A Bit of 50's Trivia

[Diane Amberg]

I do know that for hearing impaired kids texting is wonderful because everybody does it. In that world they are normal. But I'm not sure about using numbers to substitute for words and letters only for whole words. I guess for quick communication only it's fine, but it sure does lose something in longer form. I just can't imagine a beautiful sonnet written in text form.

[patyrn]

I hate to see kids losing the ability to write cursively.  Many elementary schools don't even require learning it, and with so many things squeezed into every day in the classroom, it is an easy subject to skip over.  Also, some teachers think it is important and others don't, so there is not the continuity of continual progressions through the years.  Electronic SmartBoards in classrooms are replacing chalkboards or even white boards, and so goes the trends of the times.  I understand the new world of technology doesn't require nice handwriting, but I miss it.  My grandmother (1893-1988) completed school only to the 4th grade, yet had such beautiful handwriting, expert math computation skills, and precise spelling skills throughout her long life. 

[Diane Amberg]

I have to admit I do like the smart boards, but I don't like to see cursive eliminated. The fire company got a thank you note last week and the young engineer who is the assistant secretary couldn't read parts of it!

[patyrn]

You're right--the SmartBoards are awesome!

[greatguns]

New is great, but I still want to be able to sign my name.

[Diane Amberg]

How about an X?

[greatguns]

That might work, if you could read it.

[larryJ]

I have noticed in the past, my method of writing out checks when paying bills, and this thread reminded me of that yesterday when I was paying some bills.  I print the date (not the number, but the abbreviation for the month), I print the name of the recipient, but write in cursive putting in the amount, and of course, my signature is in cursive.  I do not write very neatly so the amount is sometimes difficult to read, but there has been no problems because most people look at the numbers rather than the cursive spelling of the amount of the check.

It may be, in the future, that handwriting will be a thing of the past.  But, I don't think it will be a totally lost form of communication. 


Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

A check? What's a check? Actually I did cut 'way back several years ago. I have all my utilities auto pay directly from my main checking account. Most of my spending goes on pay pal or charge cards, so that's just one check per month. I only write four or five checks a month, if that. I do write checks for donations, even if they take credit cards because I don't want them to have to pay a credit card fee. 

[larryJ]

While I love my computer and have access to my bank bill pay features, plus using the web to pay bills, I prefer to sit down and write the check.  I am drifting more and more to using the debit card while shopping or a credit card to get airline points (like I am going to fly anywhere!). We did have an incident some months back at the post office.  Someone broke into the drive-up mail box and took all the mail looking for something they could cash.  As a result, four of our bills never made it.  I had to stop payment and contacted the companies as to what happened and re-issue checks.  Now, we actually get out of the car and walk into the P.O. and drop them in the slot.  But I still would rather just sit down and write out a check.

Larryj