FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

I have a lovely leather pencil case my sister bought for me on or first trip to Paris in 2002. I use it every day. Sadly, when I've gone to the same stationers on Rue St. Dominque the only had plastic ones.

As long as there is breath in my body, I will single-handedly keep letter-writing alive - along with wild and colorful envelopes (a la Ray Johnson). And I know that I am not alone in this effort. Vivre longtemps à l'ancienne!!!

Yes we all need to be able to communicate with pen and paper, it is indeed our unique signature and what happens when the electricity is out? Thank you notes need to be handwritten.

Our dear Kristi,
I cannot imagine a world without handwriting,and yet I know that in many peoples' minds it has almost become antiquated.
I completely agree with Joie!
And what a loss it would be to loose the ability to either write or understand the written word.
Missing Aristotle,Shakespeare,too many others to fanthom!
When I was growing up(and I admit that it was a long time ago)
such a thing was not even in the realm of consideration!
Wow,times change,and unfortunately,not always for the better
(at least in my opinion).
Love
Natalia. xo

Having had to correct school papers, I would say that handwriting can be difficult to discern, and hence as an employer I would prefer to receive typewritten information from an applicant. It certainly would level that issue of the playing field.
On the issue of learning cursive, I stand firmly that it is important. Learning it well would be of value when using it for any communication with another person, beyond just personal use for taking notes or something. But more basic, the eye-hand-brain connections that are created by the activity are of value in a child's growth and development. It is also of value when listening to a lecture, since taking written notes adds an element of visual and the kinesthetic to the various elements of learning/remembering, as well as providing a record that is accessible later. If cursive is learned well, it is faster than printing, and also doesn't require hauling a tablet or laptop around - even 3/5 cards work to receive the info.

You didn't mention that employers in France have those handwritten letters analyzed by handwriting experts who will decide if you will be a good employee!

My grandchildren always write hand written thank you notes. I taught my children to do that and they have passed that on which is wonderful. I love to receive them.

Otherwise we e- mail or talk on the phone. I have saved cards and notes and it is so nice to see their progress. They are now 12, 14 and 17.

Now in schools so much is done by computer but I hope a lovely hand written note never goes away. Mary-Audrey Mellor, USA

Unfortunately, in Canada, handwriting is no longer taught. There has been extensive research that indicates that students learn better when they hand-write notes during lectures, and that has certainly always been my strategy. I have noticed that there is a new handwriting trend with bullet journals, but I'm sure that the majority continue to use an electronic calendar to manage their time. I work with a VP who frequently is the subject of friendly taunting due to his use of the old-fashioned leather-bound paper planner. Having said all that, I, too, was surprised to see Jackie's handwritten cover letter, given that in North America, the standard is to submit job applications, including cover letters and resumes, electronically. Personally, I love beautiful fountain pens and stationery, the ritual of writing snail mail letters and posting them in the box, and receiving cards and letters in the mail among the inevitable bills and junk mail.

Bonjour Kristin,

As I understand things, there is a renaissance of sorts in cursive writing and note taking with pen and paper.

Cursive writing among certain practitioners of « bullet journaling » : this group finds paper journals to be more flexible than software, which is quite structured.

Also, there are, I think, some studies showing that writing by hand is conducive to thinking and reasoning. As you well know : writing is a physical act. I am a practitioner of walking as cure for writer’s block or getting stuck mentally. Walking for any reason !

I don’t think pen and paper, nor traditional books, are going anywhere. J’adore Boîte à Livres, librairie merveilleuse, à Tours. On trouve toujours les papeteries partout en France. Quelle chance.

Many interesting videos on YouTube concerning bullet journaling. Very easy to draw in a paper journal ; another technique for synapse stimulation.

Lovely post ! As ever, your beautiful photographs. Merci pour « stylo bille, plume et feutre ».

Bien cordialement,

Daniel

Hi Kristi,

I love receiving a handwritten note or letter! I love the beautiful European handwriting! I think handwriting should still be taught in schools but I don't think it is stressed as much here in the states anymore unfortunately! I love the photos :-)

I had the same dilemma with finding ink cartridges for my Cross fountain pen, except when I lived in NYC. Now I've discovered Colorado Pen. They sell a wide range of ink and cartridges, as well as converters (to use bottled ink) and are very helpful with information, too. They have a retail website.

