Before I was six (in 1937) I could block print (reading the funny papers and copying some of the drawings—very fond of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"), but when I started school, I was taught to write in "script." Connected writing. My handwriting has gone to pot recently because I don't do all that much of it, but if I concentrated, I can still write in a "nice, round hand." I love writing with a fountain pen, by the way.

Anybody remember what a fountain pen is?

I also worked at Boeing for several years, and had to use Boeing standard block printing, .12 inch letters, on the engineering drawings. I can still do that quite speedily.

When I see youngsters these days grasp a pencil or ball-point pen, I wonder how in the hell they can write anything legible with a grip like that! I was taught to hold a pencil or pen thusly:   CLICKY. But when I see kids (and not just kids!) these days grasping a ball point pen with their fist, all fingers including the thumb curled under, or holding it as if they're going to stab it into the paper, it's no bloody wonder that legible handwriting has gone to hell!

Not only that, some people these days can't READ connected or cursive writing!

Don Firth