On Monday, July 9, 2018 at 12:05:10 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> They are doing this so Gary sees no more turtles suffering from them
>
> https://www.npr.org/2018/07/09/62722...plastic-straws
> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...709-story.html
> Though plastic drinking straws have become one of the more high-profile
> issues environmentally, they make up only about 4% of the plastic trash
> by number of pieces, and far less by weight. Straws add up to about
> 2,000 tons of the nearly 9 million tons of plastic waste that ends up in
> waters around the globe each year.

Gotta start somewhere. Straws are, in the main, unnecessary. Might
as well eliminate them. People who need to sip their latte through
a straw will just have to bring one with.

Cindy Hamilton

On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 09:48:19 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

>On Monday, July 9, 2018 at 12:05:10 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> They are doing this so Gary sees no more turtles suffering from them
>>
>> https://www.npr.org/2018/07/09/62722...plastic-straws
>> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...709-story.html
>> Though plastic drinking straws have become one of the more high-profile
>> issues environmentally, they make up only about 4% of the plastic trash
>> by number of pieces, and far less by weight. Straws add up to about
>> 2,000 tons of the nearly 9 million tons of plastic waste that ends up in
>> waters around the globe each year.
>
>Gotta start somewhere. Straws are, in the main, unnecessary. Might
>as well eliminate them. People who need to sip their latte through
>a straw will just have to bring one with.
>
>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

wrote:
> On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 09:48:19 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> > wrote:
>
>> On Monday, July 9, 2018 at 12:05:10 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> They are doing this so Gary sees no more turtles suffering from them
>>>
>>> https://www.npr.org/2018/07/09/62722...plastic-straws
>>> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...709-story.html
>>> Though plastic drinking straws have become one of the more high-profile
>>> issues environmentally, they make up only about 4% of the plastic trash
>>> by number of pieces, and far less by weight. Straws add up to about
>>> 2,000 tons of the nearly 9 million tons of plastic waste that ends up in
>>> waters around the globe each year.
>>
>> Gotta start somewhere. Straws are, in the main, unnecessary. Might
>> as well eliminate them. People who need to sip their latte through
>> a straw will just have to bring one with.
>>
>> 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
>

I bet yoose ate with yoose hands back in the good ole days Popeye.

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.

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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.

On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:59:32 -0400, 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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
>were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
>fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
>cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
>messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.

I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
'smart'
Janet US

On 2018-07-10 4:50 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:59:32 -0400, 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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
>> were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
>> fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
>> cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
>> messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.
>
> I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
> kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
> 'smart'
> Janet US
>
I have the Parker fountain pen my Mother bought for me when I passed the
11+ exam to go to grammar school. I also have a bottle of ink that is
over 50 years old and is still OK.

U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:59:32 -0400, 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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
>> were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
>> fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
>> cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
>> messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.
>
> I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
> kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
> 'smart'
> Janet US
>

Bet yoose can't guess what popeye filled his with!

On 7/10/2018 4:50 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:

> I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
> kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
> 'smart'

Still a lot of us, around. Shelly is not the only fountain-pen
aficionado. I'm currently learning copperplate using dip pens.

I'm learning basic calligraphy cuz they stopped teaching kids in CA (my
GD's!) "cursive" which I learned in grade school! Weather, or not, I
can convince my GD's to learn SOME form of cursive remains to be seen. 8|

nb

On 7/10/2018 8:13 PM, notbob wrote:
> On 7/10/2018 4:50 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>
>> I loved having a fountain pen.Â* I had no need for it for school but
>> kept one anyway.Â* I always filled it with peacock blue ink.Â* I felt so
>> 'smart'
>
> Still a lot of us, around.Â* Shelly is not the only fountain-pen
> aficionado.Â* I'm currently learning copperplate using dip pens.Â*
>
> I'm learning basic calligraphy cuz they stopped teaching kids in CA (my
> GD's!) "cursive" which I learned in grade school!Â* Weather, or not, I
> can convince my GD's to learn SOME form of cursive remains to be seen.Â* 8|
>
> nb
>
Copperplate? Sounds like you're teaching them to etch in metal with a
hot electric engraving tool.

Seriously, you don't have to learn calligraphy or use a fountain pen
(they are fun, though!) to teach your grandaughters to write in cursive.

Is there a reason given they've stopped teaching cursive? I'm guessing
it has something to do with computers, email and texting and oh, no need
for writing letters in a fancy hand anymore. Sad but true.

