Journal article
Cursive is making a comeback. But does it deserve one?
The Conversation
20 Aug 2026
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Abstract
Learning to read and write cursive was once a rite of passage for practically every American schoolchild.
Until the early 20th century, children in the U.S. were generally taught to write in cursive or script, rather than the print writing typically taught to young children today. Some people at the time thought a person’s character could be evaluated based on the quality of their cursive.
In the first half of the 20th century, penmanship was often taught as a distinct subject in American elementary schools, where children could spend as much as 45 minutes a day on handwriting instruction and practice.
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Details
- Title
- Cursive is making a comeback. But does it deserve one?
- Creators
- Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo - Drexel University, School of Education
- Publication Details
- The Conversation
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Other Identifier
- 991022202460204721