The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

IMPROVING THE HANDWRITING
CONDITIONS
A similar intelligent, interesting
group of boys and girls can be found
in almost any locality in America.
Students today are equipped with
better working conditions and are
more advanced for their ages than
their parents were at the same age.
Conditions are changing and educators
are trying to meet those
changes in the best possible way by
furnishing fine buildings and equipment.
Educators are endeavoring to put
more interest in school work and
surely this gi-oup of boys and girls
shows interest in what they are doing.
Sometimes, however, things
which we think are important are
slighted. While this may seem like
an ideal schoolroom, we are wondering
if these pupils always write
in this same manner or if the photographer
caught them at a disadvantage
as far as handwriting conditions
are concerned ? We do not
know the kind of work this class is
capable of doing, but we do want to
The Educator 17
call your attention to one condition
which some teachers overlook. That
is having ideal writing conditions at
all times and demanding careful
handwriting in every class.
We think this fine group of boys
and girls could do better handwriting
if they would get a solid, smooth
place upon which to write. On each
desk there are three or four books
and some pupils are writing on single
sheets of paper on top of the book,
at the same time trying to hold open
some of the books with the writing
arm. The desk space is small for so
many reference books and for writing.
The teacher might suggest a
way to arrange the books to improve
the writing conditions. Surely we
could not expect the boys and girls
in the first row to do the best kind
of writing. You may say that they
are interested in other things, but
we believe that they can maintain
that interest and help the handwriting
by rearranging the books on top
of the desks.
By allowing the pupils to twist
around in an awkward position not
only poor writing results, but from
a health standpoint, it is not good.
There is a reason for these pupils
twisting their elbows off the desk.
Probably the lighting conditions were
not right.
There is considerable information
today on proper lighting conditions
so that teachers should be able to
place the students to the best advantage.
When writing, the hand should
not throw a shadow on the writing.
If it does, the pupils will twist
around to avoid this condition. As
a result poor handwriting and poor
health will result.
Notice the interest shown by the
boys in front of the room. Some of
the students are writing while standing.
This is necessary and the pupils
should be taught to write in a
standing position. Later in life they
will wi-ite many checks, etc., standing
at a counter.
We hope that the publishing of this
photograph will get some teachers to
improve the writing conditions of the
schoolroom outside of the regular
handwriting class.
This photograph cut was loaned to
us by the Chicago School Journal.