The Astounding Power of Penmanship

The Astounding Power of Penmanship

by Gerald Williams

Penmanship is normally no longer taught in American schools, much to the dismay of Mr. Williams.  With the gradual disappearance of the hand-guided pen, Williams argues that students are the worse off.  “Sometimes we are astonished by what we’ve written.  It may so differ from our original intent that it seems the hand acted on its own..  Drawing letters–casting them into word-designs–is an intense, sometimes mesmerizing, engagement.   The author laments the vanishing ability to write; “Write something down and you’ll better understand it.”  He does, however, find solace in the fact that home-schooled children and a growing number of other students are again being taught the mastery of pen and paper.  This pamphlet was issued to the American Amateur Press Association, but, alas, is now no longer available.