Katie Couric's Notebook: Penmanship

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

Remember how frustrating those penmanship lessons were back in elementary school? That struggle to make all those graceful little loops and connect one letter to the next?

Well, writing in cursive is a dying art. It's usually introduced around third grade, but it's rarely reinforced after that - when keyboards and monitors replace pens and paper as primary writing tools.

I'm a proficient typist on my Blackberry and I understand the need for speed, but penmanship still has its place. A hand written thank you note means a lot more than a typed one. A love letter by E-mail isn't quite as romantic. And one by text? Fuhgettaboutit!

Experts say cursive is more natural than printing. It helps children strengthen hand muscles and improve their hand-eye coordination.

With fewer kids learning it, the writing is on the wall - but it needs to be back on a page of paper to keep the art of penmanship alive.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

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by wmotley1 October 28, 2009 6:54 PM EDT: Of course my talent does not lie in spell check!
I do deliver a mean Meals on Wheels...; Reply to this comment

by wmotley1 October 28, 2009 6:49 PM EDT

Ms Couric:

Got tired of Brian Williams breathless delivery of the news, Charles Gibson chuckling over ABC's censoring the Acorn story, "one for the cables" he dismissively said.
The there is Ms Couric who delivers the news in a steady, reassuring manner, even reporting recently on the censorship of Fox news and tonight, the selling of the White House.
Avery good step, CBS and Ms Couric. One more steady and new viewer.
Wayne

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by wmotley1 October 28, 2009 6:52 PM EDT: Mr Hamlett: ALl the news networks have a feel good story at the end of their broadcast. Good news is the norms. If you are looking for feel good stories try volunteering in your area for any multitude of organizations that could use your talents.
Wayne


by theonewluv October 24, 2009 9:55 AM EDT: The article by Katie is very timely. I agree on writing in cursive.
As one who has filled 27 Journals since my husband died of colon/liver cancer almost nine years ago,the act of writing in and by itself has been very therapeutic. On top if that I COLLECT pens of any kind--fountain pens have been my favorites since I was very young, in Europe.
To the person who complained on what Katie should report, I'd say--you obviously don't watch her Nightly Program .Of all the News sources one can choose, CBS has been and is, in my opinion, a very unbiased and objective News Organization and I appluade them for that. Thank you!; Reply to this comment


by shylove2 October 23, 2009 8:02 PM EDT: If we let kids do their writing on the walls we might have more luck... there is just too much time cursing to have much cursive but without it how will anyone mark their words...and if there are no marks nothing will be remarkable...the remarkable thing about marking your words is that if you hit the mark it hits the spot and if x marks the spot the x can be spotted.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw October 22, 2009 9:46 PM EDT: Fuhgettaboutit!; Reply to this comment

by pattyswan October 22, 2009 3:46 PM EDT

Katie Why don't you report on the 10,000 people who are losing their homes? No Jobs no home and H1N1 on the loose! I think it is horrible the media gives Balloon Boy and Celebrity"s news non stop..but real stories with real people NOBODY cares! You should start a series Real people real stories...Tell what's happening here in the US

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by kenhamlett October 22, 2009 4:19 PM EDT: Speaking from my own point of view, I think CBS has an abundance of bad news along with profiles of individuals being hurt.
However there is also room for good, funny, trivial or even inane stories. We sometimes need a break from the morbid.

For example, a story of Katie stopping by to teach me penmanship could keep people laughing for days. If an old fountain pen is used I could end up being sued by a very blue Katie.
See, there is room for the lighter side.


by wmotley1 October 28, 2009 7:11 PM EDT: Ms Swan:
I agree with you! Who hasn't watched celebrity news, including you.
But YOU control what you watch-that is the way we want it.One must self regulate their viewing habits (think remote)and not criticize the shows. Do you want censorship of anything that YOU do not want to see? For lazy people pushing that little button is just too much effort.
In the privacy of your home admit to yourself what you will not admit here-you watched Ballon Boy, etc.
Your Tv is not working if you do not think we have not had a steady input
of job losses, H1N1 stories,etc. How MUCH do you want?
If there were a 24 hour station dedicated to job loss/H1N1/Darfur,etc would do you want to watch?
Wendy