Penmanship: Teaching and Supervision

A GENERAL, NOT A SPECIFIC PLAN

In suggesting this plan no endeavor has been made to be definite, except in a few essentials. Writing texts and conditions in schools differ so greatly that this would be impossible. An effort has been made to build up from the first grade to the last a general plan of a logical character. Many suggestions made for the second and third grades could wisely be put into operation, in part, in the higher grades. It is assumed first that the muscular movement method has been adopted and that each child has the use of a manual, since that is the only condition under which an adaptation of these suggestions would be advisable. This bird’s eye view of the subject is not to be considered in any respect a “system” of writing, in text book phraseology.

It will be impossible to advantageously adapt the suggested plan unless a comprehensive knowledge of muscular movement has already been gained through actual practice on the part of the teacher.

FIRST GRADE

Child nature is spontaneous, active, restless. It prefers objects to subjects, expression to repression and generality to detail. Writing is a slow and laborious method of expression compared to speech, and therefore not well suited to childhood. More oral, and less written language should be given primary grades. But so long as writing seems a necessary part of primary education, it should be taught in the most rational manner. To do this, it is necessary to consider the child, its capacity to acquire knowledge and skill, and its future welfare, as concerns health and handwriting.

One very noticeable feature about the activity of childhood is the exercise of the larger muscles which it invariably involves. The movements are of the whole body, and not of mere portions of it. The fundamental muscles and not the delicate and finely coordinated muscles are employed in all their movements. Such muscles (the accessory) as are engaged in fine writing, drawing and sewing are developed later. Especially is this true of the muscles of the eye. Ignorance of these facts has led to mistakes in training.

The wise teacher will not compel or permit young pupils to follow a fine copy in writing, but will encourage them to use the blackboard where abundant opportunity will be given for exercising the larger muscles. Proper regard for the future usefulness of the eyes of the child certainly requires that a departure be made from the method now prevalent of requiring so much written work.

Childhood has been called the language period par excellence, but this statement has reference to oral and not written forms of speech. Every teacher knows how easily and rapidly the child gains a vocabulary at this stage. He learns language by imitation, and the whole epoch of childhood is, as psychology teaches, and William Wordsworth expresses it, “one endless imitation.” It therefore behooves the teacher to neglect, if anything, reading and writing during the early stage of childhood, and make play and story telling the predominant work in the years preceding eight.

One of the most difficult as well as one of the most interesting problems that confronts every first grade teacher is what and how much of writing we shall do in the first year. Shall we use all our time teaching form? Shall we teach movement work entirely and let form alone? Or shall we try a combination of both?

It is unfortunate that many of the courses of study which we must follow state specifically that when the pupils leave the first grade they must be able to write all the small letters, capital letters, words and sentences on paper. Some courses demand that pupils must do a certain amount of copying. This is very unfortunate, because in trying to fulfill the requirements of such a course of study any means available are often resorted to and frequently the methods used are a great hindrance to the future development of the child, both physically and mentally.

The following suggestions are offered first grade teachers:

Under proper instruction the pupils will go into the next grade with the ability to express themselves freely and easily at the blackboard. It is quite unnecessary and unpedagogical to teach children a habit that in the course of a few years must be given up entirely; reference is here made to teaching of finger movement in the first three grades.

One B grade aim: To introduce pupils in this grade to all small letters in short words. To attain an average speed of thirty letters per minute.

One A grade aim: To introduce pupils in this grade to all capital letter forms in families. To review all small letters in words and sentences. To attain a speed of thirty-five letters per minute. To give pupils by the end of the term, a tool for handling spelling and language in a satisfactory manner at the blackboard.

Material: Compendium (optional), crayon, eraser. The blackboard should be ruled with lines four inches apart beginning at the bottom and extending six lines in height. Eighteen to twenty inches is sufficient board space for each child. More practice and correspondingly better results follow when the entire class is at the board at one time.

Length of lesson: Fifteen minutes daily, five times per week. Place the period early in the day or just before spelling so that it may function. Writing is an inter-recitation activity. Practicing the daily lesson will be found very profitable.

Demonstration: Each drill should be demonstrated briefly from one to three times each day of presentation. Blackboard models for tracing should be provided for each pupil daily. Good models are a necessity because of the inconvenience of using compendiums at the board.

Distribution of time to subject matter: At the beginning of each term devote one-half to one-third of the lesson to movement drill. Tracing and writing consume the remainder of the period. As skill increases reduce the amount of time to one minute on movement drill and divide the remainder equally between words and sentences. The board should be filled ten times during one lesson. One A children should fill the board once daily with the figure represented in the current date.