I do still send hand written letters or cards occasionally. But they
don't have to be perfect. Because of my mish-mash of schools my
penmanship evolved into a half cursive/half print. I'm not worried
about it being pretty. It's legible.

Jill

On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:50:12 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:59:32 -0400, 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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
>>were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
>>fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
>>cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
>>messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.
>
>I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
>kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
>'smart'
>Janet US

Penmart collects fountain pens, I have hundreds. I like several inks,
I like Mont Blanc emerald green best.
http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/colle...tle-50-ml.html

On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 23:22:17 GMT, "l not -l" > wrote:

>
>On 10-Jul-2018, U.S. Janet B. > wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:59:32 -0400, 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. When the first ballpoints arrived (Ballerina) they
>> >were much less expensive than fountain pens. The least expensive
>> >fountain pens then cost about $4, Esterbrook. The first ballpoints
>> >cost about 25¢, however they were not yet perfected, they were very
>> >messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.
>>
>> I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
>> kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
>> 'smart'
>Sheaffer Peacock Blue is my favorite ink;; when Sheaffer moved production to
>Slovenia and changed the formula and well bottle, I bought a lifetime supply
>of the old stock. Peackock, Noodler's Legal Lapis (permanent on paper, good
>for check writing) and Waterman's Florida Blue are the only inks I use; but
>Peacock is my favorite among them.

and my desk drawer has the ink stains to show for it )
Janet US

On 2018-07-10 7:45 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 23:22:17 GMT, "l not -l" > wrote:

>>> I loved having a fountain pen. I had no need for it for school but
>>> kept one anyway. I always filled it with peacock blue ink. I felt so
>>> 'smart'
>> Sheaffer Peacock Blue is my favorite ink;; when Sheaffer moved production to
>> Slovenia and changed the formula and well bottle, I bought a lifetime supply
>> of the old stock. Peackock, Noodler's Legal Lapis (permanent on paper, good
>> for check writing) and Waterman's Florida Blue are the only inks I use; but
>> Peacock is my favorite among them.
>
> and my desk drawer has the ink stains to show for it )

I was just thinking about the stereotypical nerd wear of the 40s and
early 70s.... the pocket protector.

On 7/10/2018 7:22 PM, l not -l wrote:

> Sheaffer Peacock Blue is my favorite ink;; when Sheaffer moved production to
> Slovenia and changed the formula and well bottle, I bought a lifetime supply
> of the old stock. Peackock, Noodler's Legal Lapis (permanent on paper, good
> for check writing) and Waterman's Florida Blue are the only inks I use; but
> Peacock is my favorite among them.
>

I like Peacock too. I have little reason to write any more though. I
still write an occasional letter to a friend, but mostly email. I sign
maybe a dozen checks off the printer in a year.

On 7/10/2018 2:59 PM, wrote:

> they were very
> messy as they leaked and their greasy ink took forever to dry.

Sounds like late 60's Bic ballpoints (the cheapo yellow one's)

Sure, they wrote "first time, every time", but they began "clumping" (my
word) or "blobbing" (look it up!), after about a week. Hadda toss 'em,
after they reached that point.

nb

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.

Cindy Hamilton

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 5:37:51 AM UTC-5, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> On Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 4:59:41 PM UTC-4, Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > 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.
>
> Cindy Hamilton
>
>
Same here. Fountains were not used until junior high and only for book
reports and such.

On 7/11/2018 11:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
> to write cursive with a pencil.
>
As did I.
We started to use dip pens after learning cursive, then we were allowed
to use fountain pens. None of my classes allowed ball-points.

On 2018-07-11 6:41 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
> On 7/11/2018 11:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
>> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me.Â* I learned
>> to write cursive with a pencil.
>>
> As did I.
> We started to use dip pens after learning cursive, then we were allowed
> to use fountain pens. None of my classes allowed ball-points.
>
Same here. Cursive was initially taught when we used chalk and small
blackboards in my village school.

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 8:41:11 AM UTC-4, S Viemeister wrote:
> On 7/11/2018 11:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> > Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
> > to write cursive with a pencil.
> >
> As did I.
> We started to use dip pens after learning cursive, then we were allowed
> to use fountain pens. None of my classes allowed ball-points.

I'm an infant of 61. It was all ball points for us. As a lefty,
I've never been able to use a fountain pen. Not amenable to being
pushed across the page, and my hand drags through the ink.

