Saw a few minutes of a documentary on JP Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. What struck me was a shot of the two of them in an office, their desks side by side. He was reading correspondence, and she was writing a manuscript. Longhand, of course. That’s how they did it in those days. Writing an entire book manuscript longhand.
I’ve realized lately that I can’t write longhand anymore. Two medium-length paragraphs and my knuckles start cramping and aching. I have to put down the pen. This can’t be a good thing. But when do I ever need to write longhand except for a grocery list or a birthday card. Recently I wanted to write a fairly long message in a sympathy card and I ended up typing it and putting the typed note in the card. I admit my handwriting is atrocious (and it won’t ever improve at this rate) so this may be part of the reason I’ve given up writing. But I find it terribly sad that my hand has forgotten how to hold a pen. I wonder how much the younger generations write. Will they really need to learn to write anything other than their signatures?
I’m curious, you people with kids, do your kids write longhand? How is it taught? Or do they concentrate on (gawd, I hate this word) “keyboarding” (ugh)?
5 comments:
OF COURSE kids write in longhand (tho they don't know that word)
"handwriting" or as it was called in the olden days "cursive writing" is taught in grade 3
and kid-handwriting is still as beautiful as ever (at least to my eye)
as for you, ms nanuk
pick up a pen, already!
go and buy yourself an expensive fountain pen and enjoy the exotic, dickensian thrill of ink-stained fingers
Hey Nanuk, whilst not a parent, my nieces practically live here.
The kids are taught longhand, here called cursive, a few weeks out of a year in elementary school. Most papers are turned in handwritten so there is a bit of practice.
Then it depends on the teachers. Some start allowing (or requiring) typed papers during Middle School. By High School, most have thrown in the towl and want typed stuff. Occasionally an in-class assignment requires actual writing but only a handful of the teachers here do that.
Then it also depends on the child. My sister's oldest 17, loved to make artful signs and cards with many colored pens and practiced writing all the time. Her writing is quite nice. The younger one 14, writes really badly. Her mother scans stuff to me all the time to ask me what it says. How do I know? Because Able Assistant's writing is also that bad. He tells her to cheer up, she can be a programer or engineer because then handwriting doesn't count.
Bet you wished you hadn't asked now don'tcha?
No, I don't regret asking at all. I need to be informed!
Now I guess I hafta go buy some fancy writin' instrument.
I forgot to mention that JP and Simone also smoked like chimneys while they worked, but I don't intend to take that up.
yes you do for, you know, sittin' at the outdoor cafe tables
Cursive script is taught here too and your're not allowed to write with a pen till you can write properly with a pencil.
I'm so old, we used to use fountain pens at school - those were the days!!!!!
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