The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

I gave
I
' and
—
Report of Conference of Handwriting Department
New Jersey Education Association
The members of the Handwriting
Department of the New Jersey Education
Association were gratified to
find an audience numbering between
•JoO and 300 at the Handwriting Conference
on Nov. 10, at Atlantic City.
Miss Olive Mellon, Supervisor of
Handwriting, Atlantic City, president
of the department, greeted the
audience. She introduced Miss Enola
Morgan, Supervisor at Moorestown,
who awarded the silver cup to the
contest winner, Mrs. Elizabeth Horgan
of Orange.
Miss Elizabeth Drake, Director of
English, Binghampton, New York,
a delightful and inspiring talk,
entitled, "Strengthen Thy Stakes."
Her speech was interesting, practical,
to the point for teachers of any
of the language arts.
Miss Doris Almy, President of the
N. A. P. T. S., Supervisor of Handwriting,
Fall River, Massachusetts,
extended the greetings
tional association to the
group. She announced
of the na-
New Jersey
the spring
meeting
Atlantic
of the N. A. P. T. S., at
City, on March 21, 22 and
23, 1940. at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Special features of the conference
will be a banquet,
possibly time for
schools.
an exhibit, and
visiting nearby
Following the addresses, a series
of slides showing many phases of
the teaching of handwriting were
shown. These were contributed by
Mrs. Maude Meyers, Newark; Miss
Olive Mellon, Atlantic City; Mrs.
Emma Myers, Bridgetown; Mrs.
Elizabeth Horgan, Orange; Miss Enola
Morgan, Moorestown, and Miss
Marion L. Little, Glassboro Teachers
College.
After the general session a business
meeting was called of the executive
committee of the New Jersey
group to plan for
ing. Miss Almy
the spring meet-
assigned responsibilities
as follows:
Chairman of arrangements—Mrs.
Maude Meyers, Newark.
Chairman of local arrangements
Miss Olive A. Mellon, Atlantic City.
Member of Committee on Research
—Mrs. Emma Myers, Bridgeton.
Member of Committee on Membership—Miss
Edith Hall, Burlington.
Member of Publicity Committee—
Mrs. Helen Shaeffer, Dunellen; Miss
Marion Little, Glassboro.
Member of Exhibit Committee
Miss Grace Pharazyn, Margate City.
It was decided to call a meeting of
the New Jersey Executive Committee
early in January at the Glassboro
State Teachers College.
Marion L. Little.
Atlantic City, Nov. 10, 1939.
INVITED TO THE N.A.P.T.S.
Thank you Madam President. It
is indeed a great pleasure to be with
you and to bring you the greetings
and best wishes of the National Association
of Penmanship Teachers
and Supervisors.
PENMANSHIP TEACHERS.
I would teach each child to write
And set dame fashion's pace
With letters clear and fine
Swift cut across each line.
I would teach them how to send,
Their pens with ease and grace
Across each piece of paper white
Until they loved to write and write.
I would teach them, with gifted
power
The joy of every penman's heart
That they too might share a part,
In making writing classic art.
I would teach them.
George Santayana once observed
"The difficult is that which can be
done immediately—the impossible
that which takes a little more time."
How very true this bit of philosophy
is. We as teachers of handwriting
can realize only too well
how often we have stood before
what we felt to be a particularly
difficult class only to find a few good
penmen almost immediately, or how
often we have found that by devoting
a little extra time we have finally
taught that impossible pupil
to write.
Although the National Association
of Penmanship Teachers and Supervisors
may find their 1940 Convention
to seem to be both difficult and
impossible, nevertheless we, like
Caesar have set out to come, to see,
and to conquer a field of doubting
Thomas's.
On Mar. 21, 22 and 23, we are
to convene here in Atlantic City. I
understand that the E. C. T. A. is
holding their session at this time
in the Ambassador. We believe,
however, that while both conventions
are independent of each other, both
may greatly benefit by meeting on
the same date.
The theme of our session is to be
"Penmanship Contributions in a
foursquare democracy." The square
consists of four equal sides, the
home, the church and society, busi-
ness, and the school.
19
I would at this time extend a
cordial invitation to the members of
the State Association of New Jersey
and all other teachers to either
become members of the National
Association, attend its convention, or
both. I have appointed Mrs. Maude
Meyers of Newark, and a member of
your Association, as chaii-man of my
Executive Board. Miss Mellon, your
present President, is to act as Chairman
of Local Aff'airs.
The National Association was organized
in Chicago, Dec. 1913. At
that time J. H. Bachtenkirker was
elected its first president. Its primary
purpose is to promote the best
interests of good handwriting. It
strives through research and careful
study to present to all teachers
the latest publications, the most recent
methods and equipment, and the
results of the work of outstanding
instructors in the profession.
The rug weavers of a certain country
place above their looms the pattern
of the work which they are
about to do. Although their clever
fingers weave an intricate design,
their eyes never leave the pattern before
them.
We as penmanship instructors are
teaching a subject which we are
proud to say is not and never has
been a frill. From the earliest time
it has been the second of the sacred
trinity of the classroom. It has
been perhaps the most abused. Its
patterns may have been varied,
its methods of attainment many, yet
through the centuries penmanship
teachers have kept their eyes on the
pattern, legible handwriting. We
have labored to produce work which
would meet the requirements of the
seven objectives of education. We
have not failed although a dormant
public has often forgotten our existance
other than to utter an occasional
grumble. We must awaken
that public. If they only grumble
loud enough to restore handwriting
to its rightful place in the school
curriculum we shall rejoice.
I know that each of you here is endeavoring
to do this one thing, for
this reason I am hoping that our
meeting in Atlantic City will have
the support of all of you. New Jersey
is definitely penmanship minded.
Won't you all plan to spend your
Easter with us here in Atlantic
City?
DORIS E. ALMY.