The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

14
^^Should Handwriting Training Be Required
In discussing this subject before a
group of grade teachers one is
placed behind the eight ball in the
very beginning of the discussion.
Already grade teachers are required
to do too many things for the
meager salary they receive and they
do not appreciate any suggestion of
a further requirement.
It is obvious, however, that such
a requirement should be made that
any discussion is unnecessary and in
presenting the matter I am reminded
of what I heard Old Opie
Read say one time on a Lyceum platform
at Jamestown, North Dakota.
After expressing his appreciation of
the introduction he was given he
started to say, like the true Southern
gentlemen he was, something
nice about the ladies of the audience,
but after saying a few words he
paused and said: "but why throw
a bouquet into a garden of roses."
Important Subject
It seems to me that the first thing
to consider in a discussion of this
subject is the importance of handwriting.
Should it be considered as
an important subject in our elementary
school curriculum ? If it is
an important subject it should be
properly taug-ht by a thoroughly
trained teacher.
Generally Well Informed
In order for one to enjoy his
proper position in society today he
must be rather well informed in many
subjects. He must be on the same
intellectual level as his fellow men.
Several years ago he might have
gotten along very well without much
school training. He might not have
been able to read or to write. He got
along all right because his associates
were of the same educational
training level. The situation is not
the same today and many people
must have a college training in order
to meet the demands of a highly
developed social civilization.
Speaking and Writing
One must not only have a well
stocked storehouse of general knowledge
but he must be able to share
this knowledge with his fellowmen.
To do this well, he must be able to
express his thoughts clearly, emphatically,
and in a pleasing manner.
One's thoughts are expressed
in two ways: by speaking and by
writing. It is just as important
that one be able to express his
thoughts well by writing as by
speaking.
Lack of Intelligence
A great deal of time and attention
is given in our school work to the
for Elementary Teachers?^'
By C. E. Chamberlain
Southern Texas State Teachers College, San Marco. Tex.
speaking but little significance is
attached to the writing. In fact
many people think that their poor
handwriting is an indication of their
high I. Q. of intelligence. They take
great pride in their ability to talk
well, but they give little thought
to how poorly they express themselves
in their writing.
EDUCATION
The business man considers
scrawly, hardly intelligible
handwriting 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 Boston Post.
In my poor opinion poor writing
is an indication of ignorance, or of
thoughtlessness, or of pure selfishness.
It is an imposition on the
time, intelligence, and interests of
any person, or group of persons, to
force them to listen to a poor
speaker. It is just as much an imposition
to force them to waste time
and patience in an effort to interpret
poor writing.
Must be Modern
Since much writing must be done
it should be done in such a manner
as to meet the needs of our present
civilization. A study of the history
of handwriting reveals that the handwriting
of any age met the requirements
of that particular age.
The hieroglyphics of the early Phoenicians
met the needs of. the little
writing which was required during
that time. In like manner picture
writing answered the needs of the
American Indians. When a more developed
civilization recjuired more
written matter, the German, Roman,
and Arabic lettering was used. Later
this developed into a cursive writing;
the heavy script writing; the
more or less finger movement Spencerian
writing; the Gaskell arm
movement writing; and into our
present day Muscular Movement (or
arm movement) writing.
In the Higher Schools
Writing, to meet the needs of today,
must be legible and be free,
easy, and rapid of execution. The
execution of good writing requires
a highly developed and well controlled
muscular activity. A good
writer is one who has acquired this
highly developed skill through muscular
control and freedom and ease
of execution. In order to attain
this skill one must devote much time
and caieful thinking to the study
and practice of the subject of penmanship.
It is a big subject, a
worthy subject, and a worth while
subject to be placed in our grade
school curriculum. Not only should
it be given a prominent place and
proper regard in the grade school
work, but it is deserving of proper
recognition in the work of the high
school and the college, especially
the Teachers College.
Trained Teachers
Since handwriting should be taught
in the grade work and since most of
the teaching must be done by the
grade teacher, she should be as well
trained to handle the subject as she
is trained to handle the other subjects.
Even though she may not
teach the subject in her grade it is
as important that she write well
as that she talk well. She is a living
example for her pupils in many
things,—dress, manners, speech and
writing.
All Grades
I think that handwriting should be
required for the grade teachers and
that the Teachers colleges should
be required to provide such training.
A left-handed boy at the blackboard.
When you have difficulty on paper go
to the board.