wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Kathy from Brooklyn March 04, 2009 - 09:36AM

  As a 43 year-old mother, I lament that penmanship is not given more attention. During my own elementary school years in Carlisle, PA penmanship drafts were sent out for review and then awards given. I LOVED receiving those awards.

  My 9-year old daughter is interested in neat cursive writing, while my 7-year old son's writing is practically illegible. The public school my children attend gives some attention to handwriting -- and even less to learning how to type properly.

  Recently I was looking through a box of old birthday cards and letters I received over the years. I was struck by how identifiable each note was by the hand of the writer. Floods of memories came with reading the writing of each personally crafted the note. I probably wouldn't have taken the time to read a typewritten note.

  Penmanship allows you to make your individual, recognizable mark on the world, to craft words in a meaningful way and to take pleasure in the act of writing itself.

  
  
• [2] Beth from CT March 04, 2009 - 12:24PM

  There's a shop called Cursive in Greenpoint that is expanding in Manhattan. I'm wondering if younger shoppers know what that is!

  
  
• [3] David from Upper West Side March 04, 2009 - 12:26PM

  A great source of free ebooks on handwriting is available online at Operina.com (hosted by Icelandic calligrapher and type designer Gunnlauger S.E. Briem). His "Handwriting Repair" will be useful to many.

  
  
• [4] Suki from Williamsburg March 04, 2009 - 01:12PM

  This is definitely an issue of gender. I have never had a boyfriend who's known how to write anything but his name in cursive. Most of the women I know still write in cursive.

  
  
• [5] Jack from Brooklyn March 04, 2009 - 01:15PM

  I'm pretty excited about this segment. I had excellent handwriting in elementary school. And in JHS. Until I had a calligraphy teacher who drained any joy out of simple writing.

  Is there such a thing as an adult class on cursive writing to improve handwriting? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to improve their handwriting.

  
  
• [6] anonyme from NY NY March 04, 2009 - 01:15PM

  Catholic schools used Zaner-Bloser. we had so much fun ridiculing this! Then I went to a round-the world finishing school where even our homework was written on italics with an osmiroid. (we were also graded in posture and penmanship and took more subjects than regular schools.)

  I think all those old skills are important for so many reasons - I am talking about traditional cooking and sewing, too

  
  
• [7] m from nyc March 04, 2009 - 01:16PM

  Cursive writing is important to teach also for its AESTHETIC aspect. The Chinese teach children this with regard to the characters in their written language.

  
  
• [8] philior from NY March 04, 2009 - 01:16PM

  Hello Leonard,

  Would be nice if you explore with your guest this strange anachronism - for some reason there are no popular word processing applications based on speech-to-text voice recognition, which is currently available. Some inaccuracy is not the valid reason for not using voice recognition as they are pretty accurate nowadays.

  I think it is human conservatism what is playing role in this strange delay in introducing modern technology.

  Thanks,

  Philior

  
  
• [9] RLewis from The Bowery March 04, 2009 - 01:16PM

  I was always a block printer because Teachers were awful at teaching cursive to Lefthanded people. It just doesn't work (my letters slaint everywhich way, and dragging your hand across what you just wrote smudges everything. I am thankful for keyboards. It's the only egalitarian thing that works for Lefties.

  
  
• [10] John from New York, New York March 04, 2009 - 01:16PM

  Great segmennt! I've been working for attorneys for years, and I'm amazed that some of them made it through 7 years of higher education and the Bar Exam, one of the hardest tests in the country, but still be incapable of writing legibly. I still write block manuscript, so I'd like to hear more about this Italic script.

  
  
• [11] Pati Rock from New York City March 04, 2009 - 01:16PM

  It's always amusing when you can identify a former Catholic school kid by their beautiful, cursive handwriting. Ugh. My whole 1st grade memory was handwriting drills.

  
  
• [12] steve from Englewood, NJ March 04, 2009 - 01:17PM

  I'm looking at my Palmer certificate right now -- issued in 1967 when I was in 5th grade. Ironically, the signatures of the honoring board are NOT in the Palmer method. Looks like the "Coca-Cola" script.

  Whatever happened to the Palmer people?

  
  
• [13] anonyme from NY NY March 04, 2009 - 01:18PM

  Teh French take graphology seriously - cover letters in job searches are handwritten by custom

  
  
• [14] Patricia from Brooklyn March 04, 2009 - 01:18PM

  You need decent handwriting so that you can make that other lost art: The Thank you note!

  
  
• [15] tom from nyc March 04, 2009 - 01:19PM

  My grandmother was born in 1903, and used a kind of method for cursive which starts with the hand making circlular motions just above the page. She had beautiful handwritting. Was this a taught meathod?

  
  
• [16] Connie from NJ March 04, 2009 - 01:19PM

  I went to Montessori school till 5th grade, in the 60s, and wasn't taught penmanship. So my handwriting has always been rather ugly, to my regret, but it's gotten worse with age. I don't think it has to do not using a pen, I think that I just can't control my hand muscles the way I used to. This is very common, isn't it?

