The lost art of handwriting

I have a question: when was the last time you wrote something by hand?

For me, it was about two weeks ago.

A longtime subscriber sent a letter to me at the office, with a request to get it to a writer that contributes to the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch.

You see, this subscriber does not use email and the only contact information she could find was an email address. So, she asked for me to get the letter to the writer, which I did.

Being ever so gracious, the writer handwrote a response and sent it to me to get back to the subscriber. I combined the writer’s letter with a letter of my own and sent both back to the subscriber the “old fashioned” way — with an envelope and a stamp.

This is not the only time I have faced with the lost art of handwriting recently. Over the weekend, a friend and I watched the 1988 Bette Midler movie, “Beaches,” which some of you may remember centers around a pair of friends in the 1980s that became pen pals as children and then, a lifelong friendship ensues.

This got me thinking again about handwriting.

Looking back in history, the ancient Romans are considered to be some of the first to develop a written script for bookkeeping. However, according to History.com, after the Roman Empire fell, penmanship became a specialized discipline.

Following the development of the printing press in the 1430, the study of penmanship became more popular as elegant handwriting became a status symbol.

Quill pens gave way to fountain pens in the early 18th century, which would often spill and leak, according to the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association. The design was improved by an insurance salesman in 1884.

This was furthered by the invention of the ballpoint pen in 1938, which was simple to use and affordable for many consumers.

With the advent of typewriters and, later, computers, the prevalence of handwriting has continued to decrease over time.

Now, listen, I love computers as much as the next person and in my profession I recognize the importance of technology. But I would be lying if I said that I don’t fantasize about the days where majority of my time was not taken up by a screen.

To that end, I love a handwritten list. Yes, I have my online planners and trackers, but when it comes right down to it and I’m stressed about all of the things I need to do, give me a piece of paper and a colorful pen and my brain is much happier.

I also love to send and receive handwritten notes. Something about it just feels more personal and intentional. Truthfully, if I could’ve written this column by hand, I would have really enjoyed that.

So, I want to ask again: when was the last time you wrote something by hand? If you can’t remember, I encourage you to find a good pen and some paper and try it out. You might just make someone’s day.

Kontnier is the publisher of the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. She can be reached at [email protected]