The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-09
FAVOR VERTICAL WRITING.
TEACHERS WILL PROBABLY REC
OMMEND ITS ADOPTION.


BE Taken and Their RecOmmen da-
ton VIII BE Submitted to the
Board of Education Tomorrow
Night.
Nearly three hours were spent by the
teachers of the public schools yesterday
in the discussion and consideration of the
relative merits of the vertical and slant
ing styles of penmanship and listening to
an exposition of the advantages over all
other systems enjoyed by whatever FAR
ticular system each of eight agents had a
chance to represent. There were but few
of the teachers absent from the meeting,
as their interest had been aroused in the
matter and they were anxious to inves
tigate it fully
Superintendent Ashmore presided over
the meeting, but took no part in the dis
cussions. Besides the teachers the presi-
dent of the Board of Education, Col.
George A. Mercer. and Mr.. b. A. Den
mark, were present. The board had been
invited by the superintendent to attend.
AS it is the board that will pass upon the
matter and decide whether the children
will hereafter be taught to write verti-
cally or al an angle, the attendance OF
one or more of the members in order that
they might give their views of the rela-
tive merits, as gathered from personal in
vestigation, to the rest of the board was
regarded as highly desirable. The two
members present were interested listen
ers to the discussions.
The meeting was held at II O'Clock The
eight agents who are in the city repre-
sentng as many publishing houses were
on hand an hour earlier in order to ar
range the details bearing upon their APP
pearance before the teachers. one of
these was to settle the order in which they
were to present their several systems,
and another was to determine whether all
of them were to remain in the room
while the presentations were being made.
1t was decided that a good pan would be
for the agents to draw lots to determine
the order of their speeches. II was then
decided that it would be better for only
one agent, the one presenting the CLAIMS
of his system, to be in the room at a
time. There was no very strong feel
ing either way about this matter but the
rule was observed.
The drawing resulted in the agents going
before Che teachers in the following order:
E. e. Smith, Atlanta, representing Heath
d Co; l.. b. Robeson Atlanta, CHM 81
Co.; +. D. Woodruff. New York, Maynard,
Merrill & Co.; L. V. LaTaste, Montgom-
cry, University Publishing Co; +. J. AL
brecht, Chicago, Central School Supply
House; f. o. Spain, Atlanta, American
Book Co.; A. N. Rankin, Orangeburg, S.
c., A. Lowell & Co, and +. r. Wells, New
York Silver, Burdette & Co. They were
limited in time to fifteen minutes each, but
some finished well within the limit. The
blackboard was employed in one or two in
stances by the agents, for the purpose of
calculating some points. Most of the
agents, however, did not attempt TO give
any exhibition of their own ability TO
write fine vertical characters. Whether
this was from a natural modesiy or their
not having overcome the habit impressed
in youth of running their letters al slant
is not known. They confined their ex-
platons principally to words The ad-
vantages Of the systems were taken up.
and strenuous efforts were made 10 make
the teachers see them in the same way
the speakers did. Just how successful
they were in this will not be known until
the opinions of the teachers have all been
gathered and a count taken.
After the agents had had their say, the
teachers had a chance to discuss the rela-
tive merits of the two styles of writing
Each was limited to ten minutes A num-
Der of them, ladies as well as gentlemen,
took part in the discussion If the express
ions let fall by the participants may be
taken as a criterion, il is likely that Verti-
cal writing viii be taught in the public
schools. OF all who spoke in the matter
yesterday, there were only two who are
opposed to any change from the present
system of slanting handwriting. These are
Mr. Arthur j. O'Hara, principal of St Pat
ricks, and Mr.. j. M Cannon of the High
School. All the others spoke in favor of
the vertical system. They were Mr.. w. S.
Wilson of The High School, Mr.. 2. F.
Brown principal of the Barnard Street
School, Mr.. M. NJ. Parks of the High
School, Miss Alice West of the Massie
School, Miss Nina Pape of the Massie
School, Miss Gussie Alexander of Chatham
No l. Dr. w. #. Galloway principal of
Chatham No. 2, and Mr.. j. S. Sims, princi-
pal Of Chatham No. l.
While it canot be said that the Board
OF Education will adopt the opinion among
the teachers as its own in the matter of
the Introduction into the schools of the
vertical system of writing, it IS thought
that such will be the case. 1t is believed
that the board is somewhat inclined to-
wards the change, and this is borne out by
the fact of it's having asked the teachers
for their opinions as to the merits of the
new system.
In case the board abides by the action
of the teachers as to the desirability of the
vertical system, the opinions presented in
writing to the board at its meeting to-mor-
row night will bear the settlement of the
question. The teachers were instructed bv
the superintendent at the meeting yester
day to submit their opinions to him some
time tomorrow in order that he may have
sufficient time to get them before the
board. 1t Is possible that the board win
not take final action in the matter to-
morrow night. In that case, the opinions
will be held over for future consideration.
In anticipation of such course the
teachers were Informed that, If they can
not get up their opinions by tomorrow
night they may hand them in later.
Fourteen different methods of vertical
writing have been on exhibition for some
three weeks in the Office of the superin.
tendent. These have been carefully ex-
amined. and their own Investigations
coupled with what they learned about the
various methods from the agents. have
made many of the teachers rather fanil.
lar with the merits and dement's of them
all. One or two of them have gone INFO
the matter so thoroughly that they have
prepared books TO sum up their opinions.
Two pages of such a book are devoted 10
each Of the methods. On one of them IL
placed all that commends il to the teacher
while on the other, to counter balance. ia