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Learning To Write

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
We have a "Learning to count" thread and I think someone mentioned it would be nice to have a "Learning to write" thread, but can't find one on the Forum yet. So here goes. I learnt to write using a dipping pen, the basic school fountain pen that you dipped into an inkwell which was set into the desk. This was in the 1950s. I loved the process of learning to write. I loved forming the words and blotting the sentences with my little piece of blotting paper. I became a bit over zealous with the blotting and was told to ease off it by my teacher many, many times. But I just wanted to make sure it didn't smudge any of those carefully formed words. I remember going home with the tell-tale signs of ink on my fingers and felt terribly grown up about it, not wanting to wash it off. I still write letters to an elderly relation by hand today, although my hand writing isn't as good as it was. I put this down to the routine use of a keyboard these days, rather than a pen. Viv.
 
Hi Viviennel, I to learnt to write with a dipping pen. The blotting paper, the ink on my fingers and whoops my shirt collar thanks for the great memories.
 
Might be my age, or that I wasn't brought up in Brum, but i think my first efforts were on a slate with a slate pencil. afterwards it was a pen with ink in the inkpot, which was topped up daily. Perhaps that's why my handwriting has always been so awful !
 
I started with a slate too then moved to a dipping pen. Being a boy I was often making many blots. The result was a slap around the head or a ruler at the back of your legs or across the hand in front of the class. If the problem persisted, as it did with me, as a boy, you were made to sit next to a girl an use a pencil
 
Showing my age now, learnt to write using a slate and chalk, then progressed to the dipping pen with the inkwell part of the desk, if I remember right the ink was powder mixed with water, and I too used to have inky fingers at home time.

The next step was a fountain pen, how proud I was to have my first one, when the biro was introduced we were not allowed to use them.
 
I started school in 1935 and cannot remember a thing about it except the school was in Vicarage Road Aston, although if we had used slate and chalk I think I would have remembered that. Never had a a very good memory unfortunately. Eric
 
I can remember getting a slap at school for trying to use those old pens like darts.No wonder they were sratchy to write with !
 
I started with a slate, in 1961 then a pencil, everybody made excuses to use rotary pencil sharpener on the teachers desk. Then a bright pink blotter and a dipping pen in a ceramic inkwell, with a sliding brass cover later on that we used to flick to annoy teacher.We had an ink monitor. Then Dad was sent for, to examine my pen, (my excuse for all the blots,) I always got a hair in it. He couldn't find a hair (teacher must have cleaned it) so I and others was kept in till after dark. So up comes Nan at 5 o'clock banging on the window telling all the kids to go home. Teacher said, sit down Mrs er - I'd rather stand thank you, nan barked humping her bag upon her bosom like Les Dawson as Ada, That was the end of my detention aged 9. I had been the drinking straw monitor. Remember making a noise with the straw? Remember Humphreys? The Milk advert. Made mum by some expensive stripey straws.
 
Michael_Ingram said:
I started with a slate too then moved to a dipping pen. Being a boy I was often making many blots. The result was a slap around the head or a ruler at the back of your legs or across the hand in front of the class. If the problem persisted, as it did with me, as a boy, you were made to sit next to a girl an use a pencil
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I always wanted to sit by a girl as they smelt of fresh linen.I was made to sit on my own, disruptive they sad.So I stared out of the window till I got shouted at. Or slapped round the head. Nan came up the school again when that happened.
 
It's surprising how slate and chalk were still being used in the 1960s. It makes perfect sense too - definitely less messy than ink. I also remember the brass cover on the desk top that used to slide across the inkwell. And the double bench that lifted up when you stood up. One of my prized Christmas presents was a full set of Platinum writing implements. There was a fountain pen, retractable pencil and lots of colouring pencils. Sounds a bit odd to say that today, but I loved the set. Remember when cartridge pens came in? They seemed so convenient. Used those throughout all of my time in school - never allowed biros. Girls were always made to sit next to a boy - I used to pray that I would have to sit next to the boy 3 seats in front of me, but it never happened. Sob, sob..... Viv.
 
We used pencils and like Nico, everyone wanted to use the rotary pencil sharpener!
If we passed a writing test, we were allowed to use the school fountain pens - awful scratchy things - and had a precious sheet of pink blotting paper, god help you if you lost it!!!
Biros were around, but not used in school, until I went to Grammar school when you could use either a fountain pen or a biro - our fountain pens were cartridge ones by then, but I had a lovely Waterman fountain pen and pencil set, which used proper ink given to me by a neighbour, for passing my 11 plus. I still have it today, but the nib has deteriorated and I have never got round to replacing it. I have to admit, I love pens of any sort, when I started my training, I used to treat myself to a pen of some sort. Mom and dad got me a brushed steel Schaeffer cartridge pen that you could get purple ink cartridges for, and I used to use it for everything, snag was, at work, all the senior staff knew my notes by the ink colour.
And with all that I still haven't visited the pen museum :(
Sue
 
Also hoping to visit the pen museum one day Sue when I'm up there. To see something handwritten by an ancestor can make a document so special, especially if you never knew the person. And often the documents from the mid 1800s/early1900s contain writing that's beautifully formed. I suspect it's becoming less valued these days. Can't say I feel the same about anything that's produced by a pc. With all the choice of fonts now available, I still feel you can't beat a nicely crafted, handwritten letter. Viv.
 
