Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A Dying Art?


Back in the '70s I was intrigued with graphology, the study of and analysis of handwriting, and still have several books on the subject. It is a controversial method of personality evaluation. Results of most recent surveys on the ability for graphology to assess personality and job performance have been negative. I still, however, find the uniqueness of individual handwriting fascinating. It's a very personal extension of one's self, and I think it reveals quite a lot.

Remember the old Zaner Bloser style of cursive we learned in grade school? I always earned high marks in penmanship because of my artistic ability to copy the letters. I actually would have had a great career as a forger. Have you noticed most young people today don't even use cursive writing? They print. I suppose this is because the keyboard is now used more than the old pen and paper method. Even my own handwriting is a curious mix of printing and cursive.

The romantic side of me cringes at the notion of handwriting, as we know it, becoming totally obsolete. I adore the process, as well as the personal touch, of old fashioned letter writing with ink, pen and paper. It truly is an art form, which I hope we can preserve. I am first to
admit, the internet has certainly played a part in the decline of my own hand written correspondence.

This document above is William Shakespeare's last will and testament, written in his own handwriting. It's in a cursive style called "secretary hand", which was commonly used in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It's interesting to note our handwriting today hasn't changed all that much in the last five hundred years. And I hope it continues for at least another five hundred.


top photo: quote from Janet Frame's novel, Towards Another Summer, in
my handwriting

74 comments:

  1. I tend to make judgments about handwriting . . . or certainly notice it and draw conclusions.

    My daughter ALWAYS prints, and yet, in the English school system they teach the children "joined-up writing" when they are really young -- just 7 or 8.

    A fascinating subject . . . and as for my own handwriting, I've noticed that it has become "looser" and bigger with age. (I think that I write faster, probably . . . trying to achieve the speed I have when typing.) Shakespeare's will was a great touch!

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  2. Many times, after taking someone's photo, I have to hand them my notepad and pen and have them write down their names. I do this so I can move on to the next shot before the moment in gone or because it might be too loud to understand the spellings in their names.

    You are so right about young people. They print! And 80% of the other people scribble. Half of the time I have to go back and find them, and rewrite their names.

    Long live penmanship!

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  3. I've touched on this subject also; I still like to write letters longhand with a fountain pen. I'm proud of my handwriting. I suppose there are a lot of the younger generation that enjoy it but yes, I do think it's a dying art.

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  4. I love cursive writing and printing and have dabbled in calligraphy ( though it may not show when I dash of a hurried note....looks like a mad woman at work). Great topic and thanks for the notes on WS's style!

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  5. I used to spend hours perfecting my handwriting -- I love the process of putting lines on paper, beautifully, and forming actual words -- that we can get inside one another's heads in this two-dimensional way is a major miracle to me.

    I do think that penmanship is a dying art, sadly. don't young girls know that when they begin practicing writing "Mrs. So-and-so" over the over again, it is much nicer if they are doing it in a lovely hand!

    Cass

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  6. By the by....I still have students who consider handwriting an art form ....some of whom are boys! I find this very affirming --- some things will always be a joy!

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  7. Much to my husband's chagrin, my son has never learned to write. He's 15.

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  8. My own current hand is a fast printing with ligatures rather than a true cursive. But I also do calligraphy (and at one point in my life made a small business of it - wedding invitations, business and personal cards, newspaper ads, etc.), and when I dip a square-nibbed pen in ink I have my own distinct personal hand that is a mix of standard italic hand and a version of Ernst Schniedler's Legende. It always feels good to have a pen in the hand, but I also have to admit to doing more of the stuff I did by hand on the computer now, and I have a massive font collection on my hard drive. Heh, heh!

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  9. I like you use both print and cursive...it's the artist in me and it changes frequently, depending on my mood...but my Grandson(21)prints and always has.

    Post below brought back a lot of memories...I wore a towel tucked into my peddle-pushers as my tail and a long silk headscarf tied 'round my head for my mane, I was the most beautiful wild stallion you would ever see on the plains of Iowa...I wanted to be National Velvet.

