Palmer Method

The Palmer Method of penmanship instruction was developed and promoted by Austin Palmer in the early 1900s. It soon became the most popular handwriting system in the United States.

Under it, students were taught to copy a uniform style of cursive writing with rhythmic motions. Left-handers were usually made to use their right hands. The method developed around 1888 and was introduced in his 1894 book Palmer's Guide to Business Writing. In spite of opposition from the major textbook companies, this textbook enjoyed great success: in 1912, 1,000,000 copies were sold throughout the country. The method garnered awards, as well: in 1915, the Gold Medal at the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California; and in 1926, the Gold Medal at the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Palmer's style fell out of popularity and was replaced by a movement to teach children manuscript before teaching them cursive, in order to provide them with a means of written expression as soon as possible and thus develop writing skills. Students would switch to cursive later on. This effectively reduced the emphasis on handwriting in elementary school and is sometimes said to have been responsible for a decrease in the overall legibility of modern American handwriting.

The style is now experiencing renewed attention, both from people interested in improving handwriting for themselves, and for those working with facilitated handwriting for the disabled. As the Palmer method has a focus on shoulder and arm movements, it is helpful for many with limited movement of the fingers.

References

• Thornton, Tamara Plakins. Handwriting in America. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-300-06477-2
• Gard, Caroll. Writing Past and Present. New York: A. N. Palmer Company, 1937 ISBN none
• A. N. Palmer

External links

• The Palmer Method of Business Writing Scanned images of the 1935 edition of A.N. Palmer's handwriting textbook
• Image of Palmer-style handwriting: http://www.nystamp.org/Ink29.jpg