Penmanship, a lost art?

This digital age with all its wonders has also made the human touch to communication a rare commodity.

Take handwriting as an example. When's the last time you sat down and wrote somebody a letter? I bet it's been a long while. It's much easier to shoot an email or make a call on your cell phone, isn't it?

One symptom I have found is the deterioration of our handwriting skills. The scribbles I produce today would have resulted in a sharp rapping of the knuckles not so long ago.

Today, though, I stumbled across an interesting website created by the University of Cambridge that is giving me some hope:

www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc

The palaeographic eggheads over there have created an online course to teach anyone with the inclination how to read old handwriting.

Of course, they're focusing on the period between 1500 and 1700, not the modern era.

But, it could be that ye socks may pick up some general deciphering tips to apply to the here and now . . . not to mention genealogical pursuits thru musty old courthouse records . . .