last grasp for cursive in schools...

Schools could be described as grasping for air, or gasping for straws? Either mixed metaphor will do. Keyboard skills have become essential in American life, and we are losing the skill of writing beautiful letters and notes. In the continuing decline of American culture, local Indiana Schools will be allowed by the state school board to end the teaching of cursive. This article, Typing Beats Scribbling: Indiana Schools Can Stop Teaching Cursive equates writing cursive with over the hill skills like hitching a wagon and churning butter, but also wonders how children will learn to sign their own names. Many people have already developed illegible scribbles as their common signatures, so that may not be a problem.

At one time, people took care with their hand writing as an artistic expression of self. Beautiful, expressive handwriting is a thing I think we've already started to miss. The photo above shows cursive writing at the Clear Spring School and the photo below is carving the pen that is used in their lessons. Ozric, asked me, "Where can I get some of this ink? I want to practice my cursive at home!"

My first post on StartWoodworking.com is available for viewing here.