It comes as good news to see that a local lawmaker’s proposal to require cursive handwriting to be taught in Pennsylvania’s schools is gaining steam.

The law, House Bill 17, crafted by state Rep. Dane Watro (R-116), was approved by members of his chamber. Local lawmakers Ted Twardzik (R-123) and Doyle Heffley (R-122) signed on as cosponsors.

The measure now heads for the Senate, after sailing through that chamber’s Education Committee, where Sen. David Argall (R-29), was a staunch supporter.

Cursive is that style of handwriting that connects strokes to form words in a flowing manner. It’s that style of handwriting that adorns the most important documents in history. Perhaps the most famous, the Declaration of Independence, was mostly cursive. The most famous signature, that of John Hancock, the president of the Second Continental Congress, figures prominently at its end.

That signature was a statement — an example — to the other signers of his dedication to the idea of a free and independent nation.

And it’s something only he could’ve written at the time.

But in our time, cursive has been kicked to the curb in many places. Only 24 states mandate it be part of an elementary school curriculum. With a little luck, Pennsylvania will be the 25th.

It’s still part of elementary education in schools operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, though I don’t know how many — if any — nuns are using rulers to stress its finer points like they did when I was in school.

Watro’s bill would introduce the flowing style of writing at age-appropriate levels, most likely the third grade.

Many say cursive helps kids develop motor skills, coordination and dexterity

I’m with Watro, who believes cursive helps people remember things. It helps kids learn the alphabet and spelling. It strengthens vocabulary. How many of us remember taking notes in a class? How many remember writing an English composition or history paper, then sitting down at a manual typewriter to prepare it for the teacher?

The remembering part works. I can attest to that from my years in the newspaper business. In my college days, though portable tape recorders were around, they were too expensive. And the instructors frowned on using them. I took notes in cursive, developing a style of shorthand of my own that helped me write stories on deadline. Playing back a recording would just slow me down.

And during my days as an adjunct professor, I wouldn’t allow tape recorders in class — even as backups — because my journalism students needed to learn how to listen and hear so they could learn to do their reporting quickly and accurately.

Students with disabilities may benefit from cursive writing, too. Dyslexic students, especially, might be helped since cursive letters look different from each other, possibly making them less confusing.

Nowadays, for every one of those benefits I’ve described, naysayers are ready with an answer. Their arguments are many.

Some say cursive isn’t required by standardized tests — that the time and resources it takes could be used on other more applicable modern skills.

They say cursive isn’t universal in that its style doesn’t cross over languages and cultures. Letter shapes differ from country to country. Besides, today’s keyboards can automatically translate those letters into nearly any language.

Cursive writing, to me, is an expression of someone’s personality. Written words can say a lot about someone. Large letters versus small, spaced out versus close, flowing versus rigid.

Words written by one’s hand are an indicator of their true feelings and mood. We want our children to learn about individuality and expression.

Instead, these days they use avatars and emojis to display feelings, thoughts and moods.

I can’t quite understand how those things can accomplish that goal. Maybe it’s a generational thing.

Nonetheless, I’ll stand with Watro and the others in their efforts to bring back cursive writing in Pennsylvania’s schools.

Restoring cursive to the curriculum doesn’t just teach kids to write. They develop flair, finesse and a signature that says “I exist.”

In fact, if a law to that effect were in front of me and I had the power to make it happen, I’d put my John Hancock on it in a split second.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com