Column: Something About Nothing

My husband gave me some news recently that I absolutely did not believe. I thought perhaps he had been hallucinating when he was watching the news. His exact words were: “They are going to quit teaching cursive writing in schools.”

A few weeks later a young friend of mine on Facebook who is a writer and has friends all over the United States asked this question: “How many of the schools your kids are attending still teach cursive writing?”

The reviews were mixed. I could not believe it. Cursive writing is no longer being taught in all schools. Miss Manners would be shocked.

I was in early elementary school when I first learned to write. It was exciting. Penmanship was a good subject for me and I received good grades in penmanship. You could actually read my writing unlike today when someone has a hard time deciphering my work orders.

I can’t imagine not knowing how to write. I have known a few people in my lifetime that could not write and it was a big handicap for them. I do not keep track of all the times in the day where I jot a note, write a list or sign my name. I use my computer to write my columns and other things but I keep a more personal journal in my written hand. It seems easier to put my personal inner thoughts by pen on paper then it does to sit in front of a machine. Pen to paper is more personal even when it comes to writing a personal note to others.

How will kids sign their name in the future if they do not know how to write? Will we go back to X’s for those that actually need a written signature where electronic signatures won’t cut it? What will happen to autographs? Will all notes be jotted down by using your cell phone? Of course we also can do notes by using our voice.

I am old enough to remember cash registers that did not figure your change. It is hard to find people now that can count change. Cashiers rely on their cash registers to tell them how much change to give back to their customers.

A few months ago I was in a restaurant where the computer systems went down and the younger waitresses were panicking because they didn’t know how to take orders with pen and paper and relay that message to the kitchen. An older waitress was just laughing and breezing through her orders. She made the comment, “I was here before technology.”

Cursive writing is no longer a requirement in many of the states anymore. Yes, I am mourning the phasing out of the old ways such as writing and even change counting. I think it is important that we keep some of the old skills along with teaching the new skills. We come to a standstill when technology breaks down. If we don’t know how to write we rely on a machine rather than our own skills.

There is something personal about writing a note to your child and pinning it on their door telling them you love them. The typed sheet or text messaging is not quite the same. Perhaps it will be to them if they don’t know anything different.

I remember singing the song “School Days”. The chorus held these words:

School days, school days

Dear old Golden Rule days

‘Reading and ’riting and ’rithmetic

Taught to the tune of the hick’ry stick

You were my queen in Calico

I was your bashful, barefoot beau

And you wrote on my slate, “I Love You So”

When we were a couple o’ kids

The hick’ry stick is gone but hopefully there is still reading and ’rithmetic. And I hope they don’t eliminate writing so that the queen in Calico can still write “I Love You So” on the barefoot beau’s slate.

Wells resident Julie Seedorf’s column appears every Monday. Send email to her at thecolumn@bevcomm.net.