My English teacher in my primary school was very strict on handwriting it had to be slanted and joined but clear and boy did he shout if it wasn't right. He scared me to death. In the beginning we had to use liquid ink from ink wells in the desk, it was awful to use and blotted your work if you weren't taking care with it. At first it was frowned on to use a ballpoint pen but accepted by the time I moved on to the (big) school. And then it had to be a good writing pen.

How things have changed I don't know if it is the same for anyone else in the UK or US but there doesn't seem to be the same standard of writing or spelling required as it was in the early 60's. My spelling isn't perfect but it concerns me when I hear of some young people leaving school without basic writing or reading skills when they get to school leaving age.