Script & Scribble * Kitty Burns Florey

Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting

Steeped in the Palmer Method of Handwriting she learned in Catholic school, Kitty Burns Florey is a self-confessed “penmanship nut” who loves the act of taking pen to paper. So when she discovered that schools today forego handwriting drills in favor of teaching something called keyboarding, she was shocked.

The idea that such a vital, simple, and frequently beautiful skill could be lost to future generations inspired her to investigate the history of writing by hand and its place in our increasingly electronic society. The result is Script & Scribble - a charming, fascinating exploration of the many facets of handwriting. 

Weaving together the history of writing implements and scripts, pen collecting societies, the golden age of American penmanship, the growth in popularity of 'graphology' - handwriting analysis - and the many aficionados who still prefer scribbling on paper to tapping on keys, Florey poses the question: Is it true that writing by hand is no longer necessary in today’s busy world? 

First Melville House Printing January 2009