New! Business Handwriting is in Demand!

[DavidSon]

Ok sorry for the title but I wanted a catchy introduction to the topic of this superb book on handwriting from the turn of the 20th century, available in PDF:

The Palmer Method of Business Writing
A Series of Self-Teaching Lessons in Rapid, Plain, Unshaded, Course-pen, Muscular Movement Writing for Use in All Schools, Public or Private, Where an Easy and Legible Handwriting is the Object Sought; Also for the Home Learner

A few years ago I felt compelled to upgrade my handwriting skills. My cursive writing had never developed much beyond grade-school quality but at some point I'd even forgotten how to write all the lower and and upper-case letters. Searching the web I fell in love with the look of AG Palmer's writing. What really hooked me was his capital R's and P's, I'd always wondered where that style came from:

Unlike copybooks such as Spencerian handwriting from the 19th century, the Palmer method goes into detail about posture and mechanics. As the title indicates, the main action of proper technique is from the muscles just below the elbow which rest on the writing surface. You're writing with your arm, not the hand. If anyone is interested it's essential to read the first 10 pages or so on mechanics, timing your letters per minute, etc.

After 3 or 4 years I can say the improvement is drastic. Cursive writing has become a pleasure. I'l listen to an interview or something and write phrases while I sit, it's a fun little hobby. It's never to late to pick up a new skill!

Let me know if you check out the book. I'd love to hear if anyone has any other experience with handwriting or calligraphy etc.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

Thanks for this @DavidSon - I used to be pretty good with my own invented style of handwriting, with all its quirks and mistakes, but my hand cramps up horribly now if I write much and I have been wanting to go back to the drawing board to re-learn some proper technique.

I might just check this out!

 

[Maes17]

Thanks for this @DavidSon - I used to be pretty good with my own invented style of handwriting, with all its quirks and mistakes, but my hand cramps up horribly now if I write much and I have been wanting to go back to the drawing board to re-learn some proper technique.

I might just check this out!

My hands have been cramping up at work now. I used to have some nice little handwriting myself lol

 

[Karlysymon]

Ok sorry for the title but I wanted a catchy introduction to the topic of this superb book on handwriting from the turn of the 20th century, available in PDF:

The Palmer Method of Business Writing
A Series of Self-Teaching Lessons in Rapid, Plain, Unshaded, Course-pen, Muscular Movement Writing for Use in All Schools, Public or Private, Where an Easy and Legible Handwriting is the Object Sought; Also for the Home Learner

A few years ago I felt compelled to upgrade my handwriting skills. My cursive writing had never developed much beyond grade-school quality but at some point I'd even forgotten how to write all the lower and and upper-case letters. Searching the web I fell in love with the look of AG Palmer's writing. What really hooked me was his capital R's and P's, I'd always wondered where that style came from:

Unlike copybooks such as Spencerian handwriting from the 19th century, the Palmer method goes into detail about posture and mechanics. As the title indicates, the main action of proper technique is from the muscles just below the elbow which rest on the writing surface. You're writing with your arm, not the hand. If anyone is interested it's essential to read the first 10 pages or so on mechanics, timing your letters per minute, etc.

After 3 or 4 years I can say the improvement is drastic. Cursive writing has become a pleasure. I'l listen to an interview or something and write phrases while I sit, it's a fun little hobby. It's never to late to pick up a new skill!

Let me know if you check out the book. I'd love to hear if anyone has any other experience with handwriting or calligraphy etc.

This is neat! It reminds me of the little book we had growing up that was used to teach us how to write.

Being the Luddite that iam , i still do snailmail and ofcourse my wrists hurt after a long write up. I've been told multiple times that i have a beautiful handwriting but i've copied from and improvised to have a style like the second one in the image. My handwriting could still use an upgrade though!

 

[DavidSon]

This is neat! It reminds me of the little book we had growing up that was used to teach us how to write.

Being the Luddite that iam , i still do snailmail and ofcourse my wrists hurt after a long write up. I've been told multiple times that i have a beautiful handwriting but i've copied from and improvised to have a style like the second one in the image. My handwriting could still use an upgrade though!

I just looked up the Luddites, I guess I'm one too!

I've run across some good articles the last years on the subject of handwriting. The Palmer method fell out of favor and by the 1950's was replaced by Zaner-Bloser system which sought to integrate print writing for students. This gave way to the D'Nealian script of the 1980's. Unfortunately by this time the fundamental skills of handwriting were reduced to copy-book style training.

