Text-Converted Documents
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Scanned from personal letters, rare books and vintage penmanship magazines, within these documents you will find a wealth of information on calligraphy, engrossing, the history of American Penmanship, and Master Penmen from the past.  You may want to do a "Search" if you are looking for something specific.

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Coulter, E.M, National College of Business & Technology  E.M. Coulter came to the College as an instructor in 1896. He became president in 1901, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1946, a full fifty years of leadership.

Courtney, Francis Bernard - Biography  Francis B. Courtney, one of the most skillful penmen the world has ever known, was born in Worcester, Mass., in 1867

Courtney, F.B. How to create "Letter Heads"  FB Courtney, The Wizard of the Pen, explains how he creates caricature faces using letterforms.

Courtney, F.B., How To Hold The Pen  There is but little difference between the appearance of the hand when holding the pen correctly, and when at rest with the fingers partly closed.

Courtney, F.B. "Lessons in Dashy Writing"  Dashy writing is worth the attention of anyone who can appreciate the beautiful. . The graceful curves, the harmony of lines, the delicate touch, and the dashy shade combine to make forms both pleasing and fascinating

Courtney, F.B., On Movement  There is but one movement to which I have chained my life's work in the field of dashy and rapid writing. It is the muscular movement, the movement that has done more for penmanship than any other ever tried or even suggested.

Courtney, F.B., Taken from The Western Penman, 1905  Probably no other penman is so admired for his skill as is Mr. Francis B. Courtney. His versatility is remarkable and is peculiar to himself.

Cragin, Charles T. "Three Master Craftsmen" on L. Madarasz, C.P. Zaner and W.E. Dennis  I have been quite intimately acquainted with three who are admitted headliners in Chirographic (i.e., Calligraphic) Art, and in this, my first contribution to the Business Educator, after a long period of illness, I wish to pay tribute to them in order of their passing.

Cragin, Charles T. on Charles A. Gaskell  When I graduated from business college I had spent all my money. I had no friends with any influence to get me employment, and I was painfully bashful. People say I have recovered from that fault, if fault it be. But I really did not know, how to get a start.

Cragin, Charles T. on the death of C.P. Zaner  Zaner was a quiet, modest man, yet he was always listened to with attention and respect at conventions, gatherings of teachers, and by students, for he was a man who made no false motions; his ideas were practical and his explanations were clear and simple.

Craig, G.G.  Mr. William Lilly studied under Mr. Craig while at at the Western Kentucky State Teachers College. It was Mr. Craig who advised Bill to further develop his skills by attending the Zanerian College of Penmanship in Columbus, Ohio.

Craver, Edwin H.  "An Appreciation of Four Remarkable Penman"  C. P. Zaner, E. W. Bloser, G. E. Crane, L. M. Thornburgh-four exceptional penmen who, by hard work, climbed to the top of their profession.

Dakin, A.W. Taken from The Business Educator, 1937  A. W. Dakin was born at Hilsdale, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1859, and moved to Tully, N. Y. At the age of 18 he became interested in penmanship through Gaskell's Compendium of Penmanship, a book which influenced many to drop the plow and take up the pen.

Darner, H.L.  His name was H L Darner. He attended Zanerian in 1906-1907 and then taught school for Zaner in 1908 and 1909. He was Lupfer's teacher along with Zaner and Bloser.

Dennis, William E. "How I Became A Penman"  You have asked me to give the boys some idea of how I got started in my special line of work, I assure you it is not with the least bit of egotism that I rake up a few facts regarding my experience.

Dennis, W.E. "Individuality in Ornamental Penmanship"  In all artistic work there should be a certain personality to stamp it as the production of someone in particular, and not appearing as the result of a mechanical profess, depriving it of that feature so interesting in art work, Individuality.

Dennis, W.E. "Lessons In Text Lettering"  To do text lettering well and rapidly at the same time, requires considerable practice, but it seems as though anyone who has the fine perception of form and skilful touch requisite to an artistic writer could also become a good text letterer.

Dennis, W.E., "Sickels Letter"  This is a very elegant and beautiful letter for elaborate pieces of engrossing. It is not the most difficult, though rather slow of execution; therefore it is not used so much as other alphabets.

Dennis, W.E., "What is Engrossing?"  What is Engrossing? According to Webster's Dictionary, it is "To copy in a large hand" Engrosser "One who copies in a large fair hand."

Dennis, William - from a recent book on the history of Chester, N.H.  William Dennis (1860-1924), calligrapher. His grandfather was Sir George Barney, the chief justice of India. He grew up on Chester Street.

Dennis, W.E. on Materials - taken from "Studies in Pen Art"  Soennecken pens, turkey quills and reeds are used for text lettering. The best is that which you can use best. Most engrossers use the Soennecken pen, probably because it is easier to obtain, but others think there is nothing like a turkey quill.

