What’s Cursive? – IOTW Report

What’s Cursive?

Letter containing apology for not writing sooner eventually delivered after 83 years

A letter written in 1931 by a school teacher in Houlton, Maine, to her mother 150 miles away has finally been delivered 83 years later. The nine-page letter, written in ink in luxuriant cursive, was penned by then 23-year-old Miriam McMichael, a school teacher, to her mother, Dollena McMichael, who lived in Pittsfield, Maine. Miriam’s niece and Dollena’s granddaughter, Ann MacMichael, 69, said part of the irony of the mystery letter is her aunt’s apology for taking so long to write to her mother, with whom she was very close.

11 Comments on What’s Cursive?

  1. This is like losing an email on a bad hard drive.
    Back in the 30’s and 40’s when my relatives would write an important letter
    They would enclose a Post Card all addressed to drop in the mail so the other person knew they did receive the letter.

  2. She begins the letter with “Dearest Mother”…..
    There is much to be said about the lost art
    of letter-writing when a person could sit with pen and paper and reflect on what they wanted to express and then to beautifully write their sentiments in cursive.

  3. Since it WAS eventually delivered, I can only surmise that there was nothing of value inside. Had there been money, a check, etc. postal thieves would have stolen it, and thrown away the letter. Even after 83 years.

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