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Is handwriting obsolete?

Serendipity

Today is National Handwriting Day. Since it feels like writing almost anything by hand is rapidly becoming obsolete, perhaps we should celebrate it when we get the chance.

National Handwriting Day was started in 1977 by the Writing Instruments Association as a way to promote the use of pens, pencils, and writing paper. And they encourage this day as a perfect opportunity to practice one’s penmanship. Sometimes I wonder if anyone even cares about penmanship any longer, even though I still remember learning the Palmer Method of penmanship in elementary school, practicing making rows and rows of perfect ovals.

Those who are Baby Boomer Generation and older might have the perfect excuse not to write, as arthritis may be making it difficult. The young adults of the Millennial Generation do very little of any kind of writing by hand–often not even checks. Debit cards are much easier and quicker. That goes for emails and texts, too, which are easier than writing a note to someone and dropping it in a mailbox. I’m afraid we’re losing any hope we may have of that generation putting a pen to paper.

It is rather discouraging to me that some public schools are not even teaching cursive writing in the classroom any longer, citing a lack of time in the school day as the reason. And they need more time to devote to learning technology. That strikes me as sad, too.

But all is not lost on this day, because National Handwriting Day shares the spotlight with National Pie Day. This fits in well with my philosophy that this season is the best time to cook and/or bake something wonderful.

I found that National Pie Day was created in 1987 simply to celebrate the pie by baking or eating one. Or both.

Somehow pie has earned the reputation as being difficult to bake. So going out for pie or purchasing a frozen one to bake at home has become a habit for lots of us. Maybe we use a purchased frozen pie crust. My plan when I furnish a pie for a fundraiser or a potluck is to make the bottom crust myself and then bake an open-face pie. Works every time.

I believe that, especially for old-time cooks, being a good pie baker was something of a badge of honor. I knew of several who baked at least one pie every single day.

But like much in our culture, we have different priorities now. And so skills like beautiful handwriting and baking the perfect pie just aren’t as important as they used to be.

And maybe that’s not all bad.

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