicates a certain refined quality that no amount of computer-savvy can emulate. Just because we don’t use it as much today doesn’t mean we shouldn’t learn it. Heck, we don’t use phonographs at all these days, but that doesn’t mean phonographs have lost their value; instead, they’ve become even more valuable to us.
There is something romantic about handwriting and a handwritten letter. A love letter printed on an inkjet (do they still make those?) just isn’t the same.
i know! where’s the beauty, the caring? all you do with a typed love letter is write it, type it out, and put it in the mail. nothing about trying to make the words look as beautiful as they sound.
And pause to think about what beautiful word you are going to use rather than hammering out an email.
and that word you are using too; you can’t just do “lol” or “i ❤ u". it'll bring a smile, but it won't have the same reaction as the flourishes of the hand writing "I find you absolutely fascinating, unlike anyone I've ever met" on a piece of paper and put into an envelope.
Or those emoticons. A yellow smiling face blowing a kiss just isn’t the same as saying, “l love you to my core.”
and yet people my age and younger think the number 3 and a “less-than” sign is adequate to express the bonds of emotion between two people. what is this generation coming too?
I hope that cursive handwriting is around for years! I love getting letters from others that are not emails, don’t you?
I certainly do love a handwritten letter, real, not electronic birthday card, and just about anything else in the mailbox that isn’t a bill~!
Hopefully others agree with us! http://www.segmation.com
They stopped teaching cursive in Norwegian schools a while back but I never thought they would even consider it in America… what a shame. One day they’ll hand out keyboards in kindergarten.
Think of the future generations with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I think I’ll go into the business of selling wrist braces. I’ll make millions.
Thats looking at the bright side… I think?
My mom has always had the most beautiful handwriting. She won prizes in grade four (the funny things we are told) and I remember as a child always trying to copy her perfect form. I’m a lefty, though, so somehow it just isn’t quite the same. She writes handwritten cards all the time, letters; I even asked her to write the name place-cards at my wedding. It’s a disappearing art, as is hand written correspondence. I hope we manage to safe guard both. Take care from Paris!
I’d love to see your mom’s handwriting. Beautiful handwriting is a gift. Mine writing is so rusty from disuse. Also, college note-taking in classes (many moons ago) ruined it. Now, I suppose, kids take notes in classes on their laptop.
How is my beautiful Paris doing?
Wow! There were a lot of thoughts on this! I write letters, but I don’t write in cursive. Something about it didn’t stick for me.
But I was horrified about my kids only spending two weeks in school on cursive…. and they’re done! Whoa. That was the end of their cursive education.
It does make me sad. But much more than the cursive is the fact that not a single kid I’ve seen lately knows how to spell worth a darn. I’d rather they focus on spelling than handwriting.
My husband and I were just talking about the whole spelling thing. Kids can’t spell and rely on spellcheck. And, it somehow is now OKAY for adults to spell poorly, even in professional communication and say things like “UR g8!” in emails.
UR g8 is so much better than getting something spelled out, like, “You are grate.” It makes me cringe.
And dating online? I don’t know how people get past the spelling. Really. ; )
Oh Anne . . . you are grate.
I don’t like writing things by hand myself, but I wouldn’t like it to be lost altogether. I still think that a handwritten greeting card, posted in the proper mail with a stamp, means a lot more than an e-card. It’s a difficult one, things evolve and move on, and that’s life!
Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t like e-cards. It says to me, “I’m too cheap and lazy to go to the drugstore to buy you a card so I’m sending you this cheesy one I found on the Internet. Happy Birthday to the woman who gave birth to me.”
I love reading beautiful script, but I’m not crazy about using it. It’s the permanence of it, that bugs me. If I write a letter by hand and read it over, I’ll always think “Drat! I shoulda said this instead of that.”
So I am now stuck with two options: ignore my improvement and send it out as is or write the whole damn thing over again.
I find neither option appealing. I’d rather type.
That said, I do think everyone should learn proper handwriting. And your “just ’cause” reason is good enough for me.
Our computers have made us edit-happy-go-lucky folks. We change words, sentences, and whole paragraphs on a whim. When put on paper in ink, that option, as you say, is out the window. Maybe it is a good thing to send our words into the universe, warts and all, every now and then.
