The Use of Ink and Fountain Pens in Elementary Schools (1948)

[antoniosz]

From "The Use of Ink and Fountain Pens in Elementary Schools" by Henry J. Otto

The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 48, No. 7. (Mar., 1948), pp. 379-384.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/fpinschools1948.jpg

 

Interesting is the "dominance" of Esterbrook, the reference to Wahl (in 1948?), The Reynolds Rocket (ball point),

the apparent preference to finer points (economy in ink?) and those that discourage "stub or heavy writing points"

 

Comments?

Edited August 12, 2007 by antoniosz

[Sakura]

From "The Use of Ink and Fountain Pens in Elementary Schools" by Henry J. Otto

The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 48, No. 7. (Mar., 1948), pp. 379-384.

 

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/fpinschools1948.jpg">

 

Interesting is the "dominance" of Esterbrook, the reference to Wahl (in 1948?), The Reynolds Rocket (ball point),

the apparent preference to finer points (economy in ink?) and those that discourage "stub or heavy writing points"

 

Comments?

I find the separate recommendations for girls or boys interesting...were hand sizes really that different then? :hmm1:

 

The giant "no recommendation" category is also interesting. It seems like recommendations were a minority practice, but still somehow a point of importance to the schools (maybe the survey taker was our predecessor...an obsessed fanatic ).

 

Thanks for posting it!

[Shangas]

Interesting to read.

 

With regards to FINE NIBS - I think there are several reasons why a school-board might want to have kids use fine nibs over broad/medium nibs.

 

1. Fine nibs use less ink. Less ink used, less ink to buy. Saves money.

2. A fine line from a fine nib dries faster. There's less ink exposed to the air. Therefore, if it dries faster, there's little risk of smudging happening.

3. Fine lined writing means that it's easier to read (perhaps?). Whereas with fat-nibbed pens, the ink runs together and you'll have crappy, hard-to-read handwriting without the problem of smudging.

[jd50ae]

I find the separate recommendations for girls or boys interesting...were hand sizes really that different then? :hmm1:

 

Thanks for posting it!

 

The reason would probably be considered sexist today. :hmm1:

[AlexLeGrande]

Newark New Jersey, USA. 1953. Teacher placed an inkwell in the hole in our wooden-topped desks, and handed out dip pens to each pupil. 1954 and we were ready for our first fountain pens...ballpoints strickly forbidden. Esterbrook 2556, with no exceptions, Waterman Blue-Black, no exceptions. By 1957 kids were bringing in a variety of nibs for their Esterbrooks, and the girls were using Waterman's South Sea Blue. By 1958 ballpoints were acceptable.

[Shangas]

All this talk makes me think of Roald Dahl's autobiography of his schooldays in the 1920s & 30s. Makes you wonder.

 

He said that in those days, all students would write with dip-pens and inkwells. Fountain pens were absolutely forbidden, and that every student would carry around a small box of spare nibs because they were so delicate and easy to break.

 

When did schools stop using dip-pens as the main student-body writing instrument?

[Garageboy]

What were the nib holders of choice for these said nibs?

[Shangas]

For cheap, school dip-pens the holders would probably have been made of wood.

[Garageboy]

Sorry, was referring to the Esties

[Paddler]

From "The Use of Ink and Fountain Pens in Elementary Schools" by Henry J. Otto

The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 48, No. 7. (Mar., 1948), pp. 379-384.

 

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/fpinschools1948.jpg">

 

Interesting is the "dominance" of Esterbrook, the reference to Wahl (in 1948?), The Reynolds Rocket (ball point),

the apparent preference to finer points (economy in ink?) and those that discourage "stub or heavy writing points"

 

Comments?

I find the separate recommendations for girls or boys interesting...were hand sizes really that different then? :hmm1:

 

The giant "no recommendation" category is also interesting. It seems like recommendations were a minority practice, but still somehow a point of importance to the schools (maybe the survey taker was our predecessor...an obsessed fanatic ).

 

Thanks for posting it!

 

The Esterbrook 1555 nib is the Gregg nib, for use in writing Gregg shorthand. Girls were going to be secretaries and take dictation.

 

Paddler

 

[Paddler]

All this talk makes me think of Roald Dahl's autobiography of his schooldays in the 1920s & 30s. Makes you wonder.