    Thanks for the memories...run with the wind...

    s

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  10. I can still remember the loopy, yet flattened handwriting my best friend used in junior high. It hasn't changed much. And junior high was when I began to write with a backward slant -- totally because a teacher I disliked didn't approve.

    I still write backhand or straight up and down -- the effect of some self-taught calligraphy -- but, alas, the computer is so much faster that I rarely write without it. (And when I do, the results tend toward the illegible.)

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  11. I hear you on this one, Willow! I love looking at my grandparents' handwriting, from Scotland--they had such beautiful cursive. I've saved letters they sent me. I think I have an absolutely awful handwriting--I didn't used to! I have trouble reading my own grocery lists, I admit,(not a good thing!) but I used to use a fountain pen all the time, and there's something very sensuous about the way it glides over the page--I think it used to help make my writing attractive. I miss that...

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  12. I am a scribbler, shame to say. Even when I try, it's muck. Figured I would make a good doctor?

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  13. My children attend school in London and all 3 of them are only allowed to use a fountain pen and write in cursive... long live the British tradition!

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  14. I absolutley agree- penmanship is a lost art/skill/telling of personality...I love penmanship. My son's generation - dismal at handwriting- Horrible! I think that penmanship AND deportment should be reinstituted into the curriculum at least in grade school... dying old toot ideas.

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  15. I loved the way we were taught to write. Longed to have that pretty script you used. And I was a good copier, as well. I'm usually the one who's been chosen to sign for the boss.

    I have many different handwriting styles. Sometimes, gorgeous and flowing. Sometimes, backhand. At work, usually tiny. What does that say about me, I wonder? Versatile! :-) Even my signature varies.

    But I love looking at the old documents passed down. Wonderful writing.

    A great post, Willow. And sadly true.

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  16. Willow, I also spent many years studying handwriting analysis. I think the connection between a particular type of handwriting and being a success is a stretch...but I think that some general indications about how a person feels and approaches life can be determined by simple indicators...how hard they press down, size of letters in relation to other letters and even how a person feels about him/herself by looking carefully at their signature...and the balance between the first middle and last name. I almost automatically read signatures...my own...my children...and everyone elses. I think it's just a piece of the personality puzzle...and communciates affect pretty directly. If you look at how your signature changes over time, I think you are looking at a photograph of how you have grown and developed.

    It took me a long time to give up the regular written letter...but I didn't want to lose touch with friends...and most are switching to modern forms of communication. I think handwriting styles change depending on the country you live in and even gender. A lot of boys here press down hard, write very small, and really it's printing...with some connected letters. However, "pretty" handwriting is highly valued. <3

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  17. sad to say but i am a printer...every once in a while i will break out the cursive in romantic missives to the misses, but mostly i print.

    my signature is cursive, lots of swirls, but you can barely read it. smiles.

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  18. My handwriting has always been all over the place. Sometimes it is pretty, but most of the time I think it is a mess. One thing I noticed after my divorce is that my writing got bigger...me...set free....?

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  19. Looking at the old cursive chart brings visceral memories to the surface. Wow. Handwriting was so important to me (though my cursive looks nothing like the official version).

    I think all the time about the fact that not so long ago, every book was written by hand. War and Peace? Written by hand. All of Jane Austin? No typewriters, no computers.

    Blows my mind!

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  20. I love handwriting too. I like that I can recognize the writing of different people, it's so part of them. The meaning is conveyed the same in email (and often more legibly!!) but the personal recognition of the handwriting is irreplaceable in letters.

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  21. Hi Wills,
    When I first began teaching 20 years ago, it was expected to teach script by third grade. Now, with No Child Left Behind legislation, there is simply not enough time to teach script.
    What a pity.

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  22. Handwritten correspondence is so romantic, and I don't want to see it disappear either. I would love to own some love letters that someone long ago had written. My penmanship is definitely not what it used to be, maybe because I don't do it all the time anymore.

