SCHOOL HANDWRITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2751, 20 April 1916, Page 3

SCHOOL HANDWRITING

WHAT THE INSPECTORS SAY.

. In view of the recent' criticism of handwriting in the schools by Sir Walter Buchanan, the .following c.xtWt from the annual report of the Wellington School Inspectors is- of more than : passing interest. The Inspectors sny:— "On the whole we find little fault with the- writing of the schools. We have consistently urged teachers to make full use of the blackboard for instmction in this subiect, and (in the smaller schools) to group the classes. \\e find that the general adoption of this plan has borne good fruit, and has somewhat; modified that falling off in the quality of the writing which is often observed in the two higher standards. Our remarks of last year with respect to poverty of vocabulary still holds good, but with this reservation we find composition ; more than satisfactory, We: find, generally, that tlio pupils are able to write freely on the simplersubjects set for, the composition exercise, and we have_ received some good essays on more difficult subjects, as, for example, the discussion of a proverb, a poetical quotation, an imaginary episode, and the like. Probably the weakest feature in the exercises handed in at our examinations is the arrangement of the matter, and we urge teachers to give more consideration to this important part of the subjGct. Punctuation also needs more caretul' attention."