River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-09-13
METHODS OF TEACHING PENMANSHIP
BY JOHN p. AUsTERUD.


That penmanship is of inestimable
value in the concerns of life all will adj
nit; not only is it useful for practical
purposes, but also that ones ideas are
cultivated in regard to beauty and
form.
. will frankly say that it is branch of
study which is sadly neglected and not
taught as it should be in many schools;
it should be entitled to higher rank
among school studies. The cause of slow
progress among pupils must be attributed,
it seems to me, to the teachers poor hand
writing and inefiiciency in teaching pen
manship. 1t is truly said about penman-
ship that mo talent among men hath
more scholars and fewer masters"
In my experience in teaching, | have
found that especial care must be exer-
csed with primary pupils who first COM
mence to write with pen and ink. We
know that children are apt to initiate
that which is good and more so that
which is bad; therefore, every teachers
duty is to be cautious in starting them
correctly.
1t is of great importance that the cor
rect principles are needed from the be-
ginning. / do not mean here the seven
principles as laid down by Spencer-but
the principal requirements of good writ
er, such as proper position at the desk,
correct pen holding, form, movement, etc.
70 children, and naturally so with
adults, writing is a slow and difficult task
at first, but b Judicious guidance and
training most will in a short time, say
three or four months, have learned to
write legibly. We must not expect that
their writing is done speedily, rather see
that the right form of letters is acquired.
Much attention should be given to
tracing as the delineation of every letter
is then more clearly observed than by
merely looking. There are, of course,
several methods of tracing; each teacher
has to decide for himself, or herself,
which are the most suitable.
For beginners, black board copies re
better than engraved ones. The pJ Ills
should be furnished with good staf-,uled
practice paper. l do not approve OF the
plan of having the pupils write in the
copy books before much of preliminary
practice is had outside of the copy books.
The copy on the blackboard should be
written upon the staff.
With some painstaking, every teacher
ought to be able to produce copy which
in every point is worthy of imitation.
Very little of the analysis of letters is
necessary, but there should be "some of
the science and much of the art" as the
Manual says.
With pupils somewhat advanced in
writing a different course must be pursu-
ed. Copy books should then be made
use of. l think that many teach ers and
others will agree with me when | say
that Spencer's system of writing ought to
be adopted in our county as a standard.
In schools where teachers are good writ
ers, copy books with engraved copies
might be dispensed with, and in lieu
thereof copies given by the teacher on
the board or on paper.
Good results will not follow if the
teacher is not full of enthusiasm and in
terested in their progress. Patience also
is needed 1t is natural for pupils to
commence to scribble after they have
had some practice; this must be pro-
hibited and overcome.
A noted penman has said "that any
period of time devoted to scribbling or
careless writings sets the learner backward
as much as the same period OF careful
practice could advance him"
There seems to be a feeling Of anxiety
among most pupils to write much in their
copy books every lay. DO 1geH what is
done. Insist that the copy is studied
carefully and critically; the several char
acteristics Of each letter has to be
observed otherwise practice is of no avail.
They must be led 20 see before knowing
how to do. The eye in connection with
judgment should be the guide in detect
ing faults.
Teachers are prone 10 say 70 their 9Iu-
pills: TRY to have your writing book like
the copy" and reply ike this may be
given: 1--WE know how the letters should
be made, but still can't make them
right" Very well, we have a maxim
which says, Practice makes perfect.
This saying may be applied to writing if
the word practice is rightly understood.
The hand should not simply be exercised,
but also the mind. Rouse the pupil to
observe closely both the copy and their
writing; a comparison viii probably re-
veal to them some blunders which before
were not detected.
A teacher duty is TO inspect the copy
books often as there are pupils who are
very careless and keep on repeating their
blunders over and over again. To remedy