Want A Signature? Or maybe want to be able to read your parents’ or grandparents’ letters? How about reading historical documents written in cursive?

If you are grade 4 thru young adult age who has never leaned cursive handwriting, you can learn the basics of writing cursive on Sunday, November 24, 2-4pm at Rose Historical Society, 5016 Main Street, North Rose NY.

The instructor is Lucinda Collier, former 4th grade teacher at North Rose- Wolcott School. Table space is limited to 12 people. Pre-registration is required! Text “Cursive 101” and your name to 315-729-4647. This event is a cooperation of Rose Historical Society and Wayne County NY Historian Jane Milem.

Promoting learning cursive is one of the projects of the Wayne County NY Historian. Schools encourage use of primary sources in classrooms, and knowing how to read cursive is a definite advantage with pre-typewriter documents! Commercial printing, books, and newspapers are available in all of United States history. Individual documents of transactions, example - land records, were usually handwritten entirely or handwritten on printed forms. And usually cursive handwriting.

Hopefully there will be more “Cursive 101” classes in various places, and perhaps a Cursive handwriting contest. Clarkson Historical Society in Monroe County has developed a strong program teaching cursive. Their activities have inspired Wayne County Historian to start programs in Wayne County.

by Jane Milem, Historian