Handwriting in the 21st Century - Or why some Brits bemoan the death of culture

The BBC reports today on the important topic of how the teaching of handwriting is being neglected in modern schools (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7262873.stm). This, it seems, is the real cause behind most of our world problems, connected it would seem to the intellectual fuzziness which now envelops the modern world, and the children thereof.

Now, I'm fairly certain that there are not a whole lot of textbooks, newspapers, magazines, music books, billboards, traffic signs, instruction manuals, web pages, or the like which are written out longhand. That is why I questioned my children's teachers a few years back when they were insisting that my children would learn faster and be better students if they learned a sort of half-script half-text amalgam called "D'Nealian Script" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D). I also seriously doubt that learning to carefully sculpt one's characters is either the only, or even necessarily the best method by which to help children practice their legitimately important small motor skills. In fact, there are a number of other possibilities (sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting, weaving, typing, and so many more) which I recall from my school days as all being included in my education.

Of course, I personally have lousy, ugly handwriting, so I am almost certainly biased on the topic. Had I learned better handwriting as a child I might well not be saddled by the intellectual limitations which now hamper my ability to express myself. No doubt my brain is simply overwhelmed by the task of typing on this keyboard since I cannot adequately frame my thoughts.

While they are at it, they probably need to re institute other essential skills training in order to prepare youth for life in the twenty-first century. Equestrian skills are sadly lacking in modern youth. How do they ever expect to see life outside their own village if they cannot even ride their horse to the next? And how do they expect to defend their home and country without adequate practice with the longbow and sword? I could go on, but you've already gotten the point.