Great example of cultural differences, there's no right and wrong, just different. I was shocked when I found out our schools don't teach cursive writing anymore. As a result, my adult children's signatures look like they're 7 years old. But on the other hand, they don't miss it. Everything in Canada is electronic now, and no employer wants anything hard written. And both my kids print neatly and very fast. Me, I still like giving and receiving hand written notes and cards, so does my wife, function of our ages I guess. Thanks too for the wonderful glimpses into the lives of you and your family!

I think cursive handwriting should be taught in early elementary school. It's a shame many American schools have removed it from the curriculum. One of my young grandchildren said it's not taught, but she learned it by herself. Another said he cannot read my handwritten letters...sad. I find it a sign of proper upbringing when a friend sends me a handwritten Thank You for some gift or favor. It shows that she or he took the extra time. Not only that, when I'm writing I'm visualizing the person and bringing back memories. In the U.S. business letters are expected to be typed or done on a computer, but personal correspondence is much warmer and intimate when handwritten. Finally, because an individual's handwriting is unique, seeing it brings to mind the person. I realized this when I came upon a note the other day. I immediately recognized the handwriting of my late mother and got tears in my eyes.
By the way, I have heard that employers in Europe expect initial correspondence to be handwritten so their handwriting analysts can get an idea about the applicant's qualities. True??

What I love about visiting France is that there is a collective, cultural wisdom about these issues. You see cool teenagers on the metro reading Racine(in a book!) without embarrassment. They know that something might be gained by technology, but think though what could be lost as well. Here people pity me or look down at me for not having an iPhone. In France, kids are intrigued by my old Rolleiflex from 1955. I don't have to start at square one in every conversation or defend what might be considered a Luddite lifestyle in the U.S. I can just go about my life, paying attention as I walk down the street and talk to people, looking them in the eye.
As they say at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco: "Turn off your cell phone and BE HERE NOW!" Write those thank you notes, send other people's kids postcards if you go on a trip, learn to write. Happiness is slowing down and paying attention. It truly is that simple, if not easy.

I love writing and receiving letters in cursive. It's a very personal act to take pen to paper, it takes time and thought, and can't be hurried. I feel blessed to have people in my life who still communicate with letters. Nothing is as fun as seeing a hand penned letter in the mailbox. I love technology and the instant accessibility it gives us but there is just something so beautiful about the hand written word on paper. So, I would like everyone to have the option to write in cursive and I say to keep teaching cursive !

It was the Common core which stopped cursive writing in schools. I think that this is deplorable. What will happen when someone needs to read old manuscripts and doesn't know cursive? Not only don't students not know cursive but their printing is illegible. When they only know how to write electronically and the power goes off, what then? Just like the clerk in a store who can't figure out how much change to give you when the cash register doesn't tell them. we are doing a disservice to the children of today, who can't think without technology helping them. I am not bashing technology, because it is so vital in society today, but let's not forget the basics of writing and math.
The thank you letters (if I receive them) from the grandchildren look like they were written by elementary children when they are actually in high school or college.

Enough of my ranting and raving. Good for Jackie writing a letter with such good penmanship. 👍

Kathleen

What a sturdy pencil case you must have bought back in 1990! Doesn't it make you feel happy to know that your old case is being used by your daughter? I love it when my daughter actually admires something I used and loved and finds a use for it in her own life.

Maybe Jackie will gift you with a new trousse as a surprise?

Bette

Dear Kristi,

A very dear friend of many, many years will not send emails or text messages to me. She has always sent handwritten letters and cards and it is always a joy to find her perfectly scripted letter in the mail box!

We had completely forgotten about the pencil cases we carried during three years of high school in France! When I returned for two years of college in Paris, my pencil case went right back with me. So after reading your post we had a wonderful nostalgic chat about a favorite time in our lives. Thank you for that!
C & G

I cannot imagine a world in which cursive writing does not exit...the beauty of it, the elegance, the personal touches that each handwriter puts into his/her script. My granddaughter, watching me leave a note for my husband one day, said, "oh, I wish I could write like that. It's like art, so beautiful and musical." Well, my mother was a stickler for handwriting and (this may age me) we had to learn cursive letters by writing between square, perfectly, on straight underlines. Thank heaven. I love my writing, I love writing, period. And a lot of it has to do with before-computers-before-texting written words in flowing, artistic, script that makes music with letters.

I know twenty-somethings in the US who usually type or text, but who value the occasional handwritten letter for one another. It is still special.