Palmer Method

The Palmer Method of penmanship instruction was promoted by Austin Palmer in the early 1900's and soon became the most popular handwriting system in the United States. Under it, students were taught to copy a uniform style of cursive writing with rhythmic motions. Left-handers were made to use their right hands.

Palmer's style fell out of popularity and was replaced by a movement to teach children manuscript before teaching them cursive, in order to provide them with a means of written expression as soon as possible and thus develop writing skills. Students would switch to cursive later on. This effectively reduced the emphasis on handwriting in elementary school and is sometimes said to have been responsible for a decrease in the overall legibility of modern American handwriting.

Reference

• Thornton, Tamara Plakins. Handwriting in America. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-30-006477-2