If you think that the computer killed “Cursive Writing”, think again. 111 years ago, the invention of the typewriter did that.
The State of Indiana has recommended that “cursive” writing, or as we used to call it “penmanship” be eliminated from school curriculums state wide. In its place would be instruction on keyboarding, which of course is how you access a computer.
Many people are sad about this, me not being one of them. After having many marks on my grade cards of “bad penmanship”, or ” needs to be more careful with writing” notes at the bottom, I quite frankly think this ruling is about 40 years too late.
But lets look at why we in American education have had to put up with this waste of our precious time, the idea that there was a certain design and script that a letter had to look like, always written on lined paper, with guides in the middle.
The art of writing, and yes it is an art, was inherited from the ancients. Babylonian cuneiform was the earliest known writing, which came from the middle east. The Phoenicians and the Greeks added their influence to this art, which initially was used for business and legal matters. Storytelling was still done the old fashioned way: Orally.
For storytelling writing was nothing more than note taking, to be later read aloud. The writing was not meant for mass audiences, since very few in ancient society could read. Mass transmission was done by speaking. Writing was, up until almost the 14th century, just a way to hold information until it could be used orally. Writing supported the oral tradition.
By the time the English language appeared on the scene, writing was an art that was enhanced by Augustinian scholars, illuminated by gold leaf, and romanticized by bards. Next came the technological breakthrough of the printing press. This allowed the masses to learn reading skills. However, more of the populace could read than could write.
At this point however, there was still a need for what was known as “good hand”, the need for legible writing that could be transfered to a printer and then be mass produced. Interesting also how many texts were changed by these printers because of illegibility, or the lack of particular type ( the strange use of the lower case “f” in the place of the elegant looking lower case “s” was said to be first done by a printer who had more of the “f” and not enough “s”).
The next technology to change the face of writing would be the typewriter. This actually was the point where hand writing “long hand” became an anachronism.
Writing was rendered via “short” hand, the ability to write quickly and then either type on the new device, and then easily transfer the text to a printer who would set the type for mass production.
In the 1870s, up till the 20th century, “Good Hand” was still the standard on which many legal documents were based on. Writing in a “cursive” style was still used for major governmental documents, and also for personal communication.
Another technology that entered the scene was the telegraph, which took the standard lettering of text and converted it to sound, making the need for aural interpretation, and quick note taking an imperative.
With the advent of the 21st century we see the demise of the basis of writing technologies; the press replaced by the laser printer, the typewriter by the word processor, and the telegraph by wireless communication and internet.
It is now cursive penmanship’s turn to walk the plank.
The reason that so many were subjected to penmanship has an economic base to it, despite the fact that it originally was an artist’s place to perform it. But cursive itself, has been dead for years, replaced by short hand and italics.
There is a real need in today’s world to be able to use a keyboard. Writing long hand takes enormous amounts of time, and is not easily edited. The fact of the matter is , most of those under the age of 30 rarely if ever use cursive writing, or paper for that matter.
A “good hand” is most hard to find these days. It is an art with symmetry and beauty all its own. I note there are artists that use computer mediation to make new fonts and type families that are geared for viewing on electronic monitors. These artists ply their typography skills as artists, so even by using de-humanizing technology, art is still a real part of the writing trade.
There are those who will still say that a hand written note is much more personal, and desirable to receive. It would have to be a pretty good hand to impress me, since I cannot read half of what people are saying with cursive anyway. I am certain that they cannot read mine, which is why almost all my notes are in italics. I do however break out my cursive for birthday cards and well wished notes. My writing of “Good Luck” with cursive has a tendency to look like the wish of a very happy sexual encounter when I finish. I think most people can do without my encouragement for that. I will type it from now on. Good Luck.
