Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-11-17
Vertical Writing Analysed

Ana yet, perhaps Shall have some
diliiculty after separating it into its
several parts, in finding principles to
form rules for reuniting them again
properly ; for the adherants to this style
OF vertical writing have discarded many
OF the terms and rules Of the Spencer
Ian writing which the penmen
OF the world, have made sacred to
all lovers of the beautiful art, which,
when followed out to the end makes the
exercise OF writing easy pleasant and
me pupil alories in his rapid improve
ment in this most useful and indispen-
sable accomplishment for a business
education. This ..Spencerian System"
is complete in all its theoretical and
practical unity. Tho position of the
pupil to the table, the position of the
Writing book on the table and the man
ner OF holding the pen, so arranged as
10 be most natural and easy. giving
perfect freedom to the hand and unub-
siructed movement to the fore arm and
fingers, without which tits impossible to
become good penman.
Now, in the practice Of vertical writ
ing all this is changed. The position at
the table, and writing book is awk-
ward and stiff, giving no movement.
But backwards of the hand, and the
fingers cramped and crowded into a
heap! And there is no remedy in this
vertical system! There is no practical
movement that one can secure in this
practice.
Now if there are any who are doubt.
ful as to the correctness of these state
ments | will be happy to give an occu-
lar demonstration at any time and
proper place in the city, to prove my
position.
Again, there is another very objcc-
tionable feature in this vertical system,
although the same trouble in some de-
gree appears in the numbers Of l, 2, 8,
and 4 Of the Spencerian writing books,
but wrong all the same, And it is this,
viz: making copies for children in a
much larger size letters than for adults;
and also much larger than they will
want for business and epistolary cor
respondencc later in life. Now what
good reason for this can be glvenP
Does anybody think Of having larger
print for children If not, why notP 1t
is admitted by everybody that there is
no period in life when one can see better
than in youth.
A child can read word in small let
tiers just as we'll as in large. Again it
is true that the mind learns first and
directs the hand, there fore skill appears
afterwards. So in writing as in all
other branches of art, the mind grasps
the figures first.
Now the child needs the proper copy,
with letters complete in form, size and
shape to be photographed on its doclc
mind never to be erased. Suppose the
young hands do not get the exact form
and size or slope at first. Never mind,
the corre,t image is before them and
mind will control atlcng'h and will never
have to change. have always found
that pupils, beginning with n large
course hand, have found it very dillicu t
to get down to a proper size, business
style. have them in most every class.
Again in regard to the "sys'cm'' which
is the easiest learned and taught. 1t is
said that both systems have been tried
and in the school they rather give pre-
frrance tothe Vertical. Now how has
the Sloped wiring been tried. Not un-
Ill within about two years or 30, has any
writing of either system had much of u
show in the common schools, ii was left
for the teachers in the schools TO attend
to, and no effort was made to inspire
emulation among the pupils in writing,
and Of course, no startling improve
ment was seen. But now, "prcsto change"
Every pupil must write and not only
write but must write vertical or be mark
ed dow in their otherwise good standing.
This Is true.
And now, are the teachers in the
schools any better qualified TO teach the
vertical hand than they are tho proper
sloped writing called Spencerianp l
trow not. Nor will the pupils when left
to their own free will say that they like
the vertical best, and am satisfied that
if the people at large had been consult
ed, as they certainly should have been
in such an important and radical change,
this vertical business would have been
laid ND for later consideration. There
fore it is most true that the school board
is responsible for this unnatural Hybred.
and may be most FLY represented by
the latin story Infection of the person.
fled mountain greatness, viz: "Par'ur-
iunt monies nascctur ridiculus mus.
JOyE,