Names: Pupils should write their names as early as possible in the term. After the capital “I” has been mastered use the following form for name practice: “I am (name).”

Z Group: This group proceeds at a slower rate of speed, attaining at the end of the year scarcely thirty letters per minute. More frequent demonstration is necessary. Use as many two-letter words as possible. Select words from the reading as far as practicable. More blackboard work, tracing and rhythmic drill are necessary than in other classes.

SECOND GRADE

Primary teachers are frequently opposed to muscular movement because it is wholly impossible to obtain the same uniform work (which is really only useless drawing) as can be obtained by the finger movement plan. Not until principals, primary supervisors, and superintendents are willing to tell their primary teachers that they will not look for beautiful written exercises in these grades, will the teachers of the first, second, and third grades look with favor upon muscular movement.

We do not expect the primary teacher to produce the finished mathematicians, readers, historians, or penmen, but such work as is accomplished should be based on the right foundation. The primary teacher should be willing to sacrifice her pride in the appearance of written exercises to the demands of the future environment of the grown child. In schools where superintendents and teachers insist upon pupils writing words or sentences on paper very soon after they enter school little or no advancement can be made in muscular movement. However, if movement is not taught at an early age much time will be wasted when the transition is made, which a few extreme persons say should not take place until the fifth year in school. In the latter case the pupils have incorrect habits so firmly fixed that it takes the remaining years in the elementary school to learn to write a creditable style.

Board work may be continued advantageously daily in the second grade for a three or four minute period. The writing for the first month might very profitably be given over to board training to a large extent, retaining only five or six minutes daily to teach the physical-training phase of penmanship. Relaxation, correct posture of the body, feet, hands, and arms at the seat might be accomplished during the first month.

The next step will be to study the hand and arm, making the preparatory movement for ovals, and strokes with the hand half open and gliding on the nails. The five knuckles must be turned toward the ceiling. Pupils should make the movement freely to the teacher’s count and also count for themselves in low tones. The teacher might use a book or a thin board to serve as a desk, with which to illustrate, in order to establish the proper relation in the child’s mind concerning the desk and the points of contact. (See detailed directions under posture, Chapter Two.) Pencil holding is next taught, using the handle end first, and pointing it half way between the shoulder and the elbow. It will take a month or more to develop relaxation, correct posture, and penholding.

Aim: First month. To perfect the board writing. To review all capitals and small letter forms in words and sentences, and attain greater fluency and a higher degree of perfection in form. To attain a speed of forty letters per minute, the standard speed for this grade. To teach the form of the letters so well, that in the seat work next month when movement is the great problem, form may not need to be stressed, but will be a resource.

Second month: To develop relaxation, correct posture, movement, and speed sufficient to prevent finger movement. To apply these fundamental principles to ovals, a few easy capitals, a limited number of words and a few short sentences. To make the correct writing habit carry over into the spelling by the end of the 2 B grade.

Comparison: Save one of the pupil’s first lessons in both regular and applied work to be compared with later ones.

Material: Canary paper, cut into half sheets, compendium, pencil, folio seven by nine inches. Keep only writing material in these folios.

Length of lesson: Fifteen minutes daily, five times per week. Blackboard practice on the daily lesson is suggested as an inter-recitation activity. Place the writing period early in the day or prior to the spelling in order that it may function in the applied work.

Demonstration: The same directions that are given under first grade for ruling boards and demonstration procedure will be found useful.

Z Group: This group proceeds at a slower rate of speed than other groups and attains at the end of the 2 A a speed of thirty or more letters per minute instead of forty. Demonstrate more frequently. Use as many two-letter words as possible. Select words from the reading as far as practicable. More blackboard work, tracing and rhythmic drill are necessary than in other classes.

Distribution of time to subject matter: During the first month give the greater part of the writing period to movement drills. For the following months spend one-half to one-third of the period on movement drills, the remainder being divided between capital letters and words and sentences.

Headings: Use the following heading daily, placing it on the second blue line. Write on every line except the first below the heading. Model:

John Brown, 2 A, Sept. 15, 1924.

THIRD GRADE

We will assume that all pupils so far advanced as the third grade are able to make all the letter forms easily and can write words and sentences upon the board. They should also be able to make straight strokes and ovals, write words, sentences, and the most necessary capitals with the right movement, at the seats. In both cases they should observe correct posture, slant, speed, uniformity, and spacing between words. They should recognize the difference between connective lines, and observe the following rule for spacing between letters and words: The space between letters should be the width of the distance between the down strokes in small u, the space between words should be the entire width of small i.

