Story and museum photos by Grace Grogan
World Letter Writing Day, Sept. 1, was founded by Richard Simpkin in 2014 to pay tribute to the happiness of receiving a handwritten letter. Simpkin encourages children to step away from social media and handwrite a letter. The website WorldLetterWritingDay.com shares tips and information about the importance of handwriting for fine motor skills and includes details for making connections through the World Letter Writing Pen Pals Group.
History of handwritten letters
The first recorded letter (on paper, not a clay tablet) was handwritten by Queen Atossa of Prussia in 500 B.C. It wasn’t until April 4, 1889, that then U.S. President Benjamin Harrison sent the first typewritten letter from the White House. Technology makes handwriting unnecessary in many areas. However, one cannot read historical documents and letters without being familiar with cursive handwriting. That’s just one example of the importance of knowing how to read and write using cursive.
Today, many U.S. school systems emphasize keyboarding skills. They stopped teaching cursive handwriting, which went out of fashion in the 1980s. By 2010 only six states were teaching cursive. The impact of its loss became apparent. According to the National Education Association, 21 states now require cursive instruction.
In the work environment, I witnessed the impact of not learning cursive. In 2013 a new attorney, having completed four years of college plus three years of law school, could not decipher handwritten notes. His primary school district did not teach cursive. Educators believed everything would be computerized and cursive unnecessary when students graduated high school. This young attorney lacked basic penmanship skills and couldn’t read handwritten notes from co-workers and clients.
Our ancestors cherished written correspondence. They saved bundles of letters, re-reading them to maintain an emotional bond between themselves and the sender. When retrieving your mail, what catches your interest and makes you smile? Is it junk mail? The bills? Of course not! It is a handwritten envelope from someone you know that touches the heart.
Young people without cursive instruction will miss this pleasure, plus the ability to read historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. When I was visiting a history museum this summer, the first page of a Nov. 9, 1863, handwritten letter from a Civil War soldier to his father was on display. How many young people will glance over that exhibit, unable to read the cursive handwriting?
Handwrite letters on these special days
In addition to World Letter Writing Day, there are three other special times each year for recognizing the significance of cursive handwriting. Celebrate and restore this fading skill by connecting with others through these events. It is more personal than an email or a social media post. The recipient will appreciate the time you take writing the letter, addressing the envelope, applying postage and placing it in the mail.
National Letter Writing Day’s purpose is similar to World Letter Writing Day. Taking place every December 7, the idea is to set aside electronic communication and handwrite a letter. The origin of the day is unknown. One theory is it began in Japan, where there is a letter-writing week and a letter-writing day on the 23rd of every month.
National Handwriting Day was established by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association in 1977. It is observed every year on John Hancock’s birthday, January 23. Studies show children who take handwritten notes develop a better understanding of the subject matter. Teachers can have students honor the day by writing on paper with a pen or pencil.
National Card and Letter Writing Month was initiated by the U.S. Postal Service. Celebrated in April, it honors the significance of the mail service, especially the importance of mailing handwritten cards.
Celebrate all letter-writing days by sending a letter to an elderly relative, distant friend, deployed soldier, incarcerated person or grandchild. Children can participate by drawing pictures and signing their names or by writing short notes. A grandparent would be thrilled to receive a letter from their grandchild and will likely write back, beginning a tradition. How do I know? Because my love of letter writing began with sending letters to my grandparents, and they always wrote back.
Pen pals, postcards and paying it forward
When I was about 11 years old, I joined the International Pen Friends Group (ipfworld.com) still in existence today, with 300,000-plus members in 192 countries. At one time, I had around a dozen pen pals. My first pen pal, Waana, lives in New Zealand. She and I are still in contact via Facebook. I’m glad we’ve remained in touch.
Today I live and travel full time in an RV. I send handwritten notes on postcards to each grandchild and my adult children. Both families save the correspondence in postcard albums. The children like looking through them to see where I’ve been.
When writing your letter or card, explain how handwritten correspondence is at risk of becoming obsolete. Remind them how thrilling it is to receive a handwritten note instead of a text message or an email. Encourage them to “pay it forward” by surprising someone they know with a handwritten note. Send a letter to someone you love today!
Write and receive letters when you sign up to become a pen pal or receive a subscription to periodic letters.
Snail Mail Pen Pal Companies
International Pen Friends. 300,000+ members in 192 countries. ipfworld.com
Letter in the Post. Old-fashioned letter writing. letterinthepost.com
Global Penfriends. Find international friends. globalpenfriends.com
Geek Girl Pen Pals. Snail mail and letter writing. geekgirlpenpals.com
Michelle Houts’ 52 Letters in a Year Challenge. Ideas/tips for writing 52 letters/year. michellehouts.com/52-letters-in-a-year
The Letter Exchange. Newsletter subscription for snail-mail pen pal listings. letter-exchange.com
Snail Mail Letter Subscriptions
Snail Mail for Kids. Receive a letter in the mail every week. snailmailforkids.com
Suze’s Happy Mail Project. Snail mail sent to you at no cost. happymailproject.org
Letters from Afar. A monthly letter with handwritten illustrations. lettersafar.com
The Flower Letters. Two letters per month that tell a story. theflowerletters.com
Writings from the Wild. Monthly letters with illustrations, etc., about wild animals. writingsfromthewild.com
Grace Grogan is a freelance writer and photographer. She and her partner Paul roam the country in their 35-foot motorhome.
