Thoughts on Losing a Skill
Disappearance of handwriting is cause for concern
By Sharon Krause
A recent article in the May-June issue of the science magazine “Discover” caught my eye.
It was titled “The Writing on the Wall” by Christine Rosen, who is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. She writes about the impacts of technology on society.
The article’s topic was about the disappearance of handwriting from our schools, which has not been taught since 2010. It is also disappearing from our businesses and our lives.
This is particularly sad, since all of our most important documents, i.e., the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, etc., are written in cursive.
Already 13 years ago, in 2012, an assessment by the American Association of School Administrators found that as many as 33% of students in the U.S. are hard-pressed to achieve basic competency in handwriting, meaning they cannot legibly write either uppercase or lowercase letters. I have heard from other folks my age that their grandchildren cannot read a cursive birthday card, either.
In this day and age, children are not the only ones having difficulties. We have all been convinced that it is easier and more efficient to email or text to convey our thoughts, often sacrificing punctuation, spelling, grammar and the true meat of our message. Text a happy birthday message, complete with noisemaker, cake, champagne glass emojis, and send it off with ascending balloons. Done! Whew! I didn’t forget Aunt Josie’s special day!
Had we taken the time to sit for a moment, with pen and paper, and not sacrificed sincerity for expediency, think what true wishes, condolences or fond thoughts we could send to a loved one, a best friend or even just an acquaintance. Connecting to the pen and paper keeps our cognitive skills sharp and, as Rosen puts it, “gives us the pleasure of using our hands to make our thoughts visible.”
As the experts see it, children need this to hone their critical thinking skills. In fact, research clearly indicates that writing by hand “engages deeper cognitive processes, which enhance analysis, reflection, and creativity,”which are essential to critical thinking. All the positives are hard to dispute: better reasoning, better memory retention and more thoughtful interaction with content.
Also, the motion of handwriting triggers creative thought. I am sure many of us have experienced this. Engaging with pen to paper, the physical act helps us connect more deeply to our subject. I can imagine in a memoir course writing about an event and suddenly having a flood of memories to add.
The degradation of this skill has happened gradually since the onset of our fascination with and submission to technology, and it has been almost unnoticeable. And haven’t we all praised and gotten involved with the notion. “What will they think of next,” or “AI, what a time saver.” But as Rosen puts it, “We lose the sensory experience of ink and paper, the visual appeal of the handwritten word.”
We are all becoming experts at typing, swiping and scrolling. We’re sending our thoughts around more, but with much less physical effort or engagement, and sending off a text to satisfy an obligation instead of taking the time to write something meaningful and heartfelt. And many times this happens at the expense of even a phone call, which can bring joy to someone.
Likewise, our handwriting can be as recognizable as our voice or our gait. Who hasn’t excitedly opened their mailbox to find an envelope with the very familiar handwriting of a dear friend? A surprise treat! Or been able to spot a spouse or friend in a crowd by their walk?
Finally, I have been worried about my own deteriorating penmanship for a long while now. It obviously has something to do with age, but the lack of practice cannot be ruled out. Since it is my instinct to protect what legibility and control I have left, I am left to a decision. Hopefully, I will handwrite all of my stories for my writing classes, sloppy they may be. But try not to let the skill fade, and keep it for as long as I can.
Sharon Krause is a Rochester native who moved back to town two years ago after 25 years on Cape Cod, to be closer to family. She is reader, skier, walker, loves movies, traveling and music.