Dennis, William E. - Obituary  Mr. W. E. Dennis passed from this life on June 6, 1924, and the world of professional penmen mourns the passing of a master. Mr. Dennis was born in Manchester, N. H., in 1860

Dennis, W.E.  "Old English"  This is one of the most beautiful and useful of all alphabets, and, no doubt, one of the most difficult. There are several ways of making it.

Dennis, W.E. on Flourishing Swans  The swan used to be considered by old-timer's as one of the most difficult things to flourish, and no doubt it does require about as much practice as any small design.

Dennis, W.E. on The Delicate Art of Flourishing  Time was when I considered a fellow who could flourish a swan, a bigger man by far than any monarch that ever sat on the throne, but now I will be blamed if I do not think he is about the smallest vegetable that grows.

Doner, Charles E. - Obituary  Again we mourn the passing of a dear friend and coworker, Charles E. Doner. He was born in 1875 on a farm in Cumberland Co., Penn.

Dyer, H.L., Penman, Missionary, Former POW - An Interview.  It was in Bryant and Stratton Business College that I became intensely interested in penmanship not only because the school was noted for its fine penmanship teachers, but because of a young man by the name of Knight who attended your school.

Ellefson, C.O. - A Visit with L.M. Kelchner  Mr. Kelchner has had a wide and varied experience in the penmanship profession and has been recognized as one of the outstanding penmen for the past half century.

Ellsworth, Henry.W., "How I Became A Penman"  You ask me to tell you "Why I became a penman?" Same way as friend Isaacs and Topsy did-'specs I growed into it’

Ellsworth, H.W. - Obituary, The Educator September 1924  It is said that he was, the first to make the. change in reducing the length of loops from four or five spaces in length to thirds, and which was later followed by other publishers.

Endress, A.B. "A Generation Remembers A.B. Endress" by Donald Tate  The last hundred years have given us much in comfort, and our tools have been improved many times. We cannot forget that it was the penmen of a hundred years ago that enlightened us.

Enriquez, E.C. - Penman  Enriquez was a great penman, artist and engraver. He was a master of offhand flourishing producing highly intricate specimens.

Fairbanks, David Parish (1913-2004)  David was one of Michael Sull's mentors and had a tremendous impact on his development as an engrosser. He was honored at the 2001 IAMPETH convention in Kansas City with a Master Penmen award presented by Michael Sull.

Fields, Lester Lincoln - Obituary  Lester did superb work, but he was so very humble about it. He was a partner of Chester L. Cook in Chicago for many years and the work of both of these men was of the highest caliber.

Fife Pen Patent  A patent by William Fife dated September 28, 1839 for the holder of metallic pen points

Filling, Walter J., IAMPETH Newsletter Member Spotlight  My life as a penman began in a one-room school in Cameron County, Pennsylvania - I was one of the few children who greatly enjoyed practicing the circles and loops in Penmanship class.

First Penman Convention  An authentic vintage photograph (not a print of a photograph) of "Members of the First Business Educators' Convention of America Held in New York City in 1864"

Flickinger, H.W., "Methods of Securing Good Writing"  This paper was read before the Philadelphia Teachers' Association, April 17 1905. After urgent solicitation on the part of the editor of The Business Educator, Mr. Flickinger finally consented to allow us to publish it. It is now yours to peruse and enjoy.

Francis, J.A. - Biographical  In 1929 J A Francis was called the 'coming Madarasz' in various Zaner Bloser publications. He was the only person at that time to be able to 'capture' the style that Madarasz used.

Galtiero, Joseph A. - Biographical  Galterio wrote a series of illustrated articles on engraver's script for the American Penman, 1913-1914

Gaskell, George A.,  Notes from Del Tysdal  The family moved around 1857 to Ashtabula, Ohio and that is where Gaskell became acquainted with P R Spencer senior.

Gaskell's Magazine,  "Blustering Blasts From His Boisterous Bazoo", 1887  A prominent college man echoes the sentiments expressed in the November magazine concerning the qualifications demanded in a teacher of penmanship

Gaskell, G.A., A Pioneer Penman  G. A. Gaskell was one of America's most skillful penmen. He was one of the best known penmen because of his national advertising.

Gaskell, George A. - Biographical  George A. Gaskell (1844-1885) was one of the most famous calligraphers in America. Gaskell's Complete Compendium of Elegant Writing was a bestseller, with over 250,000 copies sold in ten years.

Gaskell's Penman's Handbook, 1883, Pages 9-22, "The History of Writing"  It is thought by the best authorities, that the many ancient systems of writing had at least three different sources, the Egyptian, the Assyrian, and the Chinese. All of these systems were originally hieroglyphic.

Gaskell’s Compendium of Forms (1882) On Platt Rogers Spencer  Spencer, the originator of the Spencerian system, was, without doubt, the most successful itinerant of his time.