Comments on: Penmanship and the Art of Writing

By: ellouise schoettler

ellouise schoettler — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:22:24 +0000

Alan, great post. You are touching on many points I agree with about handwriting – although I do most of my wrting these days on on the computer. I still love to write with real ink pens – and because I tend to make a mess with dipping pens I do appreciate the cartridges. Like you I used to practice. Sister Mary Loyola taught me Spencerian Script – the old way – and I wanted my words to look as beautiful as hers did. I can do that – sometimes – with practice, practice, practice.

By: Bryant

Bryant — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:24:45 +0000

Hey Alan,
Great post. I agree that the art of handwriting is being lost. I can see it in my two children. They both have pretty good skills in all aspects of their education, but penmanship is not really focused on with their schoolwork (except by me and my wife). My wife’s handwriting is so good and I love the way it looks. Our daughter Hannah seems to have the same style. I hope she continues to develop it. You should look into a program that can generate a font out of your own handwriting. I’ve not convinced my wife to complete the work that it takes to make the font yet, but I’m still going to keep trying. Check it out at http://www.fontifier.com/ and let me know if you try it.
Bryant

By: Joy

Joy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:14:16 +0000

I couldn’t agree with you more Alan. I so appreciate good penmanship. I still try to write as much as possible….I actually enjoy writing cards and letters whenever I get the chance instead of e-mail ones or instant message things. And I agree with Kenju….I certainly hope teachers continue to teach good penmanship in all of our schools.

By: kenju

kenju — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:57:00 +0000

I agree with you, and I don’t think any teacher should ever give up teaching good penmanship!

By: coco724

coco724 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:39:55 +0000

Recently, during one of my weekend garage sale treks, I noticed a beautiful photograph/print. It called my name, so when my counteroffer of $5.00 was accepted, it was safely ensconced in the backseat before they had a chance to change their minds.

Prying apart the back, a signature was uncovered, “E J Shadle”, plus the instructions for quantity–(6-16″ x 20″ cream foreground, black edge)–in the same beautiful hand. The writing was beautiful, obviously done with a fine point pen that had been dipped in an inkwell.

When one thinks about that process, it makes sense that one’s handwriting skills would be precise, methodical and beautiful. One had to carefully replenish the ink and just as carefully apply it to paper to have a legible finished product. Time consuming and done by lamplight, too. Sort of like Ginger Rogers dancing backwards AND in high heels

Now, we have an instantly flowing continuous line streaming from the point. No wonder our handwriting has suffered. That and the gene pool we inherited. My Mother’s penmanship is elegant. My Father’s has always been chicken scratch. Guess which one I inherited? The chicken scratch, of course, exacerbated by hurriedly getting to the point because there is always another point on the list..

By the way, E J Shadle ws a photographer who lived and worked in this area in the late 1800’s. With one exception, the mentions that I have unearthed about him describe him as a portrait photographer. I feel very lucky to have found a piece that falls outside that format, and to have uncovered his beautiful handwriting.

By: Betty

Betty — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:32:39 +0000

My handwriting has suffered from disuse in the last few years. The only thing I write is the grocery list, and it’s sometimes hard to read. I used to love to write letters, but now we have e-mail and instant messages. So, no more letters.

By: Anne Gibert

Anne Gibert — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:47:38 +0000

I just love this post. All my life I have been less than happy with my handwriting. And I think, like you, that it is an interesting subject. There are, I think, generational differences in handwriting. Everyone in my grandmother’s generation had a style different from what came later. My mother came from New Zealand and her handwriting had a New Zealand “accent”. I can recognize the New Zealand in my cousin’s handwriting. I also think there is a genetic component. Sometimes I have trouble distinguishing my sister’s handwriting from my own.

I do hope handwriting doesn’t disappear. Sometimes I think that one day all that will be left will be computer screens. All the books and handwritten letters will be in museums. But you and I, Alan, won’t be around to see that sad day.

Glad to see you back online!