The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

Handwriting In State Teachers Colleges
If there is any school in our educational
system where students need
adequate training in handwriting, it
is in State Teachers Colleges. My
reason for saying this is that the
majority of students, when they enter
college as freshmen, write poorly,
simply because they have not had
sufficient practice in the high schools
to hold the standard of good writing
which they acquired in the
grades.
Instruction Needed in High School
It seems to nie that it is in the
high schools where the break-down
comes in handwriting. I should like
to make a plea for a little instruction
in practical, rapid writing in
high schools for all pupils (not only
for the commercial pupils) whichj I
am sure, would keep the handwriting
of every pupil from deteriorating into
an illegible scrawl. This illegible
scrawl is the result of so much rapid
note taking with little regard for
plain, neat writing by most teachers.
When students come to us as freshmen
not having sufficient training in
the technique of this subject as it
should be applied in the execution
of plain, fluent handwriting, this
immediately presents a problem for
solution.
Intensive Drill
We aim to solve this problem in
the following way: The freshman
students are trained in the technique
of handwriting. This involves not
only intensive practice in habituating
right habits of posture, penholding,
fluency, but also practice in
quality of product, such as good letter
form, spacing, slant and speed.
With this training the students are
then able to write well themselves,
and also they have the necessary
skill to teach others by the best example.
C. E. Doner
Methods
In the second or third years the
students are given a course in modern
methods of teaching handwriting
in the various grades. In Teachers
Colleges the allotted time for this
work is necessarily limited, but judging
from past experiences, we believe
it pays, because it holds the
handwriting of both teachers and pupils
to satisfactory standard levels.
In the fourth year we offer a special
elective course in lettering, especially
Old English.
Blackboard Writing
Another impoi'tant phase of teacher-training,
and I am not so sure but
that it is the most important, is
blackboard writing. Good blackboard
writing is a duty all teachers owe to
their pupils, and their real joy and
satisfaction will be in proportion to
the fulfillment of that duty. The
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blackboard is the training ground
for the efficient teacher and the play
ground for the pupils, especially for
the young children. There can be
no more inspiring and helpful activity
than to have teachers write on
their boards a style of writing that
is clear, fluent, and forceful. The
hand of a well-trained teacher is
usually skillful and seldom gets in
its own way. Sometimes we hear it
said that many teachers are not able
to write any better than a fifth or
sixth grade standard. Whether or
not this is true, we are definitely
trying to do something about it by
bettering such a condition. With the
interest and support of superintendents
of schools, presidents of Teachers
Colleges, principals, teachers and
parents, we feel that the handwriting
in our schools can and should
be kept on a satisfactory basis.
One of Mr. Doner's pupils illustrating a good position
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An Alphabet by Mr. Doner
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