It troubles me that our future generations won’t be able to read cursive writing, let alone write in cursive. How are they going to read the Declaration of Independence? Not that the handwriting is easy to read, but you know what I mean?
I’m sure someone will give ’em the gist of it. 🙂
Robin,
I see both sides to this issue. As a former English teacher, I, of course, see the need and love of writing and, therefore, printing. However, I don’t write cursive anymore than I absolutely have to anymore. I have terrible handwriting (worse since the stroke) and texting, emails, facebook, etc… have taken over most of that need to write. It is easier for me to organize and store electronic text.
Now, on the other side, I think we will regret it if our kids, grandchildren, whatever, have NO way to write outside of electronics. I think they will regret that choice.
I think they will regret a lot of choices made in education today – test vs students, numbers vs people…
Scott
To do away with cursive writing all together seems extreme. Can’t they teach the fundamentals? Or maybe the answer is have computer fonts in script letters so children type in cursive and therefore can read cursive.
There are some fonts that are really close. So, yes, I would say there is no good reason not to do that. In fact, perhaps, you should approach Microsoft or some other software company to do that if it hasn’t been done. Great idea!
I’ll make millions! Millions I tell you!
My daughter is learning the D’Nealian form of writing now, which is very similar to cursive and apparently is intended to ease the transition into cursive. I can only imagine the school plans to teach cursive at some point. You can see the letters and their “monkey tails” here: http://www.dnealian.com/lessons.html
The downside is that none of her classmates were taught this form in preschool. As her friend said, “I knew how to write my name in preschool, but I don’t know how to write my name in kindergarten.”
Oh yes, my kids learned that system too. I forgot it had a name. We live in California and our state is keeping cursive in the curriculum. Perhaps your state is too, hence the D’Nealian form of writing. Do you know if your state is keeping cursive alive in schools?
I don’t know… but I’ll find out and pass the word along!
I’m so ambivalent about cursive. I was shocked that my son didn’t deal with it in school except for a brief period in 4th grade. But as I go through my day, I realize I rarely use it anymore.
It is painful to watch him sign things though. It takes forever.
I write in a weird blend of cursive and printing. A hybrid if you will, so I have a tough time filing out forms that say, “Please print.” Makes my writing go all wonky.
I doubt it will be entirely dead, but change is inevitable. It’s human nature. I wonder if cavemen lamented the loss of cave paintings when whatever replaced them arrived?
I’m not saying what we have now is better, though I love the immediacy and find I am in touch with many more people now than I ever was as a committed letter writer; it’s just the next stage.
That’s life.
I can see cavemen scratching their heads and saying to each other, “What has the world come to? First dinosaurs, now cave paintings . . . “
😀
I’m glad I was taught cursive. Though my writing was never as pretty as the other kids in class, I still use cursive when I want to write personal notes to people or cards – I try to make it pretty, sometimes I even trace. Also, since I am an adult who has no signature, I just use my cursive. Cursive should still be taught in schools I think – if nothing else, it definitely helps to develop your print writing because cursive requires more control.
How are future generations going to sign autographs, school yearbooks, and love letters? Block letters? Loses some of the romance, doesn’t it?
I’m not 100% on the cursive bandwagon, but I think penmanship should be taught. Whether it is neat printing or cursive, I feel the ability to communicate by handwriting is important. We homeschooled our son, and we opted not to teach him cursive. Instead, we chose italics. With italics, the basic printed letters are connected by “joins.” Today, his handwriting is still much neater and more attractive than the cursive of his peers in the shop. … And we had him sending letters all over the globe – even to the Queen of England! 🙂
And what did he have to say to the Queen of England? That is a letter I would love to read. Do you suppose she kept the letter in a satin box?
My handwriting is a blend of cursive and block . . . probably much like your son’s italics.
I have a copy of his letter somewhere, but I believe he told her he was studying about England, and he asked her for her autograph. He received a reply on official letterhead from her Lady-in-Waiting saying the Queen thanked him for his letter but she was not permitted to give autographs. It was really quite lovely, and he was delighted. His letter was written on lined paper that the kids use when they’re learning to write. 🙂
How lovely that her Lady-in-Waiting wrote to him. Wait a minute. I need a Lady-in-Waiting.
Don’t we all! But I’ll settle for a maid.
I’d like a Horseman too.
LOL!
A note on the lighter side.
