Page:Theory and Practice of Handwriting.djvu/140

122 “From the correct attitude of body follows also a greater distance of the eyes from the writing. The pupils wrote throughout–some very short-sighted ones excepted–with the normal distance of the eyes from the Copybook, several indeed with more than the normal distance.

“The transition from the Sloping Writing, which had been practised for four years, to Vertical Writing involved no kind of difficulty to the children, either in regard to posture of body or in technical respects.

“As regards faultless posture and beauty of Writing, all the pupils yielded thoroughly satisfactorily and indeed often surprising results. In a short time most of the Vertical Writing children made twice as great improvement in their Writing, a large number even four times as great.

“On comparing a Copybook in which the Writing is at first Sloping and afterwards Vertical, it could be seen with satisfaction what an incomparably more favourable impression Vertical Writing made on the beholder in contradistinction to Sloping Writing.

“In respect to rapidity of production too I have met with no difficulty of any kind as regards keeping the lines parallel to the edge of the desk and maintaining the correct attitude. Indeed in Writing Competitions undertaken for the purpose of putting the question to the test of experiment, many of the Sloping Writing children fell behind those who wrote Vertically.

“In respect of clearness and legibility, and therefore beauty of Writing, specimens of Sloping and Vertical Caligraphy and rapid Writing show a very significant difference, decisively in favour of Vertical Writing.

“Finally it should be remembered too, that School Discipline finds a great support in Vertical Writing, because it renders possible a better and easier supervision of the children in the Writing lesson. “. 2em