New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-24

effects from the lack OF uniformity III GU! Inv
Rrooklyn there are continual changes OF nome
as neope move from one schoo! ois'lc' nav
another OF course the children are then oohse' -
.hor.s schoo,s and it frequently happens 'nat
,ra who has learned to write oommeh""o's
either the santing or the vertical haho VIII 's
10 a school where the opposite system - ''1e"
and is then under the necessity OF uhiedi''e az
that has been taught. and painfully learning "'"
system. ,n, 20 snou
"a uri,er as having 10 change his hand' roi
,-s,ence one who might have been soou 'i
,,, writer II always trained to that system VIII I've
@ moor ore If compelled TO change 10 '"'
7. therefore becomes evident that man! '
,,ndvriting may be absolutely spoiled IN 'his way
AID that instead of giving gooo euu'", 81
-,,nanship the Brooklyn schools. or some u
80, may he and in fact are actually ih)urihs
,ho nsrmanship O, some OF the children IN them
r.a axann'es appended are aiken from eNe.gis ee1
vrt,en by children who have iearneu 20 ,he o.her
EN- ,h lev moved INTO deren; scnoos Il WI oe
Mich the chid learned FIRST is clear neat
ari iegib.e This has become NE ths sIanting
sT IN ana the result is the wing ana 1Hse ancs
nd shown This is no rehec'ioh on o cnr reaec.on
a.. Ne slan,ng system. nut /; is sever siS ~
o sys:em o, , Stv already acquired to he
rvs a go sd merely because the writer mas
80 obliged q erleI different school .., -.
rae Boarl 81 Eoqe@ii b;s respoc, but ii has al
W hem he policy Of that body 10 eave me pflr-
o. 5veTy subject here is arse ass IN ,bj,E
b5k and each principal nay TfG4 %aA he he yeneT
be-. a lns1m 5ST h IF P hp SS comms
wa'eyei asked ne rs43n f spd f teachers are his
es.ianis wha may be the beS i 9o ioI f Gne a5
oher and Il : our policy 20 lei eAch master WIN
M 'nIe oaem AZ Of his course has been ques
e.. =, IN regari 10 textbooks in general. because
a png from one c SogTa af learn from
orci geography. but ne facts IN .dgh seSe ena
~ NJ n,Dmanship Il is different and his ack Of
U fcrmitv bids fair 10 spoil me haNd"''''"s Vi
m.rN pupil
WITHERBEE FANORS THE VERTICAL LINES.
principai Joseph V Witherbee Of Public School
NJ 1875 at Hamburg and Corona SITS, was the hrst
,-inc.nal 10 Introduce the vertical handwriting,
which has now taken firm hold on the BROOK
In system. He adopted it in. January, 1888 lie
was al that time principal of School NO, -; re
icr one term Toward the close of the term he be
O. ne convinced of its value, and made II me RUE
Tor the entire school There is less difficulty IN
Changing from the slantng 10 the vertical writing
han IN changing the Other way Se Yesterday by
sayng tina, the position in which the hand Is neid
while writing the yere ii s{ Gs oihe s '0e
In September. 1885, the new system mao pGco,is
SO popuiar that on motion Of Max Brill the Board
Of 'Education passed resolution recommending
the vertical penmanshp TO school princpaIsS, ~,
The convincing point in its favor, said mr.
1yiibnrbes' is tina; il is more lcgble is simpler
"a is easier 10 teach. When child comes 10
school he can make straight lire to Desn " %i ,hs
di,culty in teaching the other system Is that har
learn how TO star, The teacher has TO sxagserate
her handwriting on the re- 6 o IN o''e'
a chds first impulse Is to grab It's pen a as
deadly weapon ard t must De w pf We seized
hod Of our pens with all the strengsn we c Sod
muster Now /, is easier TO sei fo abandoD that
grip. K you teach the vertical handwriting man
teach the slant d hey pSssess When we went
70 school One reason why 1t is SO H'nf CO ,bs 40
he latter is abnormal and when child is used to
writing naturally It is doubiy difficult TO make II
j, will be seen that Mr.. Witherbee is an en-.
ihusastic believer in vertical handwriine hnsi
ascaliy in favor OF the slant. and between these
opposing views many chGren h Sarn AS so shown in
the two examples given.
FEITER TRIES A NEW IDEA.
The question is still further complicated by the
appearance OF a third and different style OF hand-
writing in one Of the schools Only one scho0I mas
tried this third system yet. but should II spread
In nopuartty as vertical writing did when Mr..
Witherbee introduced it IN No a. there will be an
other way Of dstracting childrens minds on the
subject Of penmanship. This is more possible. as
the school which has introduced the third system
IL one Of the largest most popular and best known
IN the city. and its principal is man whose ideas
are always received with respect. The school IL
No Is. at Schermerhorn-st,- and Third-ave.. and
the principal is William l.. Feter The system
which Mr. Feer has introduced is something be-
tween vertical and slantng.
Superintendent Maxwell asked yesterday
whether he did not consider this lack OF uniform
ty injurious. 80 49,.
'Not so much II might be he replied, for
two reasons The first ~ that there is such
arse majority of schools using the vertical writing
rcason is that | don't think principals VIII force
, child 10 change his handwriting II he 10 old
enough 10 have formed II. In the lower grades
cnidPep are compelled 10 change, but not in the
unner grades where IL is assumed that they have
really formed their hands.
'.The significant thing about it," added Mr. Max
xa,i "is that vertical handwriting recon-
mended not long ago ana IL has already gone into
most Of the schools