I recall–not that I receive UPS packages more than once every second birthday or so-even though it’s electronic, you must know how to sign your name on the funny box. What are these kids going to do when the UPS man delivers their cyber purchases?
At our local drugstore, you sign on an awkward electronic pad when you make credit card purchases. Do you think it looks anything like me signature? No way!
Great post Robin. I love all the comments. I miss handwritten thank you notes – you so seldom receive them any more… I have a few older family members who don’t have computers, email, internet so I keep a selection of cards and notepaper to send little notes – despite my not-so-great handwriting inherited from Dad whose left handed writing looks like drunken chicken scratchings but I can read it and was able to forge it and his signature as a teenager… His sister has the most elegant cursive script, which I envy. I look at cursive writing skills akin to driving a manual car… if you’ve got the basics you can drive anything, anytime but if you’ve only mastered the auto… there’s just one option.
Yes, the comments here have been great. Good analogy with with car. Cursive gives you options in how you write and what you can read. Think of all the documents that had world-changing impact and were written in cursive. Our future generations wouldn’t be able to read them!
I’d like to hear more about the forging your dad’s signature as a teenager . . . do tell!
Sadly not much to tell, I never got ito too much trouble… I tried a couple of innocuous notes but I just liked having the potential should I need it… a bit like being able to write in cursive…
Rats. I was hoping for some dirt.
Fabulous post, Robin. While I have never had beautiful handwriting, I do use it, especially with a wonderful fountain pen in a great journal. I much prefer journaling in cursive. Words flow in a way that typing simply doesn’t access. I think it would be sad for kids to never learn cursive handwriting. Just today, I saw an young lady (age 8) for therapy (I’m a physical therapist) and her as her mom signed the credit card transaction on my iPad, my patient said: “I want to be able to do that sometime.” And her mom said: “That’s why you’re learning cursive!” Yaay!
Thanks Cathy.
There is something romantic about a beautiful fountain pen and journal. Makes me feel all Shakespearean. So glad to hear your young patient wanting to write in cursive and learning it in school. Are you sure she wasn’t saying she wanted to be able to charge things on a credit card?
I still send handwritten notes & keep a supply of personalized notecards. But I must admit, over the years my handwriting has morphed into a cursive/print hybrid.
Yup, same here. I run all my letters together.
I personally haven’t written anything in cursive writing in more than three decades. Legible cursive is easy to read and write. I was never someone who had good penmanship, so my was never easy to write and almost impossible to read after the fact. Sometimes I would go back and try to decipher what I had written after the fact and found it impossible.
The debate as to whether we teach it or not is moot. It is on the way out. My daughter is learning it for the first time – in the seventh grade. If you polled the number of people my age (I am 46) who still use it beyond the signature, the number is low, I think. The younger the person is, the number only goes down. Soon, there will only be a few who know how to read or write in cursive.
But don’t despair. Soon, those who can master it will be able to lend their services to people who have all these letters written by their great-grandfathers that are essentially written in a foreign language. A little mini-industry will emerge at least for a time.
Tim
Ha! A cottage industry of cursive handwriting interpreters. Interesting concept.
Wow, your daughter is just now learning cursive? Has it been out of your state’s curriculum for some time? They teach it in 3rd grade here in California. Our state is one of the few keeping cursive in schools. Perhaps the cursive handwriting cottage industry will be headquartered in the Bay Area, along with Apple.
We need to keep the cursive and encourage it, Robin. Apart from all the reasons given, kids won’t be able to read cursive handwriting in the future because it will look to foreign to them.I can see we’ll need to add degrees to our universities. I could imagine my grandmother rolling over in her grave if people start getting “A Masters Degree in Cursive Handwriting’ so they can analyse and interpret it like an archaeologist! 😀
TimKeen40 commented that a cottage industry will emerge of cursive handwriting interpreters to help future generation read handwriting. Since California (where I live) is keeping cursive in the curriculum, I predict the cottage industry will be headquartered in the Bay Area next to Apple.
I definitely think we need to continue to teach cursive, but I’m not so sure the kids are learning proper keyboarding skills either. Yes, there are keyboards they can practice on, but to my knowledge, schools don’t really teach ‘typing’ anymore. I think ‘typing’ classes should occur early in elementary given the ubiquitous nature of keyboards.
