Today (January 23) is Handwriting Day. It\u2019s celebrated every year on the 23rd \u2014 not coincidently, it also happens to be John Hancock\u2019s birthday. His prominent signature on the Declaration of Independence has become synonymous with signatures in general. How often have you said, or been told, \u201cput you John Hancock here?\u201d Of course everyone knows that statement means to sign your name.<\/p>\n
Another old saying, \u201cthe pen is mightier than the sword\u201d may not be so true in today\u2019s modern technology world, but its original meaning still holds today. The origin of the phrase may have been that no matter how strong and powerful a knight became, they could be \u201cfired\u201d by their king through nothing more than a piece of paper with the king\u2019s signature (and probably his seal.)<\/p>\n
Handwriting and\/or penmanship were required subjects when I went to school and it was necessary because a lot, if not most, written communication was accomplished by hand-written documents. If the handwriting wasn\u2019t legible, the document was pretty much useless. But neither of our kids were taught penmanship when they were in school and now there is a move afoot to abolish cursive writing all together.<\/p>\n
Handwriting is unique to each person \u2014 much like fingerprints. No two people write exactly alike. Because it is unique, handwriting can be used to identify a documents\u2019 writer. That\u2019s one reason you see ransom notes made up of letters cut out of a magazine or newspaper.
\nExcept for doctors, today penmanship has almost no bearing on job performance. Doctors supposedly have terrible handwriting. According to Time magazine, doctors\u2019 sloppy handwriting kills more than 7,000 people every year. Most of us write very little by hand. I usually wind up taking notes on my phone if I\u2019m out and need to remember something \u2014 or \u2014 just tell Siri to remind me\u2026.<\/p>\n
Throughout the years many have thought that there would be no need for handwriting \u2014 when the typewriter came along, the computer, fax machine and e-mails and texting would be the end of hand written communications. But so far writing by hand hasn\u2019t been killed off. I think knowing how to write is important \u2014 for the same reason than you should know how to add, subtract and multiply and divide\u2026 What happens if your batteries run down or the power goes out?
\nSomeone once said that handwriting enables civilization. Well, maybe not quite so much today, but it\u2019s still important. Happy Handwriting Day\u2026.
\n\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n
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Today (January 23) is Handwriting Day. It\u2019s celebrated every year on the 23rd \u2014 not coincidently, it also happens to be John Hancock\u2019s birthday. His prominent signature on the Declaration of Independence has become synonymous with signatures in general. How … Continue reading