The jury is out and opinions keep changing. Should penmanship and cursive writing be taught or should it be allowed to go the way of calligraphy and hieroglyphics, reserved for only a few brave souls willing to tackle it? Since today is National Handwriting Day, it seems like it should be revived in all schools.
This day was established in 1977 by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association. These are the people who sell pens, pencils, and paper. The more you write, the more they sell. Why was today’s date chosen? “January 23rd was chosen as this is the birthday of John Hancock. John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.”1
I grew up like a lot of you who are reading this today. Computers were just being introduced, and mass word processing wasn’t affordable, much less available. We still had typing classes with real IBM Selectric typewriters as well as a few electric manual typewriters. Notes from class were written by hand, papers were either handwritten or typed, and you used cursive handwriting.
Cursive handwriting almost became a relic of the past thanks to the path paved by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Though it did not directly remove cursive, it opened the door for the Common Core educational system. “In 2010, the newly-formed Common Core State Standards for English initiative did not include cursive handwriting instruction. In 2011, 41 states adopted the Common Core standards, thus removing the requirement for cursive instruction in the respective state curriculum.”2
By 2016, cursive handwriting began to be reintroduced to schools. As of 2025, there were 25 states that had made this mandatory. Ohio adopted this in 2019, requiring it to be taught in grades 1st through 5th.3
I have to admit that the computer has ruined my penmanship! Very seldom do I write anything. MS Word is my best friend, and my HP Envy printer is my second-best friend. I’ve moved all my bookkeeping to Excel. The only time I write with pen and paper is if I’m scribbling myself a reminder or signing a check. In cursive, I write JWM~~~~~. I don’t even try. It’s a shame because as a teen, my handwriting was nearly as nice as my mom’s. She still had me beat but it was close. And I had a teacher whose signature I could perfectly forge on a hall pass – but that’s a story for another day.
This day’s celebration made me think of Paul’s words in Galatians 6:11. “Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.” Many have suggested that Paul’s poor eyesight caused him to write larger. Other commentators, though, have different ideas.
“At this point the Apostle takes the pen from his amanuensis, and the concluding paragraph is written with his own hand… He writes it too in large bold characters, that his handwriting may reflect the energy and determination of his soul.” (Joseph Barber Lightfoot)
“Most commentators consider that he used large letters deliberately, either because he was treating his readers like children (rebuking their spiritual immaturity by using baby writing) or simply for emphasis… much as we would use capital letters or underline words today.” (John Stott)
Regardless of the reasoning, having something written from the hand of Paul was a huge blessing to the people.
Remember as you read the Scriptures that “holy men of God spake (and wrote) as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21) Think of the joy it must have been to those who held the original letters in their hands. And think of how awful it would have been if their penmanship was poor and illegible!
“And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.” (Hebrews 13:22)
1https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-handwriting-day-january-23
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive_handwriting_instruction_in_the_United_States#No_Child_Left_Behind
3https://mycursive.com/states-that-require-cursive-writing/
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