The end of the world is upon us.
This surprising story made the news yesterday on television stations hereabouts.
I am appalled. One teacher of English to Middle School students (ages 11 to 13) was actually heard to say that “students prefer to use printed block letters rather than the broad strokes that characterize cursive.”
Well, that settles it, then. Let’s give the little dears what they want. Let’s not even consider giving the little dears things they might need to function in society.
If they wanted to cavort in the nude at recess, would we let them? If they wanted to carry rifles and bayonets to school, would we let them? If they wanted to eat candy until their teeth rotted out, would we let them? If they wanted to set their school on fire, would we let them?
Unfortunately, some people exist who would probably answer every one of those questions in the affirmative.
That chart up there shows how cursive writing is taught in the U.S. these days. The style is called D’Nelian Script.
Back in my day, during the Dark Ages, we were taught the Palmer Method. Here is a demonstration, complete with Gregorian chant.
In the nineteenth century, people were taught to write in a style with more flourishes, toots, bells, and whistles called Spencerian Script. Sorry, no Gregorian chant this time.
And even earlier, people could write so as to be noticed. Here’s a famous autograph of one of those people:
This just in: The end of the world may not be upon us, but you can see it from here.
O S A B I C M 2....!!!
