The morning times., 1897-01-31

ly introduced in Europe. The report
was favorable. A number of enthusi-
astic advocates of the new method inn
mediately appeared in various parts of
the country, and advanced teachers be-
gan using it in their schools.
Strange to say, however, although the
discomfort of business men started the
investigation. the new writing was
adopted on purely hygienic lines. II
was alleged that curvature of the spine
and nearsightedness, so prevalent
among school children, were largely
caused by the unnatural position in
which the children sat while writing.
Until then the blame had all been laid
TO the desks used in schools.
Among the first to put the new writ
ing to a practical test was Professor
Walter B. Gunnison, now principal of
the Erasmus High school. He expert
mented with it in the Brooklyn schools
even before the Boston commission was
appointed. The school selected was di-
vided in half, up and down, one class
of each grade being taught the Spen-
cerian, the other the vertical system.
Before the experiment was begun each
child was asked to write few words
in his very best hand on a slip of pa
per. The papers were then carefully
laid away. AT the end of the year the
children were again asked to show
specimens of their penmanship, and
these latter scraps of writing clearly
demonstrated the wonderful progress
made by the vertical penmen.
Many advocates of the new system
maintain that writing can be done
much more quickly when the new sys-
tenn is used. Professor Gunnison is not
prepared to make that statement. He
believes however, that it Will be of the
greatest help to the boys and girls who
are obliged to leave school with their
education incomplete, to whom good,
legible hand is almost Indispensable in
starting out in their business careers.
Dr. Maximilian p. E. Groszman, of
the Felix Adler Ethical Culture Schools,
probably knows as much as any one in
the country about the new penman-
ship. 1t was adopted in his school in
1898. although the children were allow
ed to use it previous to that time, if
they so desired.
Even now" said DIR. Groszman, we
do not bind the children to any particu
IL.
from schools where the Spencerian
hand has been taught, and they find it
very difficult to change. We therefore
allow them full liberty regarding PEN
manship, but they soon show desire
to write vertically. We encourage this
desire because we believe the upright
system has a good effect upon the child
hivaelf To write vertically he must
sit perfectly straight before his desk,
with the book straight in front of him.
There is no opportunity to cramp any
part of the body, and necessarily more
healthful conditions result
DR.. Groszman does not believe the
system to be yet fully developed. In
his opinion written characters should
bear the same proportion as those
printed, all stem letters being of the
same length. Down strokes he shades
and fancy letters he shuns as he would
the plague. The main point is to secure
the proper swing-in other words, the
over curve, which makes letters round
and distinct. All unnecessary strokes
should be abandoned.
MANY schools throughout the country
have adopted the new writing, and ev-
erywhere it has met with unqualified
success
In Chicago teachers are peculiarly
enthusiastic. The system was formally
adopted there in 1894. although for a
year previous it had been practised in
several of the schools. Superintendent
A. G.. Lane says: During the period of
experiment we found that the children
were using their eyes more naturally, a
better position of the body was secured,
the penmanship was more legible and
could be executed as easily as the slant.
The results have been very satisfac-
tory"
The Chicago Record has offered fol
several years prizes for the best Christ,
mas stories by school children, and il