No you can't beat a letter. I have a Tamworth cousin who writes to me on parchment type paper, with a calligraphy pen and a wax seal (I know!) He uses rich language and I have to look the words up. I liked calligraphy at school, and we used felt tips as well and put colours at the back of the black ink if you get my drift? Doing research we like the old documents. Copper plate writing was a trade. Kids should learn to write know. I have Nan's story book fromwhen she was 6, her granny inscribed it to her in red and black ink. The first letter of every story is big and elaborate.
 
I remember the double desks with the bench seat, used to sit on it turned up. To look bigger. Sometimes they put us in 3's.Used to bang the desk lids too and they sloped. Much better for writing. For art we sat in 6's in a square or we had proper easels. Hated using the dinner room for lessons it stank of old potatoes and stale water. They had coloured light tin drinking beakers like you have in a the fair to knock down with balls. Yuk. And the new floppy blackboards that went round the back. Ended up with white boards and marker pens and overhead projector the teacher could never get right.
Had a writing set too and loads of pens. Remember Spirograph? And Etch a Sketch?
 
Vivienne14 said:
Nico. Think it's in Frederick Street, Hockley. Might actually be called the Pen Room. Supposed to be well worth a visit. Viv.
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Thanks Viv. We have a small toy museum I have never yet seen it open.
I am told we have to go miles now for a dolls hospital. Poorly doll's eyes have fallen inside her head. She is bakelite I think. Nico
 
What a fantastic place. You are an oasis of knowledge Bernie. I wonder if it smells like an old library? They pulled our main one down, I loved it. The sliding ladders etc. It was relocated to the Locarno. That also had its own ballroom smell. Now as a library its hot and often full of smelly people.
I liked the old sound of the librarians stamp and date stamp on a book.
I like the smell of old churches too. Does anybody else? Visited many doing family research. There are some really beautiful unusual churches out there.When the Black Country museum first opened we went. The chemists shop and the reconstructed houses had nice smells too. Couldn't persuade Nan to come as her dad used to drink in the Bottle and Glass and Her former chapel was in there and she said it wouldn't feel right.
 
What did you children wear for school in the 50's. As I stared in 61 I may still qualify as not much changed like it does now. I had short trousers down to and over my knees, and itchy woollen tartan trews for the winter over the top which I took off. Gum boots. Home knit Balaclava and pullovers. Bracers. The famous snake belt. Duffle coats and gaberdine macs. Some kids had short trousers even in the snow. Remember the hot aches and the red knees?We wore shades of grey with brighter woollens and occasional blues. Often a cap. I had a tie on elastic and a dicky bow. Always a vest underneath, and airtex loose pants.Sandals in the summer and ankle socks. We were not fashion conscious then thank goodness. The really poor kids wore their pumps to school. How about you ladies?
 
Nico said:
What did you children wear for school in the 50's. As I stared in 61 I may still qualify as not much changed like it does now. I had short trousers down to and over my knees, and itchy woollen tartan trews for the winter over the top which I took off. Gum boots. Home knit Balaclava and pullovers. Bracers. The famous snake belt. Duffle coats and gaberdine macs. Some kids had short trousers even in the snow. Remember the hot aches and the red knees?We wore shades of grey with brighter woollens and occasional blues. Often a cap. I had a tie on elastic and a dicky bow. Always a vest underneath, and airtex loose pants.Sandals in the summer and ankle socks. We were not fashion conscious then thank goodness. The really poor kids wore their pumps to school. How about you ladies?
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Don't remember much about the junior school uniform Nico, only that my mum got it from Woolies. Think it was basically grey and green. Are there any old school pens in the museum Wendy? All I can remember is the nib might have been detachable (although not 100% sure about that) and that the rest of the pen was black wood. Nothing fancy, very basic. The nib was often bent and forked. How on earth did we learn to write with those? A few years ago I bought a calligraphy set of nibs, oh what joy! Viv.
 
Our nibs were like yours, plain wood no colour or dye in them. The nibs were dull metal. Our ink was blue I got covered in it.
 
Me to Viv but at least our writing could be understood then. I hate it when the youngsters write in text talk.

There are old school pens, ink and desks in the Pen Room. You can even use them, it brings back so many memories!
 
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Hi All,

I well remember being at school with all the class using pencil. I was then taken ill with Rheumatic Fever and was off school for some time. When I returned all the class was using pen and ink. I tried but could not cope so had to return to pencil. THe other children all made fun of me. When my mother found this out she trained me at home to use pen and ink and I was soon back to normal but children can be cruel.

Old Boy
 
Wendy, my mate uses predictive text. I wrote a poem for his parents' 60th, framed it etc, I got the best man's name wrong, he texted me back, Tom Weasel, funny name I thought but that's what I typed, should have been Tom was best man! Made them laugh anyway `i redid it and blamed him. He was the one who fell in the mud at Stourport, its got a lot to answer for.
 
Yes they can be cruel as my baggy showed beneath my short trousers and some cruel sod made me the laughing stock so mum bought me some modern briefs with the little pocket at the front. Which intrigued me. The old baggy pants were very healthy though they let the air up. Nico
 
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