 

He said that in those days, all students would write with dip-pens and inkwells. Fountain pens were absolutely forbidden, and that every student would carry around a small box of spare nibs because they were so delicate and easy to break.

 

When did schools stop using dip-pens as the main student-body writing instrument?

 

In my school (a Catholic school out in the sticks), the year was 1956. Everybody had to buy a Sheaffer cartridge pen from the school supply room. All pens were colorless (mandatory). All pens used washable blue Skrip (mandatory). Right and left margins on our papers were 1/2" wide and ruled with pencil.

 

Paddler

 

[Paddler]

What were the nib holders of choice for these said nibs?

 

I inherited several of the nib holders used in schools around here. They are made of wood, painted with black enamel (japanned) and come in two slightly different lengths: 6" and 6.5". They are 3/8" diameter and are cylindrical for about 3" and then taper to a point. The blunt end is cut with a fine, circular kerf that takes the back end of the nib.

 

These are rather rare, today. I don't see them at the yard sales or flea markets. They were so common and so cheap that nearly everybody threw them away when they were allowed to use FPs or BPs. I do see many nib holders with cork grips and flat, metal springs to hold the nib. No idea if they were used in schools or not.

 

Paddler

[Ink Stained Wretch]

In my school (a Catholic school out in the sticks), the year was 1956. Everybody had to buy a Sheaffer cartridge pen from the school supply room. All pens were colorless (mandatory). All pens used washable blue Skrip (mandatory). Right and left margins on our papers were 1/2" wide and ruled with pencil.

Sheaffer cartridge pens in 1956? Wow, I didn't get one until much later, about 1959, or 1960, or so. Of course looking at it now that doesn't seem like much later to me at all. But when I was 8 or 9 it was a long time.

 

We used pencils for the First Grade and I don't recall if it was in the Second or Third Grade that we began to use pens. They were fountain pens, ballpoints being rather expensive and not real pens in the pedagogical eye. But they were cheap lever fillers. I recall losing or breaking one and having 2 caps, which I put on the replacement red pen, one as the cap and the other posted.

 

Thinking about it now I can't remember what the filling arrangements were. I don't recall if it was the student's problem or if the teacher allowed refills in the classroom or if the teacher did the refilling. How ordinary details disappear from memory.

 

It was later on that I started with the Sheaffer cartridge pens, and the only cartridges I could get were those Washable Blue ones. The only ink the candy store had was Skrip Blue/Black. And the candy store was the only known source of such stuff. I was pretty far along in high school before I was able to score some Skrip Jet Black ink.

[bluenose]

"Thinking about it now I can't remember what the filling arrangements were. I don't recall if it was the student's problem or if the teacher allowed refills in the classroom or if the teacher did the refilling. How ordinary details disappear from memory."

 

At my elementary school, refilling the inkwells was a job given to students and was done over a recess. The classroom had a copper jug with a spout ( very much like a small watering can ) and you would go from desk to desk and top up the ink bottles. We used wooden nib holders. The type of nibs used has since faded from memory.

 

Regards,

 

Milton

 

[wdyasq]

It was interesting schools 'recommended' a particular brand of pen. This shows how much and how well companies 'sold' their products to those in a position that will influence sales.

 

Schools (her, North Central Texas, USA) now all but require a Windows computer and software. I have always wondered what school administrators would do with a lawsuit showing they are requiring their 'subjects' to do business with "a company or group of companies" (as I remember the wording). This practice is illegal in Texas and I would suspect in most states.

 

I guess there is an exception to the rule on books.

 

Ron

[Jinnayah]

I find the separate recommendations for girls or boys interesting...were hand sizes really that different then? :hmm1:

Actually, the pen bodies would be the same size; the recommendation is for different nibs.

My guess here would be:

 

Recommendation for girls was either a Gregg shorthand tip, or a firm extra fine nib of the more expensive type with tipping. Probably because girls were encouraged to have small, neat handwriting, and were expected to treat their things better (and thus keep the nib in good condition for a long time). And someone already mentioned the "you're going to be a secretary" aspect on the Gregg nib.

 

Recommendation for boys was a firm fine, of the cheaper variety. Boys were 'allowed' (not berated) for having larger handwriting, and were expected (not punished) for being more rambunctious and harder on their things, so they might be going through a couple of these. No point paying for the more expensive one if they're going to break it anyway.