Cindy Hamilton

S Viemeister wrote:
>
> On 7/11/2018 11:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> > Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
> > to write cursive with a pencil.
> >
> As did I.
> We started to use dip pens after learning cursive, then we were allowed
> to use fountain pens. None of my classes allowed ball-points.

gasp! older than old people still hanging on to life here in
RFC.

On 2018-07-11 6:41 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
> On 7/11/2018 11:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
>> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me.Â* I learned
>> to write cursive with a pencil.
>>
> As did I.
> We started to use dip pens after learning cursive, then we were allowed
> to use fountain pens. None of my classes allowed ball-points.
>
Furthermore, we were taught how to hold a pen or pencil. Some of the
cumbersome ways kids handle them these days is testimony to falling
standards.

On 2018-07-11 6:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> 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.


I was referring only to the use of pens and I think I may have used the
wrong term, calling them stick pens when they are actually dip pens.
IIRC we learned to write with pencils first and then progressed to pens.
We had to learn to write with a dip pen first. That meant having to
dip the tip into an ink pot every few words and to blot it dry so the
ink didn't run and smear.

After we learned how to use dip pens we could use fountain pens. They
were typically loaded from the ink pot in the desk. Cartridges soon
became available, and in different colours. Peacock blue was always
popular with students but not with teachers.

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 7:50:54 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> I was referring only to the use of pens and I think I may have used the
> wrong term, calling them stick pens when they are actually dip pens.
> IIRC we learned to write with pencils first and then progressed to pens.
> We had to learn to write with a dip pen first. That meant having to
> dip the tip into an ink pot every few words and to blot it dry so the
> ink didn't run and smear.
>
> After we learned how to use dip pens we could use fountain pens. They
> were typically loaded from the ink pot in the desk. Cartridges soon
> became available, and in different colours. Peacock blue was always
> popular with students but not with teachers.
>
>
To be honest, I don't think they would have allowed open ink pots in
any classroom when I was child, even all the way to senior high school.
Ruined clothes, ink fights, spilled ink on the floor. Nope, definitely
no open ink pots in a classroom.

I've never anyone write with a dipped pen except on TV. It looks messy
as hell and slow and tedious with all the blotting.

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> We had to learn to write with a dip pen first. That meant having to
> dip the tip into an ink pot every few words and to blot it dry so the
> ink didn't run and smear.
>
> After we learned how to use dip pens we could use fountain pens. They
> were typically loaded from the ink pot in the desk. Cartridges soon
> became available,

Dude. I thought you were younger than me but you are talking 19th
century nonsense, imo.
I just turned 65 12 days ago and none of that applied when I was
in school. Always pencils and ballpoint pens for my time. Except:
an option was to use a cartridge pen. I tried that for a time
only because I thought it was kind of cool. Sharp and scratchy
and wet ink though so I didn't use that much.

Pens "loaded from the ink pot in the desk?"
Are you Ben Franklin?
Or maybe grew up in a little house on the prairie?



Did you start out young, using a feather with an ink well?

On Wed, 11 Jul 2018 03:37:47 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

>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.
>
>Cindy Hamilton


We learned printing with a pencil. Our desks had a built-in inkwell.
We began learning cursive with a dip pen but then switched to
fountainpens as we were able to buy one, $4 for a fountainpen was a
lot for most 3rd graders in 1950.

"Cindy Hamilton" > wrote in message
...
> 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.
>
> Cindy Hamilton


Same here, a pencil.

Cheri

On 7/11/2018 9:17 AM, Cheri wrote:
> "Cindy Hamilton" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me.* I learned
>> to write cursive with a pencil.
>>
>> Cindy Hamilton
>
>
> Same here, a pencil.
>
> Cheri

What about those big fat pencils they gave us in Kindergarten? I didn't
think about it at the time because I didn't know any better. In
hindsight it seems like they must be harder for little fingers to hold
correctly. <shrug>

Jill

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
> to write cursive with a pencil.

I'm actually stunned that people here claim they don't teach kids
cursive now. Is that true? I find it hard to believe but I can
check with my daughter about this. I have 2 grandchildren in
elementary school.

I've also heard that they teach limited math now too since
everyone has calculators of some sort so no need to learn the
basics?

On 2018-07-11 11:49 AM, Gary wrote:
> Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>
>> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
>> to write cursive with a pencil.
>
> I'm actually stunned that people here claim they don't teach kids
> cursive now. Is that true? I find it hard to believe but I can
> check with my daughter about this. I have 2 grandchildren in
> elementary school.