    As far as being able to analyze people from their handwriting...maybe so. The idea is very interesting! ~Lori

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  23. The-Man-Of-The-House always writes in heavy unlinked block capitals, very odd I say. And me..... well my handwriting has been described as 'The Chicken Scratchings of a Mad Woman.'
    Millie ^_^

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  24. I have noticed over the last year that my own handwriting - something I was once very proud of - has become quite slovenly. I've also noticed that as I'm writing in a moleskin, doing exercises from Natalie Goldberg's book on memoir, I'm struggling to be neater, even though she exhorts the reader to not be too fussy about it.

    This is a thought-provoking post. Thank you.

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  25. I used to get awards for penmanship in school. I am left handed like my mother and brother but we do not write under handed like most left-handers do.
    My writing has always been semi caligraphy.

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  26. Handwriting says so much about a person's character. The Prof still uses an old fashioned fountain pen for signatures and correspondence of note and I write allmy poems by hand into a black book. They re on the computer as well, but if is so satisfying to write then into my black book.
    It really makes me smile to think that 200 years ago children could learn to write copperplate and now it is deemed they are too dumb to cope with cursive and barely manage to print.

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  27. Personally, I love all the writing accoutrements - lovely pens, inks, stationary, seals and sealing wax.

    My kids learned to write starting with the Denelian writing. None of them write in cursive and the whole point of teaching with Denelian was supposed to make for an easier transition to cursive.

    Gone are the days of writing as an art. So sad.

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  28. I hadn't really realized how handwriting is disappearing but you are right, it is. I used to have lovely handwriting but now i, as many print.I don't know when this changed. My Father had the nicest handwriting I have ever seen. He said he practiced writing when he was young and came up with a great style.

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  29. A great topic Willow! I like 'running writing' I actually love to get my grandmother's old recipe book out just to look at her handwriting. I find it so sad that children today are limited with text vocabulary and losing those precious skills. Even when I send my emails I tend to write them in cursive font. I do print as well in big girlie printing (as my partner is fond of pointing out) but cursive is my preference.
    Many thanks to you for visiting me at my humble Blog and leaving a comment! I am so thrilled you took the time as I can imagine how busy you are. I am still in early days but hope to find time to fix my Blog up to make it more beautiful. I can only aspire and dream it will be half as good as your own Willow Manor one day xx

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  30. Funny....I didn't know it was called graphology. I always notice people's handwriting. I, too, used to earn high marks in penmanship. But my writing style now is a mix of both printing and cursive. I do adore hand-written letters, but typing on the computer is so much more convenient....

    A lost art? One hopes not.

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  31. I read all the way back to the lovely swing poem...everything was so worth the read...thanks for the beauty of the plates and the vintage TV land pics... :)

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  32. I love handwriting (at school, we learned to write using nibs) but if I get carried away with the writing (when I am chasing after a story for instance), the result quickly become unreadable.
    I am fascinated by the fact that people in a family tend to have the same handwriting. Not only from parent to children but I have recently my mother's writing starting to look more and more like my father's.

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  33. Not only do young people rarely write in cursive. They often have trouble with its reading. My friend has beautiful cursive penmansip drilled into her by the nuns. But her 22 year old daughter often wails that she can't read it--especially the upper case E's and F's.

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  34. I am a lover of pens, paper and the hand written word so I am appalled at the standard of our children's handwriting today - my children's anyway. It is scrawly and illegible most of the time. Perhaps we need writing classes - not for content and style, but for practicality. xv

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  35. I, too, thought that graphology was a dying art. And yet, in the same way that people are buying vinyl again and the cassette is making a comeback, handwriting will survive. Maybe it will mutate, but I don't think it will disappear. For starters not everyone has access to a keyboard, let alone how to use.

    You are so right about print handwriting as opposed to cursive. My own children were amazed years ago at my ability to do 'joined-up' writing (that's the way they call it in school these days). Even my wife finds it difficult because it was not an area on which they put much emphasis when she was in school.

