The Educator (Volume 45) - IAMPETH

to assume an awkward position in
oi'der to see his writing. In planning
schools, the right-handed student is
often considered only. The lefthander
is often forgotten.
Where chairs are provided with
arm rests for writing, there should
be some rests on the left side for
the left-handers. Desks should be
arranged so the light is good for
both left and right-handed students.
Where the light is not right for the
left-handers, they may find that
their hands throw shadows on their
work. They, therefore twist their
hands around so that they will not
shade their writing. Poor position
and poor writing is the result.
7. Check Eyesight.
The eyesight of every student, especially
the left-hander, should be
checked. If it is discovered that eye
trouble exists, an effort should be
made to correct the trouble and
surely the left-handed student should
be given a desk with the best possible
lighting conditions or he may
develop eye trouble. Some schools
have clinics and give much attention
to the eyesight of students.
8. Much Study and Practice Needed.
Penmanship is a skillful art and re-
The Educator 21
quires much study and practice.
"Repetition is the secret of improvement."
Surely the left-handed student
should be encouraged to do much
studying and practicing. It is a well
known fact that one who is handicapped
and for some reason is slower
than the average may overcome this
by doing a little extra work.
If you are not getting satisfactory
results, possibly you are not devoting
enough time to practice the drill.
9. Lack of Ability.
The percentage of students who
lack ability physically or mentally to
develop into good writers is very
small. This applies to both right and
left-handed students. Their inability
to learn may not be because of
handedness, but because of other reasons.
10. Injurious Influence.
Students are influenced by likes
and dislikes of the teacher. If she
assumes an encouraging attitude, it
will be reflected in the student. If
she writes well, the student will
make an effort to imitate her. One
right-handed student wrote with his
left hand because his first grade
teacher wrote left-handed—a clear
case of imitation.
FROM THE SATURDAY EVE-
NING POST
There recently appeared in the
Post, a story telling how Woolworth,
the executive of 5 and 10 cent stores
in America and England, was attracted
by the fine penmanship of
Samuel H. Belfour, a bookkeeper in
Ogdensburg, New York. Finally, Mr.
Woolworth employed Mr. Belfour,
A LEFT-HANDED WRITER.
Belfour was sent to England as an
executive, but his health failed and
after returning to America, he died,
otherwise, he would have shared in
the wealth of the Woolworth mil-
GOOD WRITING
(Right or Left-handed)
1. Is easily read.
2. Is wi-itten freely and without
much effort.
3. Should be of convenient and
even size.
4. Is regular in slope—preferably
forward.
5. Is neat in arrangement and appearance.
6. Is uniform in thickness of line
—not heavy and clumsy or light and
skippy.
7. Is spaced evenly in words with
enough space between them to make
reading easy—not crowded or scattered.
The above is a miscellaneous collection of left-handed specimens which have been received in the past month. A
large number of left-handed specimens come over our desk and these specimens are a fair average of the quality
done by left-handed students. Of course we get some which are not as good and some which are very much better.
The first specimen was \viitten by Mary Lee Hogue, fifth grade pupil in the Pennsboro Public Schools, Pennsboro,
West Virginia.
Number 2 and Number 4 were written by W. L. Jarvis, a young man here in Columbus who was in the ofliice the
other day and gave us one of the finest exhibitions of left-handed writing we have ever seen. He writes business
and ornamental penmanship equally well.
Number 3 was written by Annie Pruitt, a student in the Oswego Public Schools, Oswego, Kansas.
Number 5 was written by Eleanor Dodson, first grade pupil.
Number 6 by Helen Hurst, a sixth grade pupil in Pennsboro Public Schools, Pennsboro, West Virginia.
Number 7 is by a left-handed Garbutt Business College student, Doris Jackson.
Number 8 was written by Floyd E. J. Powell, a student in the Beacom College, Wilmington, Delaware.