Evening star., 1896-09-28
VERTICAL WRITING.
One Communications Opposes 1t and
Another Adhocates 1t.

One COmmunicat tfO0G Opposes 1t ana
Another Adbocates 1t.
Julius l. Peyser writes to The Star against
the vertical systemo of penmanshIp. as
follows:
OF all those who hE1e so voluntarily ex-
pressed their opinions advocating the YER
tical system of writing none have given
the practical reason why that system
should be used in the public schools. One
Of the writers stared1 that the appearance
Of vertical writing In manuscripts, etc., Is
far the Superior of tie1 Spencerian system.
But. pray tell me. do not ease. rapidity
and grace count for something?
''Mr. Court says in hisarticle that this is
an age of progress and advancement. Is
that progress which, upholds appearance
against swiftness, legfmlity and ease! NO!
Such is retrogression; and then l cannot see
where superiority of appearance can be
found in vertical writing. The common
errors OF the vertical system are that the
capital letters have a stiff and ungainly
lcok-grace is entirely gone.
"Mr P. r. Spencer labored day after day
and night after night to invent the system
of writing which now bears his name. and
this system has been for years used IN the
public schools-and found fawiess. NOW
the discussion arises. and the writing which
has so long held sway in the public 1nsutu-
tions is about to be abolished. The graces
are most certainly lacking in the vertical
system.
"Yes, let the box marker the sign writer,
the bulletin writer and librarian use the
vertical system-so they should, 1t was IN
vented for then,-and not for the copyist,
bookkeeper or the correspondent:
"One' of the writers in Tuesdays star
states that he would not listen to the
advice of school boys the evil Of the
new SYSTEM let the writer heed the words
Of the father of drama (Shakespeare):
40 sir, you are old;
Nature in you stands on the very verge;
You should be ruled and led by some
That know the condition better than you
yourself
who but the children will suffer from
the bad effect of this vertical writing? Yes
terday l saw some writing OF a fourth
grade scholar-it was a disgrace to the
public school grace was not visible. the
letters were far from being parallel. and
art (Which is synonymous Of Spencerian
writing) was lost
The Other Side.
A. E. McIntire advocates the vertical
system, saying:
when student in the high school Of
Philadelphia 1 practiced the Becker very
similar to the 'Spencerian,' style Of penman-
ship. When 1 left school and was called
upon to write deeds and other legal docu-
ments I was advised to at once drop the
shading, the slant and the f!ourishes, and
write the vertical round hand, such as
was originally called 'scrivener's hand,
because it was easier to read. have prac-
| ticed both styles for forty years, and l
know I can write faster In the vertical
style / believe If a competition were open
ed, the vertical would always take the lead
| for ease of writing, ease Of reading and for
speed.
LET some of the advocates of the slant.
l mean some that know now to write, come
| forward and have fair trial. Too often
| the takers carry their point when the
| workers should decide.
Il am not interested in any particular
| book or institution advocating any system.
| l think our boys and girls should have the
| best we can give them"
Combine the Two Systems.
| I. W. E. X. writes, "as writer and {
parent as follows:
I'VE are thick beset with systems, fads
| &C.. each having its own ardent advo
| Gates. who turn out slanting. vertical
| backhand, ard what not writer's at thei
| own sweet will. Our girls and boys leav
| school. and the great majority go out Int
| the world to work. This means sur
| vival of the fittest.' as to the getting AM
| retaining of such work. Writing Is an i'm
portant factor in this matter, and, all othe
| things being equal, the best writer wins
| Now, what constitutes the best writing
| There are four essential points to be con
| sidered. naming them In the order Of thei
Importance. viz, legihiiity, speed. ease, an
| endurance. Legibility is the first requisite
| but slow, laborious writing to produce legi
bility is a failure I'm these busy days
| Speed Is an essential, but writing mus
| be read in order to be useful, and a speed
| but nervous, terky manner produces poo
| results. Ease produces speed and neat
| ness therefore, ease is also an essential.
I'VE may have legibiity, speed and ease
but we may also have writer's cramI
| weak eyes and host Of other evils short
e-.ing the time of writing. For this rea
son endurance is equally important wit
the rest and all the muscles of the bod
used in writing should be carefully traine
to avoid fatigue and disease.
| "If the ease and speed of the slant sys
tenn be modified and combined with tn
| legibility of the vertical, producing bel
| ter result than either separately, let U
| in this or in any other way produce sys
| TEN founded scientific basis whic
| will give US a universally acceptable hand
writing. 1t seems to be the consensus {
| opinion among business nen that Wha
| ever writing combines the four requisite
mentioned is the writing most desired b
| them, and such penmanship should
taught our children to fit them for tt
| business world.
'If we have such system then waste r
more of the precious time of our childre
| in experiments, either for Paul or Apollo
If there is no such system. then let
make one.
: Let the teachers of the country put {
their thinking caps, and give us the sy
generation will rise UP and call the
blessed. Our public schools are publ
trusts, demanding far sighted wisdom al
unbiased judgment in their administratio
y Therefore, let us avoid fads of all kin,
and keep in view solely the object fl
which we send our children to school, vi;
to obtain the best equipment for the
future life"
l Leaves in the Bureau of Engravin
4