    Many thanks for such a lovely post and for the images. Enjoyed this one a lot.

    Greetings from London.

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  36. Hi Willow!It's so interesting.I like handwritings too.My grandfather used to have a beautiful handwriting,I found some of his writings.There are precious.Even though I wish I had more.Have a nice day :)

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  37. Hi Willow, my handwriting has always been poor. I had been to too many primary schools to learn one particular style.
    You would think looking at my journal that there was multiple people writing in it, due to the different handwriting within. Probably says a lot about my personality right there.

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  38. We ran a handwriting and calligraphy business out of our house for many years and it was quite successful. We sold everything from pens to paper imported from England, France, and even the Himalayan region. And, I wrote a number of books (one sold a million copies) about it and medieval decoration. Did videos and also had a 13-week series on television shown around the world. Still have some quills that I show off now and then. LOL

    I saw your post today and memories flooded back. It was a time when people all over the world became interested in "calligraphy" and the Italian Renaissance.

    Zaner Blosser was one of those outfits that encouraged the loops on letters joining each other. The calligraphy style did not but then most of the so-called experts were dummies too and preached not to join but wrote model forms with hooked ascenders and descenders never realizing those were where the letters hooked on and joined. DUH

    Anyway. A nice post. I enjoyed it.

    I would life for you to listen to these three Italian teenagers sing...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqUkUjeF4-c

    Abraham Lincoln
    Brookville, Ohio

    PS:
    If a person learns to mimic a couple of Renaissance styles, then do you know what happens to handwriting analysis for that person?

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  39. i agree, it is a fascinating subject.
    i think there is SOMETHING to it !

    my hand writing it never consistent, and it bothers me.
    i am selfconscious about it.

    but, i was born 'a lefty' and was i was corrected to 'a righty' when i was still tiny.

    i think back in the 50's there was some superstition about being a lefty and being 'the devil'.

    ha ha

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  40. Handwriting has always fascinated me... a person's script is a reflection of their personality. My husband's is big and square and bold print, but he also has a beautiful cursive script... two styles mirroring his talented artistic side and his square, mechanical side. For myself it is small and compact, not particularly beautiful, but neat... kind of like me.

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  41. Alas, if handwriting was required to graduate, I'd still be in elementary school. Back when we were graded on it, I failed EVERY time, all the way through the 6th grade. Getting my first typewriter (a heavy manual Underwood) was a Godsend. For the first time, I could be read! But the study of handwriting? It is indeed fascinating.

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  42. This (the dying art of handwriting) is something I've thought about a lot. It pains me to see everything become mechanical and cold. Things are so much more impersonal now that we have computers and can dash out an email in under a minute...though I must say, I do dearly love blogging, and it is much more convenient to communicate via the internet.

    However, handwritten letters and documents hold much more meaning to me still... ah, *sigh* I just hope that there never comes a day when handwriting is obsolete.

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  43. Sometimes the scientific investigation of sensitive material has a personal agenda..
    So much exists, thankfully, because we have that mysterious side to us. Had a friend who did graphology for a living..she was an amazing wiz!!

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  44. We share a 'trait' .. I, too, always use graph paper/pad/notebook vs lined

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  45. Having been taught by my grandmother Spencerian script, you do not know how dear this post is to my heart. I agree, today's youth have only two styles, either the print or that god awful round letter script.

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  46. Hello Willow,

    I'm afraid you might be right! The keyboard, cell phones and texting are pushing it out. I must admit, I prefer to type something. It will be neater than my handwriting and my thoughts seem to flow more smoothly. And although the writing may give a touch of character, the content is the important part. But as the written word seems to be more ephemeral these days, I'm not sure how much of it will be kept on record, which is perhaps the sadder aspect.

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  47. I hate to admit this, especially as a writer, but I don't do much longhand writing anymore. I used to write things down first on yellow or white tablet paper before transferring them to Word, but even i succumbed to the trappings of word processing.

