I don't remember exactly what grade I was in when my class went from printing to what we called "real writing".  That style of writing is also known as cursive but I guess in Mississippi public schools in the late 1960's we had our own terms for things.

There is a concern that cursive writing is going the way of video tapes, lawn darts, and honest politicians. Many feel that the ability to communicate in a cursive hand is about to become extinct. However, if the certain lawmakers in Louisiana have their way future generations will be wondering just as I did, why the letter Q in cursive looks so strange.

Thursday a bill that would mandate Louisiana students be taught and master cursive writing the third grade passed unanimously through the Senate Education Committee. Senator Beth Mizell of Franklinton authored the bill and explained to the Louisiana Radio Network why she felt the ability to read and write a cursive text was so important.

I’m hearing consistently now that students have no signature. They ask what does that word signature mean. They print their name or sometimes write an X.

Mizell went on to explain her thoughts about why cursive writing has fallen out of favor through the past few years. She blames modern technology. People very seldom write with pen and paper anymore. Almost all written communication has moved on to e-mail, electronic tablets and computers so the need for handwriting has been minimized.

Most of the documents we have certainly can be put into text on a computer to be read, but I know there are family letters that people hold dear that they want their children to be able to read.

I must admit I agree. There is something endearing about a handwritten note. Nobody ever wrote a song about " Love E-mails in the Sand" or " The Text that Johnny Walker Read".  Does cursive have to be the primary means of communication? No, it doesn't. But it is nice to know, especially if the power ever goes out.

The legislation will now move to the full Senate for further debate.

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