The only question about handwriting styles used to be “Palmer” or “Spincerian”. Today, the question is whether children should be taught cursive writing at all – and that is a sad commentary on our culture.

During the trial of George Zimmerman, one witness took the stand and famously testified that she could not read the letter that she said was sent by her but written by a friend. The reason she gave when cross-examined? “I can’t read cursive.” Have we descended that low? Has the cold, sterile printed word replaced the smooth flowing character of cursive? Will the next generation be incapable of reading anything that doesn’t appear on the screen of the latest digital gadget? If Common Core Curriculum is allowed to take root, then the answer will be “yes”. Cursive writing is nowhere to be found in that indoctrination system masked as education.

It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I “rediscovered” cursive writing. Coming from a technical background, printed characters were the standard. One of my early jobs out of college was designing material handling equipment for the textile industry. At that time, drawings were done on paper, using a T-square, pencil, and drafting instruments. In college, we were taught exactly how to print in the Drafting classes, and that’s how it was done on the job.

The text on technical drawings was always printed in a very standardized style. Now, however, I try to use cursive writing whenever possible, and almost always with a fountain pen. I started by paying close attention to my signature, and then using that same care in notes and letters. Since I now make my living writing software, there is little room for cursive other than making notes to myself, but I still use it whenever I can.

Among the collection of home schooling books that we have for our grandchildren is the Spencerian Penmanship book.

While the primary Confederate Colonel interest in this video is the shift from agrarian to industrial society, he brings an important message about why Common Core must be opposed and stopped. For our part, we choose to home school and completely bypass the government indoctrination system.

In addition, this is a good time to point out another project that I am working on – The New Southern Agrarians. From the home page of The New Southern Agrarians:

What is Southern Agrarianism? Who were the Southern Agrarians and what did they believe? Does Southern Agrarianism have a place in today’s society? More importantly, does Southern Agrarianism show us a better way – a new path to take as we walk away from the rubble of a collapsed civilization built upon that which the Southern Agrarians warned us about? Those questions, and more, are what this web site hopes to answer.

The New Southern Agrarians is little more than what is quoted above at this time. It is, however, something I consider to be an important project and one that I will be working on.

I can’t fault Rawles as his logic is airtight, but I would add a caveat. To my mind, there is no right or wrong way to prepare for the coming turmoil, in a Darwinian sense the more avenues people take the better the chance that some will be right. Of course, conversely some will be tragically wrong, but survival of the fittest will soon become a lot more than a catch phrase. I know folks who are actively planning to be hunter/gatherers, complete with flintknapping and hide-tanning skills. Some intend to board their sailboats at the first sign of upheaval and quietly sail over the horizon.

A few proclaim that the time to start shooting is upon us. Some have already chosen to immigrate to other countries. There are today practicing pastoralists, with flocks of sheep and spinning wheels. Others make their own flintlock rifles, right down to the handmade barrels and screws. Many have adopted solar panels and wind turbines. Backyard chicken flocks have grown exponentially, as have raised bed gardens. Stout-hearted souls are taking Rawles at his word and moving to Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Others are trying to strengthen their home towns with community gardens and volunteerism.

Who is to say which of these – or which combination – might see us through the rough seas ahead. As for myself, I will disparage no man’s approach, no matter how outlandish. All I know is that the current paradigm can’t last, that SOMETHING will replace the massive Ponzi Scheme our modern civilization has become. So blessings upon anyone who, in his own way, is trying to cushion the transition. My only hope is that those whose intention is to become raiders and warlords don’t have the right idea.

I am convinced that the Southern Agrarians will be one of the successful approaches to making it through trying times and emerging on the other side with a strong and vibrant culture intact. Here’s why:

• We are bound together by a strong and well-established culture of The Old South; we have a long history to look back on, and history and tradition play a large part in bonding people together. It is what makes the difference between simply a group of people and a people sharing a common culture – what, in earlier times would be called a tribe or a clan.
• We have the spiritual bond of fundamental, Bible-believing Christianity to see us through tough times. There is a reason that The South is called “The Bible Belt”.
• The strong Southern Agrarian emphasis on the family provides strength for the one social institution that, for a time, may be the only functioning structure in society.
• Our agrarian traditions and practices provide our families with the basic necessities of life that will either be scarce, unavailable, or too expensive to afford.
• We are already established in a lifestyle that emphasizes deep roots in the land, a thrifty, make-do attitude, and a feeling of contentment no matter what our lot in life may be. Never underestimate the importance of culture and attitude on the practical aspects of survival.
• We have the individual years of experience in raising our own food – even if only in small “sampler” amounts that can be scaled up in quantity – that will be absolutely crucial in providing for ourselves and our families.
• Southern Agrarians have the right balance of independence and sense of community to thrive without the social structures currently in place. Providing for the common defense and security will be far easier for us to organize than it will be for those who are physically separated by the remoteness of the mountain states; in addition, many parts of The South are some of the most heavily armed in the nation.
• The culture of The Old South flatly rejects the egalitarianism that leads to chaos, lawlessness, and anarchy. Our respect for legitimate authority, appreciation for a social hierarchy, and sense of place and order gives us a high probability of maintaining an orderly society. When the English established their presence during their colonial era, their first priority was to firmly establish the rule of law. At times it may have seemed cruel and unjust, but it is absolutely essential to maintaining an orderly, civilized society.
• We have the history of our ancestors who survived a cruel and brutal war, followed by many years of oppression during the so-called “Reconstruction”. Our ancestors learned to save and stockpile for hard times, and to a greater or lesser degree, we have learned those lessons and applied them to our lives.
• There is a Southern tradition of selfless leadership – accepting the burden of leadership for the good of all, rather than for the acquisition of power. The key to rebuilding communities will be this selfless leadership that fully respects property rights rather than the entitlement mentality of socialism. The socialist idea of confiscation and redistribution will find no fertile ground here. Those weeds will be pulled out by the roots and burned.
• We have a strong tie to this region, which is why you will not find true Southerners packing up and moving to another part of the country. The blood of our ancestors was shed on this soil – we cannot simply walk away from that. Our beloved South is not for us to surrender and abandon, but to work to preserve and defend – with force, if necessary.

None of this is to say that the Southern Agrarians will come out on top or that ours is the best way to go. We don’t know what the future will hold, so we certainly can’t predict what the “best” way to go is. What we can do, however, is look at basic trends and compare them to the strengths – and weaknesses – of Southern Agrarians and see that we are very well suited to weather the coming storms. Moreover, the Southern Agrarian lifestyle is, and always has been, a satisfying, comforting, rewarding, and noble one.

Southern Agrarianism is not explicitly about preparedness and survivalism – that is just a nice byproduct of the independent lifestyle of the Southern Agrarian.

For more on Southern Agrarianism, see The Southern Agrarian –
another blog by Stephen Clay McGehee.