HANDWRITING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 65, 10 December 1926, Page 10

HANDWRITING

FIRMS PREFER CURSIVE TO

SCRIPT

TEACHING IN SCHOOLS URGED Dominion Special;. Auckland, December ?• The question of the teaching of print script was discussed by the Primary Schools Committees Association to-day following upon receipt of a report from the Director of Education (Mr. JCaughley) dealing with investigations he had made into the matter. Mr. Caughley said the Department invited the opinion of about fifty managers of business houses, insurance offices, banks and professional firms, on the respective merits of cursive writing and print script. It was found there was very strong objection to print script, especially on the part of bunks. Out of sixteen replies received from inspectors and managers of banks, fourteen were whole-heartedly for the cursive style, the great, objection to print writing being that it offered great facilities for forgery. Some of the banks stated they would not allow a customer to sign in that style, as the risk of forgerv would be too great. One bank in Christchurch stated it preferred print writing for ledger work on account of its clearness and neatness, but print script signatures could not be accepted for banking or legal purposes. Of 27 replies received from mercantile houses and large business and administrative firms, 19 were stronglv in favour of cursive writing. Some" of them objected so strongly to print script that they would not be prepared to accept any boy for a position in the firm who used that style of writing. One firm preferred print script for appearance and cursive style for speed. Four firms were distinctly in favour of print script style. Three of these were located in Auckland. The chairman (Mr. G. Brownlee), a member of the Auckland Education Board, said there was nothing in the regulations regarding the teaching of writing. The teacher alone was the judge whether he should teach it or not. The Rev. A. J. Greenwood: “That is the most remarkable statement, I have ever heard made in connection with education. It is most essential that writing should be taught. Mr. T. Aitken said the position was scandalous It was resolved that the director be thanked for his'letter, and be asked to take steps to have cursive writing taught in all schools from Standard I. upwards. *