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Keeping Cursive Alive

October 26, 2026
By Nicole Tocco

Courtesy of family

E’lon Hamilton

Does cursive writing seem like a secret code to you? If so, you’re not alone. E’lon Hamilton noticed that many kids at his school didn’t know how to read or write in cursive, so he decided to help them learn this “lost” skill.

Last school year, E’lon convinced his principal to let him start a club called Cursive for Kids. Once a week, he meets with a group of students at West Mound Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio. He spends his lunchtime teaching them how to write in looped, connected letters.

“It’s a very important skill,” says E’lon, who’s now in fifth grade. “And it actually looks kind of cool.”

E’lon’s club isn’t the only one of its kind. Across the U.S., students are joining similar groups in schools and libraries. 

Cursive Comeback

Cursive, also known as script, was once considered a core subject, like reading or math, for elementary students. But as testing started to go digital, many schools spent more time teaching computer skills, and cursive instruction slowly faded away. 

It’s recently been making a comeback though. In January, New Jersey passed a law that requires third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders in public schools to learn cursive. Now 27 states have laws that make teaching cursive in schools mandatory, an increase from only 14 states a decade ago.

Supporters say that’s a good thing. They point out that people need to know cursive to sign their names and read historic documents, like the U.S. Constitution. 

E’lon agrees. He enjoys watching students in his cursive club help each other learn the flowing form of handwriting.

“I like seeing them inspire one another,” E’lon says.

Analyze the Cartoon

An editorial cartoon uses pictures and words to share a point of view, often in a funny way. What does the cartoonist suggest might happen to cursive in the future?

Illustration by R.J. Matson
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