WM Baron
"Like a speakers accent, handwriting was used to pinpoint a writers social place" (Baron 58)
"...the goal wasn't to teach composition-where conformity is hardly a virtue, but rather the technical skill of copy-writing." (Baron 59)
This interesting, although brief, essay explores the history of penmanship within US. Originally students were taught to copy, as oppose to our modern day composition classes (see quote above). Baron also makes note that handwriting was a means of seperating classes, and briefly shows the difference between the text of the intellectuals and that of the businessman. This article was fascinating in that it showed the historical importance of handwriting, and how it was not only a means of self expression, but also was (and is) useful within commerce and social classifications.
I feel that good handwriting is was separates the wise from the idiot. A good handwritten piece of work is valued to an extent; whereas a document that does not offer good handwriting exemplifies that the person is not well educated and does not have the talents to write well.