Penmanship was always my favorite class. There was a fountain pen and a bottle of Skrip ink, usually black. The ink bottle had a little curved shelf on its inside where the ink could gather. Put the nib of the fountain pen in and suck the ink with a lever on the side of the pen. All this while sitting at a wood desk placed in rows by Mrs. Manocchio, my fifth grade teacher.
Trying to keep the ink between the lines of the paper, I made continuous circles round and round practicing to hold the pen in comfort, to get use to the flow of the nib. Prepare the hand to loop and turn and form letters, then words, a complete sentence and the ultimate paragraph. I was learning cursive writing with just the right slant and height of the i, dotted in just the right place between the lines, forming the perfect penmanship.
recall school days
labored for words on paper
ink dot on the snow
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dVerse prompt on handwriting which is becoming a lost art
wordshophop 
Penmanship – sounds so much better than just writing, Jane, something to aspire to. I enjoyed your description of the ink bottle and how you filled the fountain pen – all still familiar yet so far back in the past. I love the ‘ink dot on the snow’
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I too learned penmanship this way. But my handwriting was always messy and hurried and I frequently became bored with the repetitive exercises. I love how you describe that bottle of ink and filling up your pen. When I do write nowadays, I still use a fountain pen and ink…peacock blue. I love the dot in the snow in your haiku as well.
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I only learned to write with pencil and then with ballpoint pen.. I love it.
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I learned to write with a pencil as I recall. I’ve never used a fountain pen although I did see someone fill one with that lever you mentioned. It seemed like a skill in itself.
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i loved reading about the intensity you put into learning to write. such a pretty haiku at the end. love the touch of winter snow.
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Pen and ink. Do you think today’s children can even envision such things? I enjoyed your memories!
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