    I also used to journal in longhand as well, but since blogging came along, well...

    This has gotten me thinking about trying to write out articles in longhand first again. I still do like the feel of a nice pen in my hand, though admittedly, my cursive writing has suffered over the years. Oh a pox upon thee oh damned keyboard! ;-)

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  48. I love looking at handwriting willow and interestingly always know when a person comes from the States because of the similarity in their hand. In UK no one style of handwriting is taught in schools - as an ex-teacher I wish it was taught. But I agree with you too about individuality. Do hope it doesn't die out - it is such an expression of our personality.

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  49. I was always terrible at penmanship--not one of the stellar subjects in my grade school career! I liked to write poetry by hand for years, tho, but finally switched over to the computer in the early 90s & really never went back. My guess is penmanship as we knew it is probably dying out quite quickly.

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  50. I used to get compliments on my handwriting, but lately it looks terrible. Maybe I need to practice it a little more. It is an art that is easily lost, it seems.

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  51. Great post! I wish my handwriting was prettier (I'm left handed, which always makes the whole fountain pen thing a bit more difficult). I remember falling in love with spencerian script in highschool after reading an article about it in Victoria magazine. I've been trying to work on it ever since!

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  52. You are always so full of such intersting tidbits, whether it's thestyle of writing Shakespear used or whatever.

    "Have you noticed most young people today don'teven use cursive writing? They print. "

    -No. I did not realise that but makes sense, I suppose.

    Yes, I so agree that handwrting does say alot about someone even if not actual personality. (I know that when BTK was caught his profile didn't match the write up analysis of his handwriting at all, for eg.)

    I love hand written letters but thing is, I can;t read my mothers--beautiful but completely illegible for whatever reason and she's the only one who ever writes. Even she now rarely deos that too though.

    For me, as horrid a typist as I am, it really is best for me to type as my handwriting too is illegible, but unlike Mama's is also horrible looking. Seriously, it's so hard to read even I can only catch every other word or two. It's tiny and awful, sorry to say. I always tell myself though, that lots of artists and peeps like doctors and such also have poor script.

    Great post. You are clever.

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  53. hey willow, i haven't seen handwriting in my grade 6 classroom for a few years now. the kids print or word pro. i loved handwriting when i was a kid - it made me feel grownup to use cursive and like you it was one of those things that we got drilled into us but which i turned into a personal expressive form. i can't recall the last time i wrote a sentence in handwriting. that's not right is it?!! steven

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  54. You have a very distinctive handwriting style.

    My handwriting hasn't changed much over the years. I hope it is not a sign of immaturity! Here are a few lines of my handwriting. I love writing with a fountain pen, but my Moleskins are filled with pencil written notes - I would never use ballpoint pens, though. ;-)

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  55. With the combination of speed writing I do, 'tis a wonder even I can read it, meself! I'm also one to write in microscopic detail, at times....

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  56. i love handwriting! i actually am a pretty big fan of my own writing, both cursive and print.

    great post!

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  57. The joy of sliding your fountain pen across a blank sheet of paper is sheer joy. I love to write in cursive. I learned the Parker method in school, it was taught by old world European teachers.

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  58. Just checking in to see what's up at Willow Manor. Graphology is an interesting study. Hard to do on a PC though. Pappy

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  59. Hi! Willow,
    A very interesting post that makes one wonder?!?...Because I must admit that I depend a little to much on the PC keyboard.
    Instead of, putting pen to paper and I have to agree with a previous commenter...all 3 photos just add to your post and the question that you ask here..."A Dying Art?"

    Thanks, for sharing!
    DeeDee ;-D

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  60. I hope it lasts another 500 years too. I learned to write with a dip pen and ink from an inkwell at the age of six, the same year I learned to knit and crochet. None of the letters had looped ascenders or descenders, it was almost a joined print. Great post!