“Handwriting in the United States meant cursive until 1921 when Manuscript Writing was brought from England by Margaret Wise,” explains Donica, “This style of writing had been proposed in 1913 by Sir Edward Johnston.” Manuscript handwriting, also known as print script, consisted of simple and discrete letterforms that even very young children could master. Wise and pro-Manuscript supporters advocated that this form of writing was easier for young children to master while learning how to read.

I'll have to look at the history but it makes you think an effort like this could be a symptom of Rockefeller's widespread influence on US
education.

What I respect about Palmer is he was trained directly under Spencer in business handwriting. The exercises and basic forms are the same. I like knowing the tradition. For example most of us weren't taught that lower-case S's and R's are supposed to be made 1/4 taller than other letters of their class. The reason, as Palmer says, is "not because of any technical rule, but rather because it is generally agreed they look better so made."

The most important aspect of the discussion is the current state of education and the future we're creating for our children. This relates to your thread on technology and "screen learning":

By 2010, Common Core State Standards, which are followed by 41 states, dropped requirements for cursive to be taught in public elementary schools. Some states opted to keep formal cursive writing as part of the elementary school curriculum. “Research is showing that loss of handwriting, particularly in the early and middle grades, has come at a cost,” warns Yank, “Handwriting use is correlated with improved reading skills, including comprehension, and memory.” There’s been a resurgence of teaching cursive handwriting skills to young children in some states, but the efforts are not widespread, at least as of yet.

There are multiple studies showing the dramatic effect handwriting has on our brains; there's nothing quite like it. IMO it's a terrible thought that children could miss out on such a helpful tool for development, all for increased digital education.

Why Cursive Handwriting is Good for Your Brain

"The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain," she added. "A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write, and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning."

 

[Maes17]

I just looked up the Luddites, I guess I'm one too!

I've run across some good articles the last years on the subject of handwriting. The Palmer method fell out of favor and by the 1950's was replaced by Zaner-Bloser system which sought to integrate print writing for students. This gave way to the D'Nealian script of the 1980's. Unfortunately by this time the fundamental skills of handwriting were reduced to copy-book style training.

“Handwriting in the United States meant cursive until 1921 when Manuscript Writing was brought from England by Margaret Wise,” explains Donica, “This style of writing had been proposed in 1913 by Sir Edward Johnston.” Manuscript handwriting, also known as print script, consisted of simple and discrete letterforms that even very young children could master. Wise and pro-Manuscript supporters advocated that this form of writing was easier for young children to master while learning how to read.

I'll have to look at the history but it makes you think an effort like this could be a symptom of Rockefeller's widespread influence on US
education.

What I respect about Palmer is he was trained directly under Spencer in business handwriting. The exercises and basic forms are the same. I like knowing the tradition. For example most of us weren't taught that lower-case S's and R's are supposed to be made 1/4 taller than other letters of their class. The reason, as Palmer says, is "not because of any technical rule, but rather because it is generally agreed they look better so made."

The most important aspect of the discussion is the current state of education and the future we're creating for our children. This relates to your thread on technology and "screen learning":

By 2010, Common Core State Standards, which are followed by 41 states, dropped requirements for cursive to be taught in public elementary schools. Some states opted to keep formal cursive writing as part of the elementary school curriculum. “Research is showing that loss of handwriting, particularly in the early and middle grades, has come at a cost,” warns Yank, “Handwriting use is correlated with improved reading skills, including comprehension, and memory.” There’s been a resurgence of teaching cursive handwriting skills to young children in some states, but the efforts are not widespread, at least as of yet.

There are multiple studies showing the dramatic effect handwriting has on our brains; there's nothing quite like it. IMO it's a terrible thought that children could miss out on such a helpful tool for development, all for increased digital education.

Why Cursive Handwriting is Good for Your Brain

"The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain," she added. "A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write, and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning."

Idk about cursive being good for the brain lol

 

[Maes17]

Yeah I’m horrible at cursive and reading it is another thing if not written properly

 

[saki]

...Ha!.... this thread sparked a memory from the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case... from a few years back...

Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend admits she can’t read the letter she supposedly wrote to his mother about his death

...excerpts... all at link.....

OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursive letter she supposedly wrote. It’s signed with her printed nickname.

“Are you able to read that at all?” West asked.

“Some, but not all. I don’t read cursive,” Jeantel said in a whisper, her head bowed.

The disclosure stunned the courtroom in Sanford, Fla.

Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend admits she can’t read the letter she supposedly wrote to his mother about his death

OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursive letter she supposedly wrote. It’s signed with her printed nickname.OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursiv…

nypost.com

 

[saki]

...I am quite glad that I learned to write 'cursively' (?) in grade school.... although... my then-teachers would be horrified at what my current 'style' has devolved into.... ha!...
...I disagree with this article... but thought I'd throw it in the mix for discussion.....

Is Cursive Writing Dead?

...excerpts... all at link....

A single sentence, uttered in the trial of George Zimmerman for the shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin, has catapulted an issue into the national spotlight.

When asked if she could read a letter in court, witness Rachel Jeantel, her head bowed, murmured with embarrassment, "I don't read cursive," ABC News reports.

Is it any surprise that cursive — the looped, curvaceous style of handwriting that's been a mainstay of education for generations — is all but dead?

Is Cursive Writing Dead?

A single sentence, uttered in the trial of George Zimmerman for the shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin, has catapulted an issue into the national spotlight.

news.yahoo.com

 

[Maes17]

...Ha!.... this thread sparked a memory from the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case... from a few years back...

Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend admits she can’t read the letter she supposedly wrote to his mother about his death
View attachment 49521
...excerpts... all at link.....

OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursive letter she supposedly wrote. It’s signed with her printed nickname.

“Are you able to read that at all?” West asked.

“Some, but not all. I don’t read cursive,” Jeantel said in a whisper, her head bowed.

The disclosure stunned the courtroom in Sanford, Fla.

Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend admits she can’t read the letter she supposedly wrote to his mother about his death

OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursive letter she supposedly wrote. It’s signed with her printed nickname.OOPS! Rachel Jeantel yesterday testifies she can’t read a cursiv…

nypost.com

Can she read at all?

 

[DesertRose]

I was taught cursive, unfortunately, I am the only person who can really read my own handwriting.
Come to think of it, I miss getting letters in snail mail. Very exciting to receive.
Interested in starting calligraphy ( have a set) and have had a family member's name written in Chinese Arabic calligraphy, so pretty.<3

The World of Chinese | How People Live in Contemporary China

The World of Chinese is one of the most authoritative resources on contemporary China, renowned for its in-depth reporting, objectivity, and human-centered approach to Chinese society.

www.theworldofchinese.com

Below: An example

 

[Johnny5]

Ok sorry for the title but I wanted a catchy introduction to the topic of this superb book on handwriting from the turn of the 20th century, available in PDF:

The Palmer Method of Business Writing
A Series of Self-Teaching Lessons in Rapid, Plain, Unshaded, Course-pen, Muscular Movement Writing for Use in All Schools, Public or Private, Where an Easy and Legible Handwriting is the Object Sought; Also for the Home Learner

A few years ago I felt compelled to upgrade my handwriting skills. My cursive writing had never developed much beyond grade-school quality but at some point I'd even forgotten how to write all the lower and and upper-case letters. Searching the web I fell in love with the look of AG Palmer's writing. What really hooked me was his capital R's and P's, I'd always wondered where that style came from:

Unlike copybooks such as Spencerian handwriting from the 19th century, the Palmer method goes into detail about posture and mechanics. As the title indicates, the main action of proper technique is from the muscles just below the elbow which rest on the writing surface. You're writing with your arm, not the hand. If anyone is interested it's essential to read the first 10 pages or so on mechanics, timing your letters per minute, etc.

After 3 or 4 years I can say the improvement is drastic. Cursive writing has become a pleasure. I'l listen to an interview or something and write phrases while I sit, it's a fun little hobby. It's never to late to pick up a new skill!

Let me know if you check out the book. I'd love to hear if anyone has any other experience with handwriting or calligraphy etc.

I gotta try this! My handwriting is absolutely atrocious!

 

[Karlysymon]

I was taught cursive, unfortunately, I am the only person who can really read my own handwriting.
Come to think of it, I miss getting letters in snail mail. Very exciting to receive.

Iam outing you! Here's the reason you no longer get my replies in your snailmail box

Interested in starting calligraphy ( have a set) and have had a family member's name written in Chinese Arabic calligraphy, so pretty.<3

The World of Chinese | How People Live in Contemporary China

The World of Chinese is one of the most authoritative resources on contemporary China, renowned for its in-depth reporting, objectivity, and human-centered approach to Chinese society.

www.theworldofchinese.com

Below: An example

You said you grew up in Russia. Can you still write Cyrillic and have you tried cyrillic calligraphy?