My kids had to take a “keyboarding” class. I forget what grade they were in. The girls are much better typists than I am! One daughter can type, talk, and chew gum at the same time without looking at the keyboard. And, with zero mistakes. So, maybe California is keeping cursive AND typing on the curriculum.
Wish my boys had had that. Or maybe they did and they just suck at typing…
Maybe my girl’s typing ability comes from the billion text messages they send.
Could be. My boys aren’t too into that. Thank goodness.
Cursive writing is a way to express our individuality and to develop fine motor skills. I’d like to see it stick around while I acknowledge the importance of typing skills as long as computers require keyboard input.
We started learning cursive in 2nd grade. I remember my 1st grade teacher reprimanding me because I put a little extra “flair” on my lowercase a. I wasn’t trying to write in cursive—I didn’t even know what that was at the time. The “flair” was simply an early expression of creativity from me—and she shot it down. Sometimes I wonder how I developed a love of learning….
My evil 3rd grade teacher squelched my creativity in cursive when I started dotting the ‘i’ in my name with a heart and making the ‘g’ at the end of my last name curl around like a snake. Kill joy.
How did I know you would add “flair” to your writing? I somehow sense it
Here are my thoughts from an August post….
Anyone who happens to read Ruth’s comment, it is worth a click to visit her post from August. Well worth it.
Thanks Ruth!
The power goes out – and then what? No communication I guess. I can’t even access research I did 15 years ago, it’s all on floppy disk. Without constantly upgrading we simply lose our electronic communications. Sad.
We have HOURS of VHS tape of the kids growing up. However, no VCR. I know, I know. I can convert the tape to digital, but it will cost the same as the budget of a developing country.
We were shocked to learn that my daughter’s elementary school had abandoned cursive handwriting, but this wordl is filled with bad short-term decisions that yield long-term consequences.
Through this post I’ve learned that cursive went the way of the dinosaurs in Australia. Now Canada with your comment. I guess the US is behind the times.
My husband told me the story is all over talk-radio right now. The callers are a mix of outrage and, “Hey, cursive is so last year.”
Like LP’s and VHS, writing has gone the same way and we’ve moved with the times. Cursive went the way of the dinosaurs in the Australian public curriculum some time ago, but it’s still in private schools in a limited way. There’s only so much time to teach them everything they need, and typing seemed the more important for the 21st C and I understand that. I see cursive being a bit like Old English soon. Something only historians will need.
Personally I love handwriting. I leave notes on the fridge that my kids have to decipher and moan at me “can’t you print, mum.”
Gosh it is nice to have you back.
I know, I know. Cursive is on its way out. I don’t like it tho. You are right . . . teachers need to teach things like computer programming, ins and outs of software usage, and how do download statistics into an essay. Handwriting is a slow skill in this warp-speed life we are living.
Funny . . . my daughter received a thank you note from one of the kids she babysits. She said, “Mom, can you believe it? She didn’t write the note in cursive. I can’t believe her parents didn’t make her re-do it.” I guess we taught thank you note writing in cursive with an iron-fist!
LOL I love your thank you note philosophy. It is a sad to see this beautiful form of writing go. Handwriting now is like chicken scratching.
My brother has little ones just learning how to write. I’m going to share your link with him and see what he thinks. Thanks for sharing this, Robin.
I’d love to hear what he thinks. Ask him if his kids are being taught how to read an analog clock. I hear it is another thing on the way out. Even my 21-year-old has a tough time with this. Everything is digital! No clock hands to be found.
Somehow, this seems scary to me.
Hey Robin, my brother wrote me. Turns out he likes the new digital age. He’s an IT guy, so go figure. However, he did bring up that if things go south in a hurry and we all get cut off from the grid, we may need to write notes via carrier pigeon. Heh.
Stocking up on carrier pigeons as we speak!
Interesting he is ok with the no cursive thing. Maybe he hated it in grammar school.
You got my brother’s number, Robin. He did bring up hating it in grammar school. I better catch up on those carrier pigeons.
Hmmm. That sounds like why teach math because we have calculators. Why teach how to play music when we have iPods.
I started reading my mother’s diaries. She passed away in 2006 and when we were cleaning out the basement we found SIXTY YEARS of hand-written family and world history. She started when she was in her teens. Her writing changed over the years and was very difficult to read toward the end. If I didn’t know how to write and read cursive, I’d have a bunch of fire starters.