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  61. Great post! As a young person who still prefers notebook and ink to Times New Roman, I completely agree with you that handwriting is a dying art form. Also, so many people my age have such messy handwriting that only they can read their words.

    If writing is to communicate with others, what good is handwriting that is only legible to its owner? I do write with a sort of combined print - script, but I remember the lined paper and round letters as well as anyone.

    R. Yaeko

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  62. Great post! I used to love writing in peacock blue ink with a fountain pen but I am a curious bird - I am right-handed but I write like I am left-handed.

    One of my teachers (in the early 60s) tried to tie my wrist to my chair so I would write "normally" - good grief. Anyway, writing this way made it difficult to use an ink pen (because you smudge as you go) but I persevered and my writing used to be beautiful.

    Not anymore, I'm afraid. And I find if I have to write anything in longhand for a lengthy time my fingers cramp quickly. I adore getting hand-written letters but do not adore sending them :-)

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  63. I love good penmanship and reading hand written letters, especially from people I know well.

    My own writing has deteriorated so much since I was younger. I used to pride myself in writing and now when I hand write it seems almost a foreign action.

    Our granddaughter loved learning to write in cursive and recently made us a handwritten "book". It was so cute.

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  64. As with physical appearance...I always wondered the degree to which writing style has an impact on our perception of the content or indeed the writer.
    Perhaps a follow up post?
    M

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  65. Hi Willow,

    I am shamelessly promoting a project at my website for everyone to see.

    Just click on my name and then I will also ask if you will join me to shamelessly join in and promote it too. The more who join, the more shamelessness for us all. This should be fun for everyone and we are doing something good.

    God bless.

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  66. Handwriting is a fascinating subject.

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  67. oh no...it's not a dying art! when i fell in love with my boyfriend, i actually wanted to see his handwriting immediately!
    i do have a tendency to judge more or less a person by the handwriting.
    mmm...is it bad?
    great post Willow!
    :-)

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  68. Imagine, as a teacher, being seated at a desk and approached by a little 5 year old boy who loudly poclaims "I love your cervix".Utterly confused and thinking I had misheard I asked him to repeat himself,whcih he did twice."What do you mean?" I finally asked.Annoyed and exasperated, he tapped at my cursive writing on a form. "This- your cervix!!!" Silly me.

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  69. I was just having this conversation with the graduating "Bo" as she prepares to write her thank you notes. I insisted on cursive as she wrote to the older generation and formal institutions. I allowed printing for close friends (as she SWEARS it's faster, but I know this is only due to lack of practice). Though extremely artistic, she cringes at cursive while I LOVE it and will never forget Mrs. Nuotio insisting on page-after-flowing-page of continuous circles in preparation for cursive.

    Another problem I've noticed is a great difficulty READING cursive, which I believe is due to lack of exposure. They see it rarely. Oh, this can't be dying. Thank you, Willow, for being the champion of true penmanship!

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  70. Fascinating topic! I guess as we use the computer more, we handwrite less. And the less handwriting available the harder to find it to analyze or even to gain interest. My handwriting is a horrible mess, so any snap judgments about mine would not be good.

    My mother began analyzing handwriting in the 70's or 80's and was quite good at it. Just from someone's writing, she could tell a great deal about their personality, but often she also picked up illness or pain that people had in certain parts of their body. Even now, when she sees handwriting, I know that she sees way more than people probably realize.

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  71. yes, I'd be so sorry to think we'd lose writing by hand altogether

    but writing for more than 10 minutes makes my hand ache SO these days

    what a really good post

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  72. Research shows that the fastest and most legible handwriters actually avoid cursive. They join some, not all, letters -- making the easiest joins, skipping the rest -- and tend tp use print-like letter-shapes when a letter's printed and cursive shape "disagree." For more, visit http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com

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  73. My kids are learning cursive in school now. Honestly, it feels like a time waste to me. I prefer printing.

    The Shakespeare Will & Testament is gorgeous, though! The flourish of the quill and ink...so romantic!

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)