  
  
• [17] Anna Westley from Upstate New York March 04, 2009 - 01:20PM

  I just wanted to let you and your guest know that among my generation (I'm 30) handwriting, especially cursive, is alive and well. In fact, for many zinesters, makers of comics and other DIY creations cursive is very common.

  
  
• [18] dale b. cohen from new york March 04, 2009 - 01:24PM

  I have always loved penmanship. So much so, that I had three or four versions of my handwriting in high school. To this day I am delighted when people compliment my handwriting, which at this point is now some combination of sloppy architectural printing and vertical cursive. There are friends who tell me that they have kept every letter or note I have ever written them because of my handwriting.

  I too lament the loss of writing by hand and drawing by hand, especially architectural drawings done in pencil on vellum. It is a sensuous experience and very beautiful. And I know that not everyone is as proficient as I am with pen or pencil on paper.

  And to that end, one of my favorite nephews has ADHD and has trouble with his fine motor skills. Once discovered early in his life, by the wonderful school he was attending the Sheridan School, in Washington, DC, they had him typing/writing on a computer in the classroom. Suddenly, his grades improved, his writing composition improved and he became a better student. While do wish he would have stellar handwriting, I marvel at his mind that is now revealed because he has a tool to express himself.

  dale b. cohen

  http://bachelorsdecoratedlife.wordpress.com/

  
  
• [19] Holly from Kinnelon, NJ March 04, 2009 - 01:27PM

  Teachers complain about the boys fine motor skills and I believe they need to continue practicing with all handwriting in order to develop fine motor skills. Smartboards are now being used in our Kindergarten to practice handwriting. I dread what this will do to the next generation.

  
  
• [20] Julia Paterson March 04, 2009 - 01:28PM

  I suspect that in a tight job market the person who follows up an interview with a handwritten thank you note will be remembered more than the person who emails a thank you.

  
  
• [21] Roger Anderson from Westchester March 04, 2009 - 02:11PM

  A week ago i stumbled over a Suitcase, long forgotten, and presumed lost in many transfers and changes of country. It contains hndreds of leters written decades ago.

  I thougbt as I have been reading letters, hand written of course, how sad for my children and their generation. Looking at an email is no where close to the feeling and response to a handwritten letter.

  Great program

  
  
• [22] Mercedes Batista from Manhattan March 04, 2009 - 10:21PM

  Though I do all my writing at the computer. I'm proud of my handwriting. I work at it as often as I can. To me is like drawing.

  I had done all the exercises from "Your Handwriting Can Ghange Your Life" by Vimala Rodgers. Pages and pages of mastering one letter. It's like meditation. Bad habits are hard to erase though.

  I also practice writing with my left hand.

  
  
• [23] Kate Gladstone from Albany, New York March 05, 2009 - 01:39AM

  Some of you may recall Ms. Florey mentioning my name during the broadcast. To answer some questions that others have asked in the comments:

  /1/

  For adult-level instruction in handwriting (specifically, in the Italic handwriting that other commenters have mentioned), visit my site http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com -- please put the words "Leonard Lopate" somewhere in your message, to let me know where you heard about this.

  /2/

  Re "Whatever happened to the Palmer people?" Their company, the A. N. Palmer firm (noted for elaborate cursive formations along with such preparatory exercises as the "Round, round, ready, write" to which another commenter alludes in describing how his grandmother wrote) folded sometime in the mid-1980s after a long decline from its former glory days which had made founder Austin Norman Palmer a millionaire before his death in the mid-1920s.

  (The "Coca-Cola-like" script in the signatures of many early Palmer administrators may reflect how they themselves had learned to write as children: an even more elaborate style known as Spencerian, which somewhat pre-dated the rise of Palmer.)

  /3/ Several people (including the deservedly famed Mr. Briem, myself, and others) have used the phrase "Handwriting Repair" in describing our efforts to upgrade American handwriting through the Italic style. Only I myself, though, actually use it as the name of a business.

  Kate Gladstone

  Founder and CEO,

  Handwriting Repair/Handwriting That Works

  Director, World Handwriting Contest

  http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com

  
  
• [24] Nan Jay Barchowsky from Aberdeen MD March 05, 2009 - 02:37PM

  Recently, so many calls have come my way for handwriting help. I can only guess that Script & Scribble is generating interest. Hooray! I welcome your visits to http://www.fixitwrite.com and http://www.bfhhandwriting.com

  Happy Writing! Nan

  
  
• [25] Cathryn M. from Long Island March 06, 2009 - 12:29PM

  My son goes to a Waldorf school where handwriting is still considered an art. They even write with fountain pens into the 8th grade. The teacher tells the students that since their writing springs forth from them, it should be done beautifully. I agree.