HAND-WRITING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 32, 1 November 1917, Page 7

HAND-WRITING

OPINIONS OF TEACHERS. Two interesting papers on "The Teaching of Writing" were read before a meeting of tho Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute on Tuesday evening. Mr. A. M'Kenzie was in the chair.

Tho Palmer system of writing was dealt with by Miss C. E. Achesou, who said she first came across the syetem in the New York schools. She' afterwards found that it was in practice in all the Canadian schools which she had visited. The muscles of the shouTiter and the upper part of the nrm, she explained, were brought into use, and the wrist was not allowed to rest on the desk. By the system, which' hod emanated from business men, the scholars were able to attain a fast speed, nnd at the same time write legibl} , . The system also enabled the children te write at some distance frnni their paper, which fact decreased the strain on their oyes.

Mr. .T. Thnmas. gp.ve practical demanH rations of the methods of teaching writing lie employed nt lils school. The most'lmpormni fnolor wiw speed, and ho showed by means of a blackboard how that was to l>? attained. The small letter 'V could lie be turned into a ranital by simply increasing its size. This uppliod to several other . letters. In wr'tinr tiiiinv of the capital letters, too, similar =';rckes fjuld bn used for differe;'t ?et(.?i'3.

tr, vl'iP subsequent discussion, Mr. H!nke. (Varanui) contended that there should bs fiomo uniformity in the ienching of wr'tins. Tfce only way to bring that o.bnci wes.lo instruct the students in the tralninjj college. ' Hcnrfy vote.? r/f thai'ks to Miss Acheson nut! Mr. Thomas were unanimously carried.