The kiddos may squirm and pout but in many school systems, children from kindergarten through grade six will be required to learn script writing and practice penmanship. As a journalism/ art professor for four decades, I saw students who could not read my grading. I wrote in an artistic, “long hand.
” One of my students who graduated from Jamestown College in the early 1990s brought an example of her mom’s handwriting because penmanship was a topic during class. Her mother’s handwriting was easily read, consistent and classical. I’d later meet her mom and found a kindred soul.
The 21st century description of cursive writing is called “joined italics.” Several states already adopted the return to hand-generated script writing and found it has been a positive addition. For many states, many school systems, including a return to that requirement means a state’s legislature has to propose and pass on it.
It has taken years of effort for some states to pass a law requiring every child learn how to read and write cursive handwriting. Patti Peterson would agree with the governors and legislators who have already legalized cursive as an elementary school requirement. It was her daughter who, more than 30 years ago, showed me her beautiful hand.
Miss Patti and I discussed the loss for students never being able to read their own college degree after cursive writing left classrooms. A number of online sites confirmed the level of difficulties parents have with their child.