The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

20
HANDWRITING IN BOSTON
SCHOOLS
In commenting- upon the penmanship
situation in the Boston Public-
Schools, the Boston Post writes:
"Not alone is the time allotted for
this highly important branch of education
very small, but in recent years
the appropriations have been reduced
in various ways.
"Forty to fifty minutes a week is
lamentably insufficient to devote to
instruction in handvn-iting. Not
much can be accomplished in that
time.
"The trend in the schools is now
away from the old solid and substantial
elements of education for
the purpose of providing time for
various fads and fancies.
"The importance of good handwriting
may be judged by the fact
that a number of large employers of
clerks have been obliged to establish
their own schools of handwriting.
Careless and sloppy handwriting and
lack of clearness in setting down
figures often cause heavy losses in
the course of a year. Therefore, the
need for good handwriting in records,
memoranda, sales slips, etc.
"The psychological effect of good
handwriting by young people is great.
What business man would consider
an application for a position, written
in scrawly, hardly intelligible handwriting?
He would consider it an
indication of a careless, uneducated
personality. On the other hand neat,
orderly, plain handwriting is sure to
aid the approach to a position.
"The business and secretarial
schools are particularly interested in
perfecting the handwriting of pupils.
They understand the importance of
it.
"It is somewhat of a mystery why
the business and secretarial schools
flourish so amazingly in Boston.
There are probably more of them in
The Educator
Boston in proportion to population
than in any city in the country. Of
course they must bo extremely efficient
or they would not be successful.
"The majority of their pupils are
high school graduates.
"Now in the Boston public schools
about the same courses are available.
But why do graduates of the
public schools find it necessaiy to
attend business colleges and secretarial
schools in order to qualify for
a job.
"It is simply because these private
schools provide a thorough training
which the public schools do not, apparently.
"This inattention to handwriting
courses in our schools is an instance."
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