NATIONAL ARCHIVES MAKES OBSCURE REQUEST

“Can you read cursive?”

This may seem like a random question, but it is one that the National Archives recently asked. In an effort to eventually digitize 200 years of historical documents, the community manager of the National Archives Catalog, Suzanne Isaacs, is calling for volunteers with a unique skill: the ability to reading cursive.

Those who can read cursive seem to be part of a select group, as cursive writing has been in decline for some time. In fact, this skill has recently eroded from the main stream more rapidly than ever before. When we were in elementary school, learning how to shape all those cursive letters, we could have never imagined this would become a skill needed to preserve our nation’s history. While this is interesting, it is also quite telling. Let us look at the bigger picture:

The world has changed.

This can be said of every generation and every decade since our nation’s founding. However, the world has changed rapidly over the last several decades. First came the typewriter, then the computer, eliminating the necessity of putting pen to paper for most of our communications. I remember handwriting research papers in school. My children could not fathom doing that. As the world changes, some things are lost in the process.

Communication skills have deteriorated.

With the advancement of communication platforms, communication itself has deteriorated. What irony! We have more ways to communicate our thoughts, yet our interactions are less personal. When we had to write a letter by hand instead of typing it, we communicated better. Someone reading this may be thinking, How is that possible if you are saying the same things? Not exactly. As I am writing this report, I constantly receive suggestions about which words I should use next. The computer is trying to think for me as I write. Another feature is speech-to-text technology and AI. I am not complaining about these platforms, but there is undoubtedly  less thought put into our communications.

Lowering standards has become a trend.

There seems to be a constant and concentrated effort at the federal level to lower standards and expectations for students. Common Core, in my opinion, has NOT been a positive development but has had an overall negative effect on society.

How does this relate to cursive writing?

For children, cursive writing helps develop fine motor skills, concentration, and the ability to follow directions. As of this writing, 24 states reportedly require teaching cursive handwriting. It would be interesting to research overall education standards and student progress in these states versus those that do not require cursive handwriting instruction.

After considering the way the world has changed, those of us who can read cursive might feel like we belong in the National Archives! I relish holding on to a piece of the past that upheld higher standards.

Is it better for everyone to learn cursive? I say yes.

Is it absolutely necessary for everyone to learn cursive? I say no.

However, if I had to learn how to write and practice a cursive “x,” then everyone else should have to endure that torture too!