One of the skills Headmaster Tucker tried to encourage in the students of the fourth form was original thought. He did this by assigning compositions all of which recorded in a bluebook identified as R.A.F. Form 619. Most college graduates would recognize this immediately as a bluebook. Unfortunately the paper in the books was not of the highest quality had a tendency to snag. As a result, at least in my case, the pen tip freshly dipped in ink well would always leave a very large smudgy drop. Fortunately the headmaster did not take off or poor penmanship. If there is an award for penmanship I most certainly would've won! Tucker would always read every composition and often will leave his comments in red pen along the side. Additionally he would check with a red or blue pencil indicating he read it. I include an example of one barely legible effort . 
We often had to read our compositions out loud to the class. I did well for original ideas but spelling and neatness not so much. I must thank my mother for having hid my composition book away for all those years. It is clearly the worse for wear but may be the only surviving document from the school the year I attended.
I have got one of these as well which my mother has kept. I notice that my style of writing has changed quite considerably and has deteriorated over the years due to the fact that I have spent most of my working life hitting a keyboard, from the original sit up and beg black typewriter to computers!
ReplyDeleteI no longer write in cursive. I print and I am pretty sure I can credit keyboard use for that as well.
ReplyDeleteI was in the RAF school Naples, 1958 to 1961, anyone remember me?
ReplyDeleteRoy Smith. I now live in Australia.