Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-25
PhlIadeIphia Ledger. oct. IS.


Education, Superintendent Brooks sub
mitted report recommending that the
system of vertical handwriting, which is
steadily growing in the attention of edu
cational authorities in Europe and the
United States, be given trial in the
public schools of this city. Yesterday,
when interviewed by reporter, he
talked earnestly upon the subject of his
report, and in manner that showed
how deeply he had inquired into the
matter
"The system of vertical penmanship."
he said, sis attracting the attention of
educators throughout the country. The
movement started in Germany several
years ago, growing out of the fact that
so many pupils of the public schools
had myopia and spinal curvature. AS
early as 1877 experts were appointed by
the German government to inquire into
the matter.
"rhe International Congress few
years before had reported that SO per
cent of the cases OF myopia and spinal
curvature occurred between the ages of
8 and IA years, and that they increased
80 per cent during school life.
CAUSED BY THE SYSTEM OF WRITING.
"These diseases, it was stated, were
especially prevalent among the Ger
mans, fact attributed to the method of
writing and the poor light in their class
rooms. The committee appointed by
the German government were divided
in their report, part favoring chanting
writing and part favoring vertical. Since
then the question has been widely agi-
tated, and at present sentiment seems
to be growing in favor OF vertical pen.
mRnship.
"lThe system has been extensively in
troduced into the English schools aud
the exhibit of the school work of the
London School Board at Chicago at
tracted general attention on account Of
the round, full, vertical peumanship,
which gave the papers the appearance
OF unusual legibility.
1.-The vertical system is also being
widely introduced in the schools of this
country. Many of the smaller towns
and some of the larger cities have
formally adopted it.
cHIcAGo's DECISION IN THE MATTER.
"rhe Chicago Board of Education,
upon the unanimous recommendation
of its superintendent aud his six as
sistants, has formally prescribed vertical
writing in its course of study for each of
the grades of the elementary schools.
They had been experimenting for two
years in the public schools, and, watch
ing the results closely, finally arriving
ut the decision stated above.
40 meet the demands of educational
sentiment upon this question several of
the leading publishing houses in this
country have issued copy books and
manuals of the vertical style, in the ex-
pectatiOn of his introduction and use In
the public schools,
"Ihe saint of the Spencerian penman-
ship, which has been followed In nearly
all the American copy books published
for nearly century, was fixed at so
degrees, and was based upon an exami-
nation of large number of slips
gathered from the advanced CONNER
cial houses of that day.
TELEdRAPHIC PENMANsHIP COMPARED.
"a recent analysis of specimens from
the Western Union Telegraph Offices
shows that the modern tendency is
toward more nearly vertical style of
writing. Only very few specimens
out OF the whole number have a slant
as fully pronounced as that of the
Spencerian standard Most of them
would answer TO scale between go or
70 degrees, and many of them are be.
tween S5 and 80 degrees.
"The result of this examination demon.
strated as conclusively as anything can
do that the greatest speed, the greatest
legibllity and the greatest naturalness
OF lnotlon is obtained when person
writing regardless of system, slopes his
letters much less than is required by
the standard so widely used in schools
TIE EXPERIMENT IN PHILADELPHIA,
Facts like these and the public senti.
ment now so widespread should not be
ignored by one who has the charge OF
the public schools of great city. While
! am not convinced that the system Of
vertical writing is superior to thut in
general use, ! believe that an experiment
should be made in our public schools
in order that an intelligent opinion may
be formed upon the subject.
This experiment should be made
with great care and under the super
vision Of the most intelligent and ex,
perieuced principals of our schools. Ii
is my purpose to select few such
principals, and have them make the ex
pertinent under my direction and advice
The experiment will be tried with til,
pupils in the primary grades, where M
cupybooks arc used in the teaching o
penmanship.
1.-The system of the future?' Well
my own personal opinion is that the re
. suit Of the matter will be the adoption
of a system Of writing with a slop,
somewhere between the vertical AM
: Spcncerian systems.
A MORE NATURAL ATTITUDE FOR TIL
CHILD.
zone of the arguments in favor o
the vertical handwriting is that the chill,
can sit IN more healthful and natura
0 attitude. The attitude recommended b.
most instructors is sitting squarely ii
front of the desk, both arms resting Of
the desk and one shoulder no highe
than the other. Another position ha
the right side toward the desk, but til
former attitude is generally preferre
by instructors in writing, but it is NO
always observed by the pupil.
There is no doubt that to sit SQUARED
is more healthful than to sit sidewist
and my experience has taught ME tina
it is more natural to make upright let
tiers than slanting ones. The side posi-
ton brings the right eye nearer to tn
writing than the left, and may result /
deranging the focal distances Of the tw
eyes.
THE SIDE SEAT AND LONG -sIGHTEDNEs.
my own life has been sedentar
one and have written many books.
always wrote with my right side to tn
desk, and few years ago my oculi;
found that my left eye was longc
sirnted than NV right. Mhethnr this