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October 12, 2006
Good riddance, I say
Today Zorn has an article about the decline of cursive handwriting. Apparently because so much schoolwork is done on computers nowadays, handwriting is declining in importance. Personally, I believe penmanship is important. Handwriting is unique, like every person, and there is always something exciting about seeing something written with a person's own hand. This is especially so when it's written by a famous person. But that doesn't mean cursive is the devil.
Let me tell you why: back in the day, I was a young feller at Medill Elementary School in Lancaster. In 2d grade, we had to learn cursive. This coincided with the time my brother dropped a bowling ball on my hand, causing me to break my middle finger. So, for the first few weeks of cursive writing lessons, I had to write either with my wrong hand or without the use of my middle finger. Since then, my cursive was pretty much a lost cause, and I refused to write in cursive unless forced to. My mom claims cursive was the most stressed out I ever was in elementary school.
This became a problem when I was in the 5th grade, and my evil teacher Miss Matz assigned a paper for us to write. I wrote the thing out in semi-readable printing, and turned it in. Miss Matz shook her head, handed it back to me, and said, "In the fifth grade, we don't print. We use cursive. Rewrite this." Bitch. Man was I pissed. After I escaped fifth grade, I reverted to my printing ways. Today my handwriting, I suppose, is a bit of a mishmash of printing and cursive. Take that, Miss M!
I have some crappy handwriting, as does my dad and both my brothers. Let me tell you how bad my little brother's handwriting is: he is left-handed, and will use any opportunity to complain how that makes him disadvantaged. His handwriting is god awful. Back when I was in high school, I too thought it would be cool to be left-handed, because left-handed is different, so I taught myself to do a variety of tasks with my left hand, including writing. My unschooled lefty writing is clearly more legible than his writing, and he has been doing it since kindergarten. Now THAT's a tragedy.
But otherwise, to cursive, I think it is wise to say "good day to you." Yes, penmanship is important. Continue to teach people how to write properly, and neatly. I don't think it matters if that good penmanship is in cursive, print, or a combo, so long as it's readable. But whatever you do, don't make poor fifth graders rewrite something!
Posted by oz115 at October 12, 2006 09:37 AM
Comments
I LOVE cursive. That's a big difference between girls and boys, I think. My girlfriends and I used to spend hours... even at slumber parties... practicing our handwriting. I had a book that interpreted you handwriting. I wish I had cooler or prettier handwriting, but I just don't. I LOVE older women's handwriting... with the letters and words looking all spider-y... its almost romantic looking!
Posted by: C-Poo at October 16, 2006 10:20 PM