Doctor Ayres has proved by comparing many specimens that one of the greatest drawbacks to legibility rests in the fact that the letters are crowded together. It would be better to allow extreme spacing rather than to permit the pupils to huddle the letters together using barely half as much space between letters as they should. The space around the letters relieves the eye of the reader, and makes even irregular and crudely formed words fairly legible. The pupils who have been well trained in movement can slide easily from one letter to another with the right-length connective stroke.

Pupils at the beginning of the third year in school will often appear to have forgotten much that they have been taught in penmanship, as in other subjects. During the vacation the muscles have become somewhat tense, therefore relaxing exercises should be given frequently in order to regain what has been lost. (See directions under physical training phase, Chapter Two.) It will be well to give at least one week’s practice at the board, two short lessons daily. Review the letter forms, ending each lesson with a word. The second week have pupils take pens a few minutes daily and review ovals and strokes, preliminary to writing the exercises that will lead directly to word and sentence building.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, sufficient speed to prevent finger movement, and to apply these fundamental principles to all writing lessons, spelling and copy work. The grade is to be based upon whether or not the pupil uses the arm movement during penmanship, copy work and spelling. Grade “Failure” if movement is not used as above directed. Attain a speed of fifty letters per minute in words and sentences.

Material: Compendium, white paper half sheets, coarse pen, penholder, ink, penwiper, blotter, manila envelope for sample, folio, seven by nine inches, in which penmanship material only is to be kept. Teachers should write pupils’ names on folios. On Mondays pass enough paper for the week.

Length of lesson: Fifteen minutes daily, five times per week. After correct habits are established, encourage home practice. Place the penmanship period early in the day or prior to the spelling in order that it may function properly.

Distribution of time to subject matter: During the first month give one-half or more of the time to good habit formation by use of movement drills. For the following months spend one-third of the period on ovals, little o, or the like, one-third on capital letters, and one-third on words and sentences.

Heading: Place the following heading daily on the second blue line. Write on every line except the first below the heading. Model:

John Brown, 3 B, Sept. 15, 1924.

Sample: Memorize the following sample which is to be taken the middle of each month. Model:

John Brown, 3 B, Sept. 15, 1924.

John Doe School
City, State.
(Skip a line.)
I use a free swing
I use a free swing
I use a free swing

FOURTH GRADE

The demand for more and better written work will become practically imperative in the fourth year. The child will be able to meet the demand because he will have nothing to undo, having spent all the time devoted to penmanship in working on a correct foundation. The efforts may be crude. However, technique in the beginning is of less importance than that the proper habits may be established. It will be necessary for the teacher of this grade to require of the pupils all that has been required before and to improve upon what has been done.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, sufficient speed to prevent finger movement and to apply these fundamental principles to all writing lessons, spelling, and copy work. The grade is to be based upon whether or not the pupil uses arm movement during the penmanship period, copy work, and spelling. Grade “Failure” if movement is not used as above directed. Attain a speed of sixty letters per minute in words and sentences.

Materials: Compendium, white paper half sheets, coarse pen, penholder, ink, penwiper, blotter, manila envelopes for samples, folio seven by nine inches in which writing material only is to be kept. Teacher should label folios with name of pupil. On Monday pass enough paper for the week.

Length of lesson: Twenty minutes daily, five times per week. After correct habits are established encourage home practice. Place the writing period early in the day or prior to the spelling in order that it may function properly.

Distribution of time to subject matter: During the first month give one-half or more of the time to good habit formation by use of movement drills. For the remainder of the year spend one-third of the period on ovals, little o drill, and the like, one-third on capital letters and one-third on words and sentences.

Heading: Place the following heading daily on the second blue line. Write on every line except the first below the heading. Model:

John Brown, 4 B, Sept. 15, 1924

Sample: Memorize the following sample which is to be made the middle of each month. Model:

John Brown, 4 B, Sept. 15, 1924
John Doe School
City, State
(Skip a line)
I use a free swing
I use a free swing
I use a free swing

FIFTH GRADE

Since pupils in the fifth grade are better developed mentally and physically than those in the preceding grade we may reasonably expect a better quality of penmanship from them. In this grade especially, pupils should be taught to work independently, that is, correctly without the guidance of the teacher. They cannot go on forever with a supporting prop. It is marvelous how much they will develop if led to become independent. By way of assisting them, give pupils a study plan and a small portion of the lesson time, perhaps two minutes, during which time make mental note of the points neglected by the majority of the class. With this as a basis to work upon make the next lesson strong on the points in which the pupils, when working independently, seem the weakest. If pupils have established the correct habits a half-hour of practice at home or at school should not weary them. Many will practice longer of their own accord.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, and sufficient speed to prevent finger movement and to apply these fundamental principles to all penmanship lessons, spelling, copy, and dictation work. Grade “Failure” unless movement is used as indicated above. Attain a speed of seventy letters per minute in words and sentences.

