FoodBanter.com - View Single Post

Janet

In article >,
says...
>
> On Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 4:59:41 PM UTC-4, Sheldon wrote:
> > On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 22:49:29 -0400, Dave Smith
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >On 2018-07-09 6:29 PM, wrote:
> > >> On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 09:48:19 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> > >>
> > >> I grew up with paper straws and wooden ice cream spoons, never saw
> > >> plastic til the 6o's. I never saw plastic ball point pens until the
> > >> late 50s
> > >
> > >Ball point pens were slow off the start and were very expensive in the
> > >1950s. When I was in elementary school we had to learn to write with
> > >stick pens. Once we demonstrated mastery of that we could use fountain
> > >pens, and we used them right through high school. By the time I got to
> > >university Bic pens were cheap.
> >
> > Just the opposite in the US, we learned to write long hand with
> > fountain pens.
>
> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
> to write cursive with a pencil.

We were taught to write alphabet letters on a sand tray; then write
them on a slate with chalk, and finally write them in pencil on paper.
The paper was lined and each letter had to fit between lines in a
uniform size. When we had got the hang of that, we were thrilled to be
issued with dip pens, a piece of blotting paper and an inkwell each,
filled with ink (the inkwells were brought round on a tray, and each
desk had a hole to put one in.) We often blotted our work until we
learned to control the nib. Then we were taught, in ink, what we all
called "joined up writing
At the end of each writing lesson the inkwells were collected up again.
The ink in them, was made by mixing powder with water in a jug. It smelt
terrible.

Only when we had mastered cursive writing with a dip pen, were we
allowed to use a fountain pen.It was a proud day when the teacher wrote
in your handwriting excercise book "You may bring a fountain pen to
school."

I still use a fountain pen to sign typed letters and personal cards.

Janet UK