Is cursive handwriting slowly dying out in America?

Chujybear

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 3, 2011
Messages
1,079
Location
Haida Gwaii
Cursive writing is an art.
I'm really not certain that it remains necessary today tho. At least in terms of being mandatory in school. Maybe as an elective. I don't believe that the reams of cursive documents out there will suddenly be unreadable to adults who didn't take cursive writing in school. The letters and word forms in cursive carry plenty of resemblance to their printed siblings. Interested people will continue to be able to read the letters of their forebearers.
It's another thing altogether if the question is about whether children are missing out on an important exercise for the development of their brains. .. But if that were the argument, would cursive serve any extra purpose than drawing, or some other art?

I think I have stated myself as tho I am against cursive. I'm not. But I'm also not convinced that it has maintained its relevance.
That said. Final exams at oxford university have to be submitted entirely in cursive.
 

dlilazteca

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
2,659
Location
Laredo, Texas
Just attended a training this week and it hit me why cursive is not being taught in school anymore I can only speak for Texas as that is where I work. Everything being taught in Texas is to pass the STAAR test acronym of course, for example 7th grade has to pass a writing exam it is then sent off and graded by people that might not even be teachers. This is a gist of it, if they can't read it they can't grade it. Rating then affects the school campuses budgets and jobs. So what teachers are worried about now is having a student's pass this writing exam so he or she will ensure their job security while losing the wonderful art.

Its so sad the teaching is no longer important, what's important now is having the students pass the test.

Saludos,

Carlos
 

Riflesmith

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
210
Location
Hutchinson, KS
I'm not so sure that all this "technology" is a good thing, that reliance on electronic devices is totally good. I'd still rather do my business face to face and the electronics is a necessary "evil" to that end. I still do all my designing by hand, still write letters, in cursive, by hand. The Internet and smart phones have made the world a smaller place, but, to what end? Folks seem to be getting lazier, less patient, and most generally disconnected from the real world. I just got back from an elk hunting trip in Wyoming and the guys I was hunting with wouldn't even get off their four-wheelers to "beat the brush". I spent most of my time tracking and stalking the mountains of the Bighorn National Forest and am the only person who bagged an elk.....and I didn't have to use any electronics to do it, just plain ol' woodcraft. Reliance on technology will be the downfall of mankind.
 

mdengraver

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
3,595
Location
Rockville, MD
Many forms of technology already are the downfall of mankind and we are here to witness the process.

"I weep at what I see and feel the vulgar distortion, the cancerous alienation that plagues my brothers and sisters, and so I weep for I am alive, and like a sponge I soak it all inwardly".
From: Richard Hoptner- sculpter
 

Brian Marshall

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
3,112
Location
Stockton, California & Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
I agree... I am far from being a Luddite (after all, we ARE having this discourse on computers on the Internet)

But I have chosen to be far more circumspect than most about what I will allow to be forever graven in electrons - for "eternity"...

I also tend to keep the technology in its place, making it work for me when it is the best available solution - and ignoring it the rest of the time.

Even doing that - the first time you lose access to Internet for 24 hours is a traumatic experience.


I have become so used to looking up whatever interests me at the moment, and wasting hours chasing down the information as well as what seems to be every other damn thng that might relate to it - that I've had to find a solution for THAT!

My current (experimental) solution is to write down the idea or subject that crosses my mind while at the bench.

At the END of the day - after everything is shut down, I've fed the menagerie and myself - and IF upon reading the list made during the day, I STILL have an interest in whatever it was, I will allow myself 20 minutes total to cruise for it. That's it.

If I've not satisfied my thirst for whatever it was, it will have to be continued in the next days time allotment.

This forces you to stay focused on the subject, wastes far less time and allows you to get some sleep!


Brian
 
Last edited:

LVVP

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
1,382
Location
Toronto
Looks beautiful and I am envying a lit a bit, because I can not do at the same yet, may be soon.....
I an not sure in correct spelling, sorry
 

Dani Girl

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
1,110
Location
NSW, Australia.
Flex pens

Does anyone on here own a flex fountain pen? I've had this Conklin hanging around my neck everywhere I go for a year now... love it. Got lucky on ebay for $80. Also noodlers are doing $15 versions which are not unreasonable pens. I've just ordered a bunch and I'll make a thread about them when they get here.

Love good script... hope it never dies completely
 

Attachments

  • fountain pen conklin 1920s.jpg
    fountain pen conklin 1920s.jpg
    97.9 KB · Views: 31

Sponsors

Top