Material: Compendium, full size sheets of white paper, ink, blotter, heavy brown folios, nine by twelve inches, coarse pen, wooden penholder, pen-wiper, manila envelope for samples. Keep writing material only in these folios. Teacher should label folios with the name of the pupil. Monday pass to each pupil enough paper for the week.

Length of lesson: Twenty minutes daily, five times per week. Place the writing period early in the day or prior to the spelling in order that it may function in applied work.

Distribution of time to subject matter: During the first month spend half or more of the time in developing posture, movement, and movement drills. After the first month devote to movement drills, ovals, little letters and the like, one-third to one-fourth of the period; to capital letters, half the remaining time; to words or sentences the remainder of the period.

Heading: Place on the second blue line. Write on every line except the first below the heading. Model:

John Brown, 5 B, Sept. 15, 1924

Sample: Take sample on the middle of each month. Memorize. Model:

John Brown, 5 B, Sept. 15, 1924
John Doe School
City, State
(Skip a line)
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
(Skip a line)
This is a sample of my best writing
This is a sample of my best writing
This is a sample of my best writing

SIXTH GRADE

As classes pass from grade to grade, with each member accomplishing what he should according to his grade, by the time they reach the sixth, the correct writing habit should be firmly fixed. It is well to have it so, for now, more than ever before does the pupil have need of this energy and time saving habit. The demands for the application of the writing habit are daily growing more numerous.

The penmanship lesson should now be devoted largely to further study of good letter forms, providing pupils automatically use muscular movement. Pupils of this age will now recognize what the former training means. They will now be interested because they realize that they have been gaining something that will be very useful to them.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, and sufficient speed to prevent finger movement and to apply fundamental principles to all written exercises except arithmetic. Grade “Failure” unless movement is used as indicated above. Attain a speed of eighty letters per minute in words and sentences.

The material, length of lesson, distribution of time to subject matter, heading and samples may profitably be the same as for the fifth grade.

SEVENTH GRADE

In a school where each teacher has done her share of the work outlined according to the grade it will be observed that the quality of the penmanship produced by seventh grade pupils will in many cases equal that of adults. Adult learners, if they have in previous years used finger movement will have more to overcome than seventh grade pupils.

It is well at all times to keep the goal in view, and gradually work toward it. Never permit pupils to drift. During penmanship lessons frequent comparisons with the models is essential. Friendly competition has a place. Let parallel grades of the same school or neighboring schools compare work. Take into consideration in the competition, first, legibility, then time consumed for the execution of the exercise, uniformity, slant, spacing, size and connecting and ending strokes.

Many pupils no doubt do not use discretion in the selection of proper equipment for home work. They should realize that the right heights of table and chair mean much for comfort and therefore have direct relation to physical endurance. The use of the timepiece in order to keep up the right speed is an important point. Every exercise in the manual practiced at the right rate of speed will enable seventh grade pupils to acquire an average speed of fifteen to eighteen words per minute. Teach each pupil to be systematic in his homework as well as at school.

In this grade it is interesting at times to allow a pupil who has a sense of rhythm in penmanship well developed to play the piano, selecting a march to which the pupils might write certain drills. The phonograph may be used to good advantage for the purpose of giving variety to the drill work. Pupils will enjoy writing the drills to the music. They must appreciate more fully than ever the fact that each school subject depends to a great extent upon others, penmanship being no exception. The sense of rhythm which should come from the study of music will often be the inspiration that will move pupils to the right speed when everything else fails. When pupils write to the rhythm produced by their own voices, such as concert counting, relaxation of the muscles takes place easily.

It has proven very satisfactory to appoint a captain, perhaps the best penman in the row, to do the counting for the preliminary drills with which each lesson should begin. This relieves the teacher of useless voice work and helps to develop initiative on the part of the pupils. It will be necessary for pupils who do this work to count exactly right, first with the teacher, and later alone. They should next learn to count and work at the same time.

