A&M 3288W.B. Jenkins Penmanship Album, 1883-1916 A&M 3288Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History CenterWest Virginia and Regional History Center

1549 University Ave. P.O. Box 6069 Morgantown, WV 26506-6069Business Number: 304-293-3536wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.comURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-06-18 13:17:23 -0400.EnglishDescribing Archives: A Content Standard West Virginia and Regional History Center W.B. Jenkins Penmanship Album Jenkins, W.B. A&M 3288 Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key /repositories/2/resources/1491 0.2 Linear Feet Summary: 2 in. 1883-1916 Penmanship album of W.B. Jenkins of St. George, WV (13 in. x 15 in. with ornamented cover). Includes examples of what is likely Spencerian script, as well as 21 examples of 'offhand flourishes' mostly of birds, presumably by Jenkins. Also includes evidence of Jenkins attendance of penmanship classes at Oberlin College, including: reference letter by Uriah McKee of Department of Penmanship (1-12-1883), Penmanship Dept. newsletter (July, 1884), Dept. solicitation of orders for student penmanship work (ca. 1883-5), and Oberlin College photo prospectus (5 in. x 10 in. card, 1883). There are also two examples of bird flourishing for Spencerian pedagogy (1879, 1887), two advertisements for pens and pencils (n.d.), and prospectus for Hall's Business College (ca. 1870-90). There are three Certificates of Attendance for Mary Jenkins of St. George issued by West Virginia Public Schools (1913,15,16). Spencerian Script was a de facto standard in America from about 1848, when Spencerian Method by Platt Rogers Spencer was published, to about 1925. Good handwriting skills were highly valued in this period, in education, business, and industry. West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: West Virginia & Regional History Center English Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

 Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], W.B. Jenkins Penmanship Album, A&M 3288, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

 Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

 Penmanship Oberlin College Jenkins, W.B.