POOR HANDWRITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2732, 29 March 1916, Page 3

POOR HANDWRITING

IS THE ART DETERIORATING? i At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board, a letter was read from one of its members (Sir Walter Buchanan), drawing attontion to the handwriting of a young man 21 years of ago, who had been six years at the Terrace School and two years 'at Wellington College. "I think," wrote Sir_ Walter, "the taxpayer has a right to intervene if the Education Boards tolerate, such wretched results from the expenditure of their money." , The letter was referred to the headmaster of the Terrace School, who replied—"l am not able now- to recall how Mr. wrote in 1908, .but I find the Inspector passed his writing (Standard VI) in that year, just before he left school. I cannot, think, however, that the school can be held responsible for his deficiencies in 1916, for reasons not necessary 1 to set down.—Geo. MacMorran."

In referring to the matter, Sir Walter said that he expected that every member of the board would have had many experiences of as poor .writing as the specimen before him, and which would justify the adverse criticism he had made upon it. He thought it must bo within the knowledge of the board how frequently adverse criticism .'had been made on writing. His comment, he admitted, was strong, but in view of the importance of the subject, he was not inclined to admit that it was a bit too strong, more especially as he hoped it would arrest the attention of the authorities of the various schools.

Mr. T. Moss said that after eight years he did not think they could take exception to the instruction given by any schoolmaster. In that time a man might _ easily. go to pieces (as far as his writing was concerned).. It was not right to single put an individual case and put the, blame on the school. Besides in this case the Inspector had passed the scholar's writing. Messrs.C. M. Luke and Allan also spoke on the subject, and thought- the .typewriter might be the causo of the trouble.

Tho chairman, said he was not disposed to agree that the. typewriter should be. allowed to destroy the handwriting of the individual. He was'mclined to the. belief that too much use was being made of the typewriter in connection with important deeds, which, he said, would be illegible in a few years. Copper-plate writing ought to be more largely and generally used. In ' replying to the comments, Sir Walter Buchanan said that he was inclined' to believe that writing was a gift. He could say without hesitation that typewriting was inimical to good handwriting. He thought he had done no'more than his. duty in bringing the matter before tho.board.