Finally, pupils may well observe all the suggestions made in previous grades. They should, however, be able to produce much more finished results than in the previous grade.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, sufficient speed to prevent finger movement, and to apply these fundamental principles to all written exercises. Grade “Failure” unless movement is applied as indicated above. Attain a speed of ninety letters in words and sentences.

Length of lesson: Twenty minutes daily, three to five times per week. The material, distribution of time to subject matter, heading and samples may profitably be the same as for the fifth grade.

EIGHTH GRADE

It now remains for the eighth grade teacher to receive the pupils who have been for the last seven years building among other useful habits the penmanship structure. The writing is perhaps one of the first subjects to be criticized or commented upon when the class is promoted. The evidence will be plainly for or against it.

It is a common occurrence for a piano pupil after discontinuing practice to refuse to perform. An athlete out of practice is an awkward figure when getting back into form. Therefore, as penmanship is applied physical training it is not surprising that pupils who do not keep up practice to a reasonable extent soon lose skill. If the daily practice must be application to other subjects, and not drill work, great care should be exercised to make conditions favorable for the retention of the correct penmanship habit.

It should be the privilege and duty of the pupils of this grade so far as possible to place all problems, etc., on the board for the teacher. Pupils of this age should be given every opportunity to use their good penmanship in any and all kinds of clerical work. They like to feel that they are helpful, and this spirit should be fostered. It is a saving of the teacher’s time and strength, and impresses pupils with the practical value of good writing.

As these pupils pass through the junior high school, the senior high school, commercial colleges or universities and out into the actual business world, they will take on that individuality in penmanship which suits best. The appearance of their writing will be considerably modified owing to the different conditions under which each one performs his tasks. This is a matter of minor importance.

The important question for each teacher and each pupil to answer in the affirmative is this: Is the writing habit acquired in the grades the correct one? The crown of all the efforts should be an energy and time saving manner of writing that will be entirely readable.

Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, sufficient speed to prevent finger movement and to apply these fundamental principles to all written exercises. Grade “Failure” unless movement is applied as indicated above. Attain a speed of one hundred letters in words and sentences.

Length of lesson: See seventh grade.

The material, distribution of time to subject matter, heading and samples may profitably be the same as for the three preceding grades.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

When the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades are set off by themselves and take the name of Junior High School, conditions are somewhat different than when they remain a part of the grade system.

The ideals of the schools differ, as they should, in some respects. A most striking difference is that a greater freedom in the choice of subjects is made possible in the junior high school.

The tool subjects are wisely still obligatory and penmanship should be pursued until mastered sufficiently well to be a resource and not a liability in carrying on other subjects.

Aim: To perfect penmanship as a tool for school work and to impress those who plan to enter upon business careers at the end of the ninth year with the fact that they should be especially serious in penmanship preparation.

Material: Similar to that suggested for preceding grades.

Required subject: Penmanship should be required through the seventh grade and of all eighth grade pupils who cannot meet a reasonably high standard previously agreed upon by the principal, supervisor, and teachers.

Administration of tests: These should be given several weeks before the end of each semester in order to permit pupils who have not reached the standard set to include penmanship in their programs.

Ninth grade pupils who are specializing in commercial subjects should have an opportunity for daily drill in penmanship in order to perfect their work to a higher degree. The materials, distribution of time to subject matter, form for headings, and samples may profitably be similar to that suggested for former grades.

The junior high teacher does not have the same opportunity that the grade teacher enjoys for the observation of results unless it is so arranged that the penmanship teacher handles spelling also. In such a case by using tact, firmness and some invention this period of application may prove almost or quite as valuable to the acquisition of the correct writing habit as the time devoted to the learning of the drills.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Theoretically, students in the senior high school should not find it necessary to pursue penmanship for acquisition as a tool, but practically, we find many who are so unskilled in this subject that it is necessary to make provision for them.

In any senior high school we may have pupils who have not had the advantages of a good foundation in the grades or in junior high. Again, there are those who acquire manual dexterity with great difficulty. Lastly, we have great numbers that are qualifying for commercial lines. The needs of all must be met. (Discussed more fully in Chapter One.)

Aim: To provide every student who leaves the senior high school with a good working tool for business or college. No possible excuse should be offered in place of a good handwriting by a senior high school graduate who has had the opportunity to qualify.

Materials: Similar to those in the junior high school.

Required subject: Penmanship should be required of all who cannot meet a reasonably high standard agreed upon by principal, supervisor, and teachers. Commercial students should qualify to a much higher degree than others.

The administrations of tests, distribution of time to subject matter, samples, may well be carried on in a manner similar to that suggested for the upper grades and junior high school.