I just Googled it and it seems that cursive is no longer on the
curriculum here in Ontario, or most of the rest of Canada. It can be
taught at the discretion of teachers, but only about 40% of schools were
teaching it as of three years ago.


> I've also heard that they teach limited math now too since
> everyone has calculators of some sort so no need to learn the
> basics?

I don't know if there is any truth to that. They are still teaching the
basics here. Calculators are certainly helpful in higher levels. I had
to take statistics and probability courses at university in the early
70s when calculators were extremely expensive. A pocket calculator that
would add, subtract, multiply and divide was about $250, and those that
had memory banks were a lot more. Working out even the simplest
formulae involved squaring and figuring out square roots. The mechanics
of all the calculations was overwhelming and interfered with learning.
By my second here the department had set up a calculator room where we
could do the math.

On 7/11/2018 9:49 AM, Gary wrote:

> I'm actually stunned that people here claim they don't teach kids
> cursive now. Is that true?

Yes.

In NorCal, they stopped teaching it years ago. Neither of my
granddaughters knows how to write in cursive and my oldest GD jes
graduated high school! 8|

nb

"Gary" > wrote in message ...
> Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>
>> Things must have changed in the generation between you and me. I learned
>> to write cursive with a pencil.
>
> I'm actually stunned that people here claim they don't teach kids
> cursive now. Is that true? I find it hard to believe but I can
> check with my daughter about this. I have 2 grandchildren in
> elementary school.


Yes, it is true where I am.

Cheri

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 10:49:30 AM UTC-5, Gary wrote:
>
> I'm actually stunned that people here claim they don't teach kids
> cursive now. Is that true? I find it hard to believe but I can
> check with my daughter about this. I have 2 grandchildren in
> elementary school.
>
I was getting my drivers license renewed two years ago and there was a
woman sitting there with her about 20 year old grandson. They were
talking and something was said about cursive writing and he said he had
a hard reading anyone's cursive writing as it was not taught in school.
He was only taught how to print.
>
> I've also heard that they teach limited math now too since
> everyone has calculators of some sort so no need to learn the
> basics?
>
My two youngest nephews are being home schooled and are home schooled
all year long. Their cousins have been with them while they are out of
public school and one is having a bit of math problems. One was taught
when she needed to count something it should written out such as to add
12 + 5 it should written as 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1. Then she
was to count all those ones to come up with her answer.

No wonder American kids are becoming so stupid. Sister-in-law is
correcting that **** poor teaching method as she's teaching her sons
math she's working on that cousin's math skills as well.

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

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 7:08:28 PM UTC-5, Janet wrote:
>
> 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
>
>
I guess each country, province/state all had their ways of introducing us
to cursive writing. I was introduced to it in the third grade and re-
member the lined paper but no dip pens, ink wells, sand trays, or slate.

On 7/11/2018 6:37 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:

>>
>> 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.
>
> Cindy Hamilton
>

Same here. I think it was fourth grade when we started with fountain
pens, ball points were rare then. I was in 5th grade when my mother
bought a PaperMate pen and let me write with it and my handwriting
improved. That was about 1955.

Sheldon, I remember those nasty paper straws and wooden spoons too, they were so gross. The paper would stick to your lips and collapse almost instantly, and the wooden spoons, which are still around, feel like sandpaper on your tongue. Someone has to invent a biodegradable straw.

Denise in NH.

wrote:
>
> and the wooden spoons, which are still around, feel like sandpaper on your tongue.
> Denise in NH.

Those wooden spoons always came with a tiny cup of ice cream. I
remember those.

On 2018-07-10 9:01 AM, Gary wrote:
> wrote:
>>
>> and the wooden spoons, which are still around, feel like sandpaper on your tongue.
>> Denise in NH.
>
> Those wooden spoons always came with a tiny cup of ice cream. I
> remember those.
>
But you have to cut down trees to make them. It will never end!

graham wrote:
>
> On 2018-07-10 9:01 AM, Gary wrote:
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> and the wooden spoons, which are still around, feel like sandpaper on your tongue.
> >> Denise in NH.
> >
> > Those wooden spoons always came with a tiny cup of ice cream. I
> > remember those.
> >
> But you have to cut down trees to make them. It will never end!

Only real solution to saving the earth and our enviroment is to
eliminate all humans. WE are the ones causing almost all the
problems on this planet. The dinosaurs came and went. Perhaps
it's time to retire the human race now. Good riddance to all.