Mini Lesson: Handwriting: Not a joke!

Has your handwriting changed since you first learned how to write? As we grow older, our handwriting typically changes along with us. Although it is sometimes overlooked as an academic subject, handwriting is an essential tool for communication.

During the early 19th century, handwriting was one of the most important lessons taught to young students. The following sentences are from what our curator believes to be a handwriting exercise from the early nineteenth century. So go ahead and practice your cursive! You might find yourself chuckling as well! Click the pictures to view the actual worksheet from the early nineteenth century.

What do you think of these 19th century jokes?

Here are sample of exercises from the worksheet:

Why is pen ink and paper like the morning star?
Because it is stationary.

Why is an apple like a pair of skates?
Occasion the fall of man.

Why do you go to bed?

Because the bed won't come to you.

Why are two laughing girls like the wings of a chicken?
Because they have a merry thought between them.


New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
3.2.4. C. 11 Write legibly in manuscript or cursive to meet district standards.
3.2.4. C.1 Use Standard English conventions that are appropriate to the grade level, such as sentence structure grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and handwriting.
6.2.4. A.1 Explain how present events are connected to the past.
6.2.4. A.5 Distinguish between an eye witness account and a secondary account of an event.

National Standards
4.2 Letter Skills

4.3 Connection Skills

NSS-C.K-4.2 Values and Principles of Democracy
NSS-C.K-4.5 Roles of the Citizen

Sources
New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2004/

National Standards
http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/soc_sci/us_history/k_4.shtml

School lessons early 19th century. Lloyd W. Smith Collection. Morristown National Historical Park. 30 Washington Place, Morristown New Jersey 07960. LWS 755

ML4:Handwriting: Not a joke!

Mini Lesson by Karyn Pereny