The Importance Of Cursive Writing

In 1907, “School Days” rose to the top of the charts, courtesy of Will Cobb (Hanlin). However, 110 years later—while the ‘reading’ and ‘rithmetic’ skills live on—the fate of ‘riting’ hangs in the balance. In 2016, the romantic act of writing “I love you, Joe” on a slate, or even a piece of paper, seems archaic, at best. World War II love letters, beautifully written in cursive writing, now live behind glass cases in museums, unreadable to most of the younger population. The historic documents that formed the foundation of the United States of America, written in painstakingly perfect cursive, appear as hieroglyphics to many school-aged children. The need to access primary sources for research papers becomes infinitely more difficult for college students unable to read cursive writing. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the individual creativity unleashed by cursive writing becomes constrained. In this author’s view, these few examples, illustrate the necessity of retaining cursive writing in school curricula. In 2010, with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, 44 states (plus the District of Columbia, four territories and the Department …show more content…
Since the Common Core State Standards Initiative remains a relatively new concept, perhaps the proverbial phrase “time will tell” applies to the long-term effectiveness in the omission of cursive writing. In this writer’s opinion, modern technology encourages speed—the act of rushing forward, without contemplation or consideration—knowing the” delete button” sits close at hand. However, the “pause button”, a natural by-product of cursive writing, creates a slower, more deliberate and more personal compilation of thoughts and ideas. The act of typing embodies a hasty, throw-away culture, whereas the art of putting pen to paper represents endurance, craftsmanship and a love of