In this day and age where everyone is trying to be unique, what better way to show your individuality than by learning to write and for that matter read. My writing is terrible (D’s in penmanship), but I still write in cursive when I free write. Since when is learning a skill a bad thing?
Oh, Robin. You got me wound up. ;-|
Amen to that! Well put Dennis! I love it when you are fired up.
Why teach art when you can create images on a computer. Why teach sports when you can play them on a Wii? Why teach writing when we have Mad Libs. Ok, I’ve gone too far with that one.
What a treasure you found in your mom’s diaries. Sure, we can read about what was going on in the world when she was a young woman with one click of a mouse. But, we can’t know how those things impacted and shaped her as a person.
Or, how she really felt when we boys said or did things. It has been an eye opening experience.
It was eerie for me to read a letter my mom wrote to my uncle. She was about 43 at the time. She was complaining about how my grandmother was confused and had signs of dementia.
I get it that teachers want typed and not hand-written – so much easier to read and mark. But are keyboards always at our fingertips – what if they leave their laptop/Ipad/iphone at home or lose it or drop it and , heaven forbid have to pick up a pencil … and do what with it? How can it be considered that writing is obsolete? I can’t accept this … I’m also resisting the electronic books.
I have a Kindle and love it, but will NEVER give up my real books. Ever. Nor give up listening to live music in favor of my iPod.
When my daughter was forced to go without phone and computer for 11 weeks while in basic training, she admitted afterwards that is was nice. A form of freedom she didn’t expect to enjoy.
Lastly, Philosopher of the Mouse Hedge makes the good point that having students write essays in longhand helps teachers know the child is truly the author . . . not the kid’s parents or desk partner.
That wouldn’t truly be proof if the student is not above transcribing in order to decieve. I just can’t wrap my head around not knowing how to write – they say the analogue watch is going the way of the horse and buggy too – that can be put down to change and progress …. but not being able to write … that’s different.
I was reminded that not so long ago, they taught shorthand in school. It was my favorite high school class to cut. Honestly. But, my mom was proficient at shorthand. She may be the last person to still use it on occasion. She can’t remember her son’s name, but she can write a grocery list in shorthand. Go figure.
ummm…I still use a bit of my shorthand, relic that I am. For all I’ve said about the importance of cursive writing … mine is atrocious 😦 and sometimes it’s safer to use the shorthand.
You and my mom can write shorthand notes to each other!
Haha – did I say my shorthand can be as sloppy as my longhand?
My daughter has beautiful handwriting. My mother had beautiful hand writing. Especially when she was writing poetry (and her letters to me over the years) My daughter’s daughter carefully signs (in cursive) her signature so it will look pretty and reflect her and her creativity. (Although she’s home-schooled she can also use every kind of electric device imaginable much faster than I). I don’t think it’s gone yet. I hope not! The hand written word is important I believe! Just my thoughts here. 🙂
There is something magical about beautiful handwriting. My handwriting is rusty and my endurance is low, but I’ll never let it go! Fie on school boards for taking away cursive writing from our youngest generation.
I agree a great big FIE on them!
HA! You beat me to it!
I bookmarked that article, too. And there was another one by local columnist Leon Hale about cursive writing along with it.
Cursive writing is important for lots of reasons(either traditional or the transitional D’Nealian based on Palmer).
Handwriting was one of the first ways you could show creativity in secondary school – add a few swoops or curls to your name, or write very angular – or write with that left-wars slant (did that for a bit). You could be fancy – as long as the teacher could read it. Handwriting reflected your personality….blonds prefer girly balloon-ish letters?
Actually there is research showing those handwriting strokes and drills do increase fine motor control – and self control as they are mastered A set achievable goal accomplished = self esteem.
Speaking as one who was 2 yrs younger than others in the class, they were much neater and more accomplished than I in handwriting. It was developmental, but drove me nuts – so I practiced harder….but finally decided to just be different and write creatively (you can search old letters and documents for different ways to form letters…w’s, r’s, s’s, even q’s)
Handwriting was also used as a “cooling off” 15 min after recess to calm us down ( back when kids just ran wild during recess)
For school, it’s harder to turn in other student’s work and try to pass it off as your own if it’s handwritten.