 

[Karlysymon]

The most important aspect of the discussion is the current state of education and the future we're creating for our children. This relates to your thread on technology and "screen learning":

By 2010, Common Core State Standards, which are followed by 41 states, dropped requirements for cursive to be taught in public elementary schools. Some states opted to keep formal cursive writing as part of the elementary school curriculum. “Research is showing that loss of handwriting, particularly in the early and middle grades, has come at a cost,” warns Yank, “Handwriting use is correlated with improved reading skills, including comprehension, and memory.” There’s been a resurgence of teaching cursive handwriting skills to young children in some states, but the efforts are not widespread, at least as of yet.

There are multiple studies showing the dramatic effect handwriting has on our brains; there's nothing quite like it. IMO it's a terrible thought that children could miss out on such a helpful tool for development, all for increased digital education.

Why Cursive Handwriting is Good for Your Brain

"The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain," she added. "A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write, and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning."

 

[Johnny5]

View attachment 49944

That was my biggest issue with it being removed from school curriculum.

 

[saki]

I was taught cursive, unfortunately, I am the only person who can really read my own handwriting.
Come to think of it, I miss getting letters in snail mail. Very exciting to receive.
Interested in starting calligraphy ( have a set) and have had a family member's name written in Chinese Arabic calligraphy, so pretty.<3

The World of Chinese | How People Live in Contemporary China

The World of Chinese is one of the most authoritative resources on contemporary China, renowned for its in-depth reporting, objectivity, and human-centered approach to Chinese society.

www.theworldofchinese.com

Below: An example

Come to think of it, I miss getting letters in snail mail. Very exciting to receive.

...several years ago...when we brothers finally got our Dear Mother hooked-up on "The Intertubes" (Alaska Senator Ted Stevens' description of 'The Internet') {...a "series of 'tubes'}... google....
...she was blown away and very excited to start receiving emails right away from her childhood (1950's) friend, Sue Gaylene... (Mom always referred to her friends with first and middle names)...
...but.... a very sad reality dawned upon my Dear Old Mom....
...Sue Gaylene was NOT sending Mom any touching, heart-felt thoughts and sentiments.....
...Sue Gaylene was merely blasting out the latest/lamest internet jokes/funnies which had just landed in her inbox.... with the newfound/giddy 'power'... granted to her by the 'Forward' function of email.... ha!......
...once that cold, sad reality dawned upon my dear Mother.... her interest and enthusiasm for 'all things digital' waned very dramatically....
...we (me and my brothers) would send 'matterful'(?) things to Mom.... and she hadn't even turned-on the computer for two weeks!........
...that's how 'turned-off' Mom was, by Sue Gaylene's obstreperous/obnoxious email mannerisms.......
...Mom would have much preferred to receive something/anything written by hand... with ink and on paper....
...signifying that real thought, effort and sentiment were contained therein....
...you, Desert Rose, and my dear departed Mother would be 'kindred spirits'...!!!.......
...me too!!!... I can't even remember the last time I received anything from snail-mail which was actually 'ink on paper'...

 

[DesertRose]

Iam outing you! Here's the reason you no longer get my replies in your snailmail box
View attachment 49943

View attachment 49942


You said you grew up in Russia. Can you still write Cyrillic and have you tried cyrillic calligraphy?

LOL Karly did I say I can read my own handwriting scratch that! Look here I thought we were buddies, the deal is you must hide my many imperfections, mate!
Nope I studied English in Moscow and it was one of a few countries I grew up in.
I have never tried Cyrillic calligraphy, but I looked it up and is quite exquisite!

 

[DesertRose]

...several years ago...when we brothers finally got our Dear Mother hooked-up on "The Intertubes" (Alaska Senator Ted Stevens' description of 'The Internet') {...a "series of 'tubes'}... google....
...she was blown away and very excited to start receiving emails right away from her childhood (1950's) friend, Sue Gaylene... (Mom always referred to her friends with first and middle names)...
...but.... a very sad reality dawned upon my Dear Old Mom....
...Sue Gaylene was NOT sending Mom any touching, heart-felt thoughts and sentiments.....

I actually had a friend in Europe write me a letter around 2014! Sadly, that is the last letter I got.

 

[Maes17]

View attachment 49944

Kids who can’t read
Cursive handwriting
Can’t read
historic documents
Support
Cursive
In the
Curriculum

In other words. Cursive is history. Kiss it good bye

 

[Maes17]

That was my biggest issue with it being removed from school curriculum.

I hate it personally. Cursive needs someone really well at handwriting.

Modern font is easier and simple