Write Away

I have been hiding a shameful secret for decades that I was too embarrassed to admit to anyone. I am bringing it up now because I recently heard on the news that it will no longer matter if schools decide to stop teaching it altogether. What am I talking about? Well, the truth is I have nearly forgotten how to do cursive writing. But I must not be alone in this if elementary schools are thinking of abandoning teaching it to future second graders.

 When I do write, my writing is more of a cross between printing and cursive with the emphasis on printing. Probably the most writing I ever did was at work where I kept a fat spiral bound notebook by my side at all times to record notes from meetings, things for me to do, things for my team to do and anything else that needed to be written down so I wouldn’t forget. (Although I depended on my PC to do all my work, I never did get into carrying Blackberries or lugging a laptop with me to meetings, preferring these old fashioned notebooks.) Although cursive writing is supposed to be faster, I got pretty quick with my own brand of half printing half cursive and it worked for me.

 Even though I rarely use cursive writing, my initial reaction is of course kids need to know how to write cursively. But then I wondered why do they have to spend hours and hours of valuable class time learning to write cursively rather than simply printing when almost all of their writing will eventually be done a computer? Wouldn’t those hours be better spent learning math or science or reading? Before you start to argue with me, think about it. I can actually envision a time in the not too distant future when cursive writing could soon be a lost art or a hobby just as calligraphy is today. (I wonder if there was a similar argument century’s earlier about teaching cursive writing instead of calligraphy.)

 Actually the lack of writing has already made a number of products nearly obsolete. Remember when we were all so excited when the very first erasers for pens were invented? Although they never really worked all that well and could rub through the whole page. This was what, maybe 25 years ago and already it is obsolete for it is so much easier to write and erase things on a PC. And does anyone ever give a good pen set for graduation anymore? I still have a desk full of Cross pens and pencils. At one point in my life I thought that using them at work were symbols that I was going somewhere. Seriously.

 Stationary was also a great gift if you couldn’t think of anything else. Does anyone else recall having bright colored funky stationary when they were young? And then feeling so grown up the first time you used fancy engraved stationary? But who uses it now other than your mother or grandmother? Dare I even admit that for thank you notes I still sometimes use the engraved cards my Mom made me buy when I also purchased the announcement cards when I graduated from high school! So I was extremely impressed when my nephew’s new bride sent out a handwritten thank you note a few weeks ago for their Christmas present. Wow. (I haven’t met her yet but I already like my new niece in law!) I would have been impressed with an emailed thank you as thanking people is also becoming a lost art.

 In a way it is a shame. I know that kids today are twittering and texting but there is something so concrete about holding that handwritten note in your hand and being able to keep it in your scrapbook. Years ago, before computers, I was also a prolific letter writing (and yes in my strange printing/cursive writing). I can’t tell you how many hours I spent happily composing and writing and rewriting love letters to the man of the hour. Facing a blank piece of paper with pen in hand always filled me with an excitement that no blank Word page can ever replace. And how can the young ladies today perfume their love letters when written on the computer? (OK that brings to mind that huge trend in the 80’s of scratch ‘n sniff. I haven’t thought of that in years. A quick check, on-line, of course, informs me that old scratch ‘n sniff stickers are being traded on Ebay for large amounts of money!)

 Anyway, as much as I live and breathe with my laptop which is now constantly by my side I admit to nostalgia for the days of pen and paper. But I can’t quite find the same wistfulness at the thought of cursive writing disappearing. Besides, if you really want fancier writing, it is as simple as the click of a mouse….

(Darn it. This posting site doesn’t allow the cursive font which just killed the effect of my last line. So much for that clever ending of printing the last line cursively! I suppose you could say that this site is one step ahead of us and has already eliminated  cursive writing! )