Many teachers and instructors have gone back to requiring students to write essays in class to make sure they are the authors and not parents or someone else….and it better be legible!
Great post!
I went through a (short-lived) period where I dotted the “i” in my name with a heart. At eight-years-old, I thought it sophisticated and worldly. Then there was a “tail of the ‘g’ at the end of my last name curling like a snake” period. I used it to express creativity for sure.
Your comment reminded me about the whole study of handwriting analysis. That is also a dying element. How can we analyze ransom notes printed on a computer? How can we tell a person’s personality by the way they cross their ‘t’s’ and loop their “l’s” when everything is electronic. Handwriting Analysts all over the world will be out of a job and standing in the dole line.
I forgot about the handwriting exercise after recess. I soooooo had to do that. And if we talked during handwriting time, we had to put our head on our desk. Teachers would probably be arrested for that now.
I’m thinking that learning cursive writing still ought to be taught as a matter of presentation, Independent thinking, and motor skills, but followed up by typing skills at a later age. In this age, typing is a necessary skill.
I bet some kids know how to type before they know how to write. Wow, “the times, they are a changin’.”
I was making my mark on the electronic pad at the grocery store check-out the other day, and thought of the pain that scrawl would have caused poor old Mrs. Whatsername.
My mother-in-law still writes hand-written letters and snail-mails them. I joke about it but have to say, it always makes me smile when one of her letters shows up.
The times are changing. For me, it’s pretty much a shoulder shrug, since I tend to print everything instead of writing cursive.
I’m pretty addicted to my Kindle, but would rather read Shakespeare or Gibran from a real book. Preferably hardbound.
Huh. Who woulda thunk it? 😉
So much for protecting us from identity theft with electronic signature pads. My electronic signature looks like a squashed worm, and nothing like my real signature. They designed those signature pads in such a way you need to stand on your head to get the right angle.
Until my mom got sick, she was a champion letter-writer. I would reply to her letters via email or a phone call and that drove her mad! Shame on me.
I know. All the hard work those teachers did, down the drain. You take care of yourself, Robin. We’re in your corner out here.
Mrs. Lorman, my evil 3rd grade teacher, is spinning in her grave over this article. She was a good-hand-writing-Nazi. Gosh, I disliked her. But, she taught me how to write proper cursive.
Your note made me smile. You do have lovely handwriting. Sadly, I do believe cursive is dead BUT not handwriting competely so don’t lose faith yet Robin. My oldest was taught cursive, my youngest was not. She cannot even read it. How sad is that? My youngest has the neatest handwriting and I will have you know she is a writer– free hand in notebooks all day long if she can. She has multiple books filled with stories. she will be famous one day. (and take care of me)
I have the world’s worst handwriting. The nuns would make me stay in for recess and practice practice…only to get a D in handwriting. I do think that is more my stubborn fight in me though.. ha haaa I’ll show those darn nuns.
Cursive or printing doesn’t matter– personalized ink, chicken scratch and paper are what matters
Along the lines of cursive, my youngest has a hard time reading analog clocks! You know . . . the big hand is on 12 and the little hand is on 2. What time is it? Kids don’t even wear watches anymore. They check the time on their cell phone or computer.
“Kids! I don’t know what’s wrong with these kids today.” ~ Bonus points if you know what show this song lyric is from.
I could google the lyric but I am going to be honest and hang my head in shame. I have no idea what song this is from? Should I know? Do tell
It is from “Bye Bye Birdie.” One of my favorite musicals. Great cast. The song starts up around 1:21.
Well my handwriting may not be the prettiest but I am determined to keep sending at least one hand written letter out a month (this month of course will be christmas cards) yes children can text 60 ‘words’ per minute it is just a shame most of them are spelt incorrectly, I think what seems to get forgotten is that machinery is only as good as its operator and we are selling our children short, soon even the most basic tasks will be beyond them in a power cut,
Being the recipient of one of your handwritten letters (and a drawing!), I can say receiving both was a thrill for me. Thank you for doing your part to keep letter writing alive and well.
Did you get my card yet? I’m afraid it is lost in the mail. Darn it!
No still not here 😦 am keeping fingers crossed that it is just held up in the flooding somewhere and will float here eventually.
Darn it all. I’ll write a new one!
I do remember those cursive writing charts and I’m still confused as to why the capital Q looks like a 2. I never mastered the cursive capital Q. I cursed the cursive capital Q.
