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The front view of the hand showing the position of the forefinger, which should rest squarely on the top of the holder.

Penmanship

The front view of the hand showing the position of the forefinger, which should rest squarely on the…

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

Penmanship Posture

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

Penmanship Posture

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

Penmanship Posture

The correct posture to sit in when writing.

An example of Native American picture writing. One interpretation: "The chiefs Black Wolf, Raven, Fast Bear, and Standing Bear hold a war council round the fire where grass was high. They dig up the hatchet, have plenty of arrows, and start on foot to a Cheyenne village (cut arm, Cheyenne sign) on Beaver Creek, where they expect to have a fight, and stampede the herd of fat ponies." —Scott, 1884

Picture Writing

An example of Native American picture writing. One interpretation: "The chiefs Black Wolf, Raven, Fast…

"Early Egyptian Pictures. Ploughing, breaking clods, and sowing."—Gordy, 1912

Early Egyptian Pictures

"Early Egyptian Pictures. Ploughing, breaking clods, and sowing."—Gordy, 1912

The pen should be held positioning for strokes to move downwards with a steady, even motion and uniform pressure on the paper.

Position for Lettering

The pen should be held positioning for strokes to move downwards with a steady, even motion and uniform…

Lettering is the process of forming letters, numerals, and other characters in technical drawings.

Position for Lettering

Lettering is the process of forming letters, numerals, and other characters in technical drawings.

"It (pen) should be held easily, in the position as illustrated, the strokes drawn with a steady, even motion and a slight uniform pressure on the paper, not enough to spread the nibs of the pen." —French, 1911

Side View of Position for Lettering Using Pen

"It (pen) should be held easily, in the position as illustrated, the strokes drawn with a steady, even…

"For the first practice draw in pencil top and bottom guide lines for 3/16" letters and with a 516 F or similar pen make directly in ink a series of vertical lines, drawing the pen down with a finger movement. This one stroke must be practised until the beginner can get lines vertical and of equal weight." —French, 1911

Top View of Position for Lettering Using Pen

"For the first practice draw in pencil top and bottom guide lines for 3/16" letters and with a 516 F…

"These strokes are the elements of which the single stroke letters are composed." —French, 1911

Pen Practice Strokes

"These strokes are the elements of which the single stroke letters are composed." —French, 1911

An illustration of a Pompeiian wall painting of school materials, including scrolls, books, writing utensils, coins, and purses. The illustration is divided into six sections.

Roman School Materials - Based on a Wall Painting from Pompeii

An illustration of a Pompeiian wall painting of school materials, including scrolls, books, writing…

A fragment of an Ancient Egyptian text, which provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The Rosetta Stone, Front View

A fragment of an Ancient Egyptian text, which provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian…

Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo in Africa, sits among various other clergy and teaches from his writings. He is dressed in a bishop's cassock. His head is surrounded by a halo. Some of the men surrounding him are holding books.

Saint Augustine of Hippo Teaches from His Writings

Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo in Africa, sits among various other clergy and teaches from his writings.…

Saint Luke writing the gospel accompanied by an ox.

Saint Luke Writing

Saint Luke writing the gospel accompanied by an ox.

A scroll used to present writing.

Scroll

A scroll used to present writing.

Beale's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Beale's system of shorthand

Beale's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Byrom's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Byrom's system of shorthand

Byrom's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Calendar's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Calendar's system of shorthand

Calendar's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Everett's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Everett's system of shorthand

Everett's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Gurney's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Gurney's system of shorthand

Gurney's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Janes' shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Janes' system of shorthand

Janes' shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Lyle's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Lyle's system of shorthand

Lyle's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Pitman's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Pitman's system of shorthand

Pitman's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Pocknell's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Pocknell's system of shorthand

Pocknell's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Rich's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Rich's system of shorthand

Rich's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Taylor's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Taylor's system of shorthand

Taylor's shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Towndrow's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Towndrow's system of shorthand

Towndrow's shorthand alphabet, based on the phonetic principle.

Willis' shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

Willis system of shorthand

Willis' shorthand alphabet, based on the orthographic principle.

"Found in 1868 at Dîbân, east of the Dead Sea. The monument records the victory of Mesha, king of Moab, over the united armies of Israel and Judah, about 850 B.C. The inscription, consisting of 34 lines, is one of the most ancient examples of Phoenician writing."—Webster, 1913

The Moabite Stone

"Found in 1868 at Dîbân, east of the Dead Sea. The monument records the victory of Mesha,…

This is a type writing table, originally designed to sit a typist at the right height for holding a perfect typing posture

Type Writer Table

This is a type writing table, originally designed to sit a typist at the right height for holding a…

A set of writing tablets.

Writing Tablets

A set of writing tablets.

Tablets used by children for writing exercises.

Writing Exercise Tablets

Tablets used by children for writing exercises.

An engraving of the playwright, Terence, printed at Lyons in 1493.

Terence

An engraving of the playwright, Terence, printed at Lyons in 1493.

A woman sitting at a desk, writing on parchment.

Woman Writing

A woman sitting at a desk, writing on parchment.

"A large tablet with linear script found in the palace at Gnossus, Crete. There are eight lines of writing with a total of about twenty words. Notice the upright lines which appear to mark the termination of each group of signs."—Webster, 1913

Cretan Writing

"A large tablet with linear script found in the palace at Gnossus, Crete. There are eight lines of writing…

"1, 'war' (Dakota Indian); 2, 'morning' (Ojibwa Indian); 3, 'nothing' (Ojibwa Indian); 4 and 5, 'to eat' (Indian, Mexican, Egyptian, etc)."—Webster, 1913

Examples of Picture Writing

"1, 'war' (Dakota Indian); 2, 'morning' (Ojibwa Indian); 3, 'nothing' (Ojibwa Indian); 4 and 5, 'to…

"Picture writing of the Tahltan, a British Columbia tribe. The drawing was done in charcoal on the blazed trunk of a tree. The meaning is: 'Using a raft, I shot three geese.'"—Webster, 1913

Indian Picture Writing

"Picture writing of the Tahltan, a British Columbia tribe. The drawing was done in charcoal on the blazed…