Cursive handwriting is beautiful

It was with great interest that I read “Write-off - Cursive handwriting no longer stressed at Eastern Iowa schools (April 26).” How sad. How many of us remember parents or grandparents who had beautiful handwriting and the lovely notes/letters they wrote? They were like “gifts” in the mailbox, many of which we saved - treasures to read over and over again, sometimes just because they were written in lovely cursive.

I have been teaching calligraphy at College for Kids for 17 years - my classes are always full and it thrills me to no end that my middle school students want to learn calligraphy. There are kids who want to learn how to write beautifully, and many of my students tell me years after they have taken my class that they still practice “the art of beautiful writing,” and do projects for their schools, families and friends.

Perhaps the focus should be on the ability to write, not how to write, but handwriting still needs to be readable, and people will always have to at least write their names.

Ida Martin Sorensen

Cedar Rapids