And yet.
I love handwritten notes.There was one sitting on my keyboard this morning, when the writer could just as easily — more easily — have sent me an email with the same sentiment. Somehow the sentiment seemed more sincere and genuine.
Also, I was just thinking the other day that I wish someone had taught me Morse code. I have no need to know Morse code, and even if I knew it, what are the chances that someone passing by as I was, say, trapped in an airtight container on a downtown sidewalk, what are the chances that anyone would know what I was tapping out? Still…I wish I knew Morse code.
P.S. You have excellent penmanship.
Yeah! What is up with the capital letter Q? Who the heck thought that was a good idea. I didn’t master it either.
You know, it is not too late to learn Morse Code. Think of the trend you would set. We could tap each other notes instead of type each other notes. I’m a little worried now about you being trapped in a sewer.
Talk about stuff dying out . . . my mom was proficient at Gregg’s shorthand. She was a secretary and took down many a dictated letter. Shades of Mad Men.
And, I think my penmanship stinks from lack of use, but thanks.
So, I’m trying to decide whether to pay my bills, do my Christmas shopping, et cetera or write a belated birthday tribute post to Mark Twain, or specifically, Emmeline Grangerford, when, in the midst of my second hour of searching for images of “goth chicks,” I decide I should probably go pay my bills.
On my way out of the draft, I peek at my site stats and…whoa, Nellie! Someone in my network must have been Freshly Pressed, and lo’ and behold, it’s you. Yay, you!
So you are into goth chicks, eh?
How is it my being Freshly Pressed showed up in your site stats? Is this some feature I don’t know about?
You should see the hundreds of comments here. Talk about whoa, Nellie!
My premise was the Emmeline Grangerford was the first Emo girl, but apparently “Emo Girl” is an anime character, so I tried “goth girl” and didn’t find anything worthwhile. Eventually, I tried a search term the teenager next door would use.
If I ever become an enemy of the state, which is not to say that’s not already the case, the media will have a field day putting together a profile of who I am based on what the FBI finds in my search cache.
As to the stats, I haven’t said anything new in a while and I haven’t said anything interesting . . .perhaps ever, but I got a spike in stats, which I figured probably had to do with people wanting to know more about the moron who said something on someone else’s blog.
I’m guessing it was the notion of planning to type out Morse code while trapped in a box that piqued curious interest. For anyone to whom that applies, I’m sorry you were disappointed when you got to Le Cahier. 🙂
I understand your theory, but I looked at the stats page where it says, “people clicked on these links on your blog,” and you aren’t one of them. The mysteries of blogging continue.
I’ve noticed those “clicks” and “referrers” links have been sporadically inaccurate lately, but I have noticed that my stats spike when someone I know has been FP’ed.
It’s simultaneously amazing and tragic, the things I waste my time paying attention to.
Huh. I’ll pay attention to the phenomenon from now on. Interesting.
I agree with you. I love looking back on all the letters my grandmother wrote. Though my own handwriting has become atrocious in my old age *cough*, I still think it’s important to make those swirling letters because…well because they’re pretty. Perhaps they should teach the art of calligraphy. Everyone loves calligraphy. Hmm, that’s an idea.
In reading the progression of my grandmother’s letters, I can see her age. Her hand and voice starts out strong, and then fades and wavers as she moved into old age.
I like to think my handwriting is poor from lack of use, not old age. That is my story and I’m sticking to it.
I think that last part of your comment is particularly beautiful, that your handwriting is “poor from lack of use, not old age.”
As a sophomore in college studying creative writing, I spend a lot of time typing away at a computer writing drafts and revising night after night.
But I still draft all my characters and plot on paper, with cursive. I prefer it because it’s efficient, it looks attractive, and it’s permanent. I don’t have to worry about my notebook crashing and deleting all of my files.
I also love receiving handwritten letters from my grandmother while away at college, and love writing letters back to people. The idea of snail mail pen-pals is wonderful to me, because it gives me the opportunity to see handwriting from all over the country or even the world.
The thought of my children, whenever I get around to that in my lifetime, not learning cursive in elementary school mades me nostalgic, but I might be biased.
I completely understand your method of drafting on paper before typing…. I tend to think that I can track my progress better that way. And yes, my sheets of paper will not crash before autosaving!