Length of lesson: Twenty minutes daily, three to five times per week. The material, distribution of time to subject matter, heading and samples may profitably be the same as for the fifth grade.
EIGHTH GRADE
It now remains for the eighth grade teacher to receive the pupils who have been for the last seven years building among other useful habits the penmanship structure. The writing is perhaps one of the first subjects to be criticized or commented upon when the class is promoted. The evidence will be plainly for or against it.
It is a common occurrence for a piano pupil after discontinuing practice to refuse to perform. An athlete out of practice is an awkward figure when getting back into form. Therefore, as penmanship is applied physical training it is not surprising that pupils who do not keep up practice to a reasonable extent soon lose skill. If the daily practice must be application to other subjects, and not drill work, great care should be exercised to make conditions favorable for the retention of the correct penmanship habit.
It should be the privilege and duty of the pupils of this grade so far as possible to place all problems, etc., on the board for the teacher. Pupils of this age should be given every opportunity to use their good penmanship in any and all kinds of clerical work. They like to feel that they are helpful, and this spirit should be fostered. It is a saving of the teacher’s time and strength, and impresses pupils with the practical value of good writing.
As these pupils pass through the junior high school, the senior high school, commercial colleges or universities and out into the actual business world, they will take on that individuality in penmanship which suits best. The appearance of their writing will be considerably modified owing to the different conditions under which each one performs his tasks. This is a matter of minor importance.
The important question for each teacher and each pupil to answer in the affirmative is this: Is the writing habit acquired in the grades the correct one? The crown of all the efforts should be an energy and time saving manner of writing that will be entirely readable.
Aim: To develop relaxation, correct posture, easy movement, sufficient speed to prevent finger movement and to apply these fundamental principles to all written exercises. Grade “Failure” unless movement is applied as indicated above. Attain a speed of one hundred letters in words and sentences.
Length of lesson: See seventh grade.
The material, distribution of time to subject matter, heading and samples may profitably be the same as for the three preceding grades.