Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-11-13

The process Of teaching the simple, mechanical
operation Of writing, would seem 10 require but
little study or elucidation by those who regard
it as mere initiative process. The form of let
ters is easily impressed on the mind and the
gOwer of initiating that form with sufficient nc
curacy for all practical purposes is sufficiently
evidenced in neat and handsomely written copy
books of whole classes Of school boys, who have
never received what deserves the name of sys-
lematic instruction. But if We follow up and
observe the result of this beginning, we shall
find that not one-half carries into practice the
power TO write passable business hand. Often
the best Of the,e school-boy writer's proves tho
ytriost scrihher. What is the cause then of this
falling off from the beautiful school boy copy
hand to the illcgble sciawl Of a crumped and
lremulous wriler2 The answer is that TO merely
initiate the forms Of letters is one thing the
power to produce tie same forms with case, free
dom aud uniformity IS quite different thing,
aud depends on IA peculiar manipulation, requi-
ring careful process Of training. The first is
merely initiative aud allied to drawing, the other
is the result Of habit formed upon specific
course OF discipline, directed by the ingenious
teacher to the end designed
To write with The precision Of copperplat
copies is Of little practical utility, unless habit
can be established of doing it with facility and
Npidity. When this habit is formed every mark
4 uneonsciously made by the same movement
The handwriting is iudividuaii2ed uniform and
peculiar, 50 as TO he at once sufficient to identify
the writer. So .lOng then as the mere accuracy
Of the copylue is regarded as the test OF success
vihoat respect to the mahner Of doing ii. we need
not wonder Mt the thousand and one nialliblc
systems OF teaching writing which are competed
with successfully by not teaching ut all There
will result some good writer's under any system.
There will also be some Indifferent writers under
he best training, let charlataus say what they
may Teaching after the mere initiative pre-
cess is mastered, can do no more than to secure
Tue easiest possible mode Of performing that i'm
ilaton. That being accomplished all will write
better than they could possibly do under
cTsmped and disadvantageous movement, but nll
will not write equally we'll. The cramped and
ilegbe scrihhlers wovld disappear, but the bold
and free natural writer's would Still surpass all
mat art could do for others, and the sooner this
Is acknowledged the better We shall be prepared
Tor thorough reform in tic process of nstruc-
ton. Wiring can only be performed with ease,
with the Tree use OF what is known as the scriv-
eners muscle. In many this is to greater or
lees extent uncomfortable, aud varies from time
TO time with the physical condition. The natural
writer is necessarily as incapable Of apprecia-
Vng the difficulty as the dumb Of the sense of
Speaking. lie iuieis that others can do what is
so easy 10 himself uud the result is in most cases
siotal failure. 1t requires but little reelection
10 be assured that the method of holding and
conducting the pen, which permits it to move
around the point Of performance to the greatest
distance, is the method that must ensure the
greatest power. For example, the point where
the pen Is wanted to perform is indicated by a
dot, and if the hand aud pen are placed right,
WNh respect 70 that point, the pen eau be moved
round it to form Il circle, of which the point Of
performance is the centre, as in No. l.