“”6. Was learning cursive really necessary?””
Amazing to me is the number of people who tell me my handwriting is beautiful - like they’ve never seen cursive before. I still write checks for purchases and I’ve had people behind me say, “I haven’t seen one of those in years” - I guess they’re talking about a checkbook.
I have to agree that my handwriting is beautiful - still many, many years later after learning penmanship in grade school in the ‘40’s...And I’m not alone-seeing women of my age with the same great handwriting.
But MY question is: Was learning algebra really necessary?”
No and neither was cursive. At least not today. Pens and pencils have been replaced with keyboards and touch type keyboards skills were largely replaced by thumb typing and keyboards will be replaced by to speech to text.
I went to grade school when duplicates were still made with indelible pencil and a pan of gel. We didn't regularly use quill pens still but the desks all had inkwell hole in the desk top.