Most of us spend the day typing away – on keyboards, cell phones, tablets – so is it any surprise that cursive is a fading skill? We posed the question, and a few others, to Michael Ray Smith, distinguished scholar at World Journalism Institute and distinguished visiting professor at The King's College.

Smith has been a reporter and editor for more than 10 years for mainstream newspapers, and is a popular speaker at writing conferences. His book, “A Free Press in Freehand: The Spirit of American Blogging in the Handwritten Newspapers of John McLean Harrington 1858-1869,” explores the handwritten newspapers of a Civil War-era journalist who took on the printing press -- and failed.

Michael, the book covers quite an interesting story. Can you give us a quick look at some of the history?

Imagine receiving a personal letter from a journalist on events of the day. Now imagine that the journalist handwrote the information for you. That’s what John McLean Harrington did from 1858 to 1869, not just for one reader, but for nearly 100 subscribers. Untrained but quite brilliant, Harrington used the downtime at his post office 30 miles south of Raleigh, N.C., to write news, editorials, short stories, poetry, jokes and advertisement in a county of about 8,000 residents. Here’s one of his jokes from the April 1858 issue of “The Young American”: “Two well draped shoemakers being in company, [sic] were asked their profession by a very inquisitive personage. Says one of them, ‘I practice the heeling art.’ ‘And I,’ added the other [sic] ‘labor for the good of men’s soles.’”

An eager Confederate, Harrington supported his area in the grim business of war only to write President Johnson in 1865 and ask for a pardon. He told the president that he evaded service in the Confederate army by working as a postmaster but he was always a faithful Union defender. 

In the 11 years that he wrote, Harrington produced 302 handwritten newspapers, more than anyone at any time in the United States; however, during the last season of his life, he abandoned the press, sought appointments as census taker and sheriff, and died single, alone and as a drunk. His community found his lack of service as a Confederate and his renunciation of the cause to be less than noble, but Harrington made his mark on publishing by producing newspapers that look like a combination of calligraphy and folk art.

For the first time, the Common Core State Standards for English do not require cursive writing to be taught. In your opinion, is this a negative development?

All but six states have adopted the Common Core State Standards that don’t require school districts to teach cursive writing. Some areas, such as Harnett County, where John McLean Harrington made his mark with handwritten newspapers, will continue to teach cursive writing. The benefit of handwriting is that it can help students with thought processing, using a part of the brain that isn’t used when a person types on a keyboard. Cursive writing tends to be faster, and the faster the writing, the more likely thoughts can be captured and recorded. Speed is crucial in timed tests such as essay writing for the SAT, but speed is helpful in recording notes from class, meetings and in any venue where notes are welcome. Some knowledge of cursive is important for routine tasks required of adults, like signing documents. The next generation will need some access to cursive just to survive in the democracy and survive in business.

Adults today remember the excitement of leaving print writing behind and entering the adult work of cursive writing. It was a rite of passage and it took time, lots of time, to master this stylish writing. Some children, boys in particular, find cursive to be difficult. The fine motor movements must be learned and practiced, but the discipline pays dividends in growth as a thinker, with a speedy left-to-right movement that contributes to cognitive development.

In a day when most prose is Times Roman font, produced on a computer, a person’s handwriting sets her apart. By the time a person is an adult, she has personalized the handwriting to be novel to her. Handwriting and the all-important signature can mark each of us as an original, not dependent on clothing, speech accents or any of the other markers that tend to set us apart.

You’ve also mentioned there are economic issues with preserving cursive. Can you explain?

Not all students have access to computers, and fewer have access to computers at home, but everyone can afford a pencil. You can upgrade your oversized pencil to a pen, create a customized font by personalizing your handwriting, and delight yourself in storing information in an easily retrievable form not dependent on technology -- paper. The pad and lead pencil is the most economic way to take notes and compose prose, and no electricity or batteries are required. Perhaps it’s time to let low-tech show us the way to excellent writing in a budget-strapped climate.

Students who want to learn cursive have a couple of options, either outside home or inside home:

Outside the home: Parents can contact the school superintendent and request that cursive be taught. In addition, parents can work through the Parent Teacher Organization and ask about handwriting instruction. Should a student have difficulty with penmanship, the school district may see that issue as part of a larger problem and create a Personal Education Plan that may include instruction in cursive handwriting.

In the home: Parents can help third-grade students, the typical age a student learns cursive, to shape letters by practicing the shapes using a sample alphabet downloaded from the Web. The Palmer alphabet is a good place to start. Parents can begin the instruction by helping students practice the shape of the letters using the index figure and a baking pan with shaving cream, salt or sand on it. After the student has gained a little confidence with that medium, drawing in the salt, for instance, the parents can move to paper and pencil. The alphabet from the Web can be used as a worksheet to help the student practice the curves, loops and connections of the cursive alphabet. With time, the student will learn to write cursive and gain an edge in this competitive world.

Thanks, Michael. You can expect a (handwritten) thank-you note shortly!