Oh no, I introduced a sixth grader to fountain pens

[Vacumatic]

It was around 1959-60 and everyone in the 1st grade was given a Sheaffer cartridge fountain pen to learn to write (plastic school version in red, green, blue and clear bodies). Those early cartridge versions made it much easier for the students and the teachers, since the inkwells were not necessary anymore. A couple of years ago, I purchased one of those NOS pens for old times sake (and re-live my childhood), and fell down the rabbit hole hobby of modern fountain pens!

I know the model of Sheaffer cartridge pen that you were using very well indeed. In the early 2000s I used to buy job lots of pens from ebay, sometimes 40 at a time and the Sheaffer Cartridge pen was a frequent purchase. In addition to being a school pen they were often overprinted with the name of a business, especially auto dealers or boatyards, I can imagine that they were giveaways to customers. a good idea, keeps the name of the business on the desk and front of mind for every customer

You might also remember this magazine ad which included the yellow end cartridge, the idea being that there was a right and a wrong way to insert the cartridge, you inserted the cartridge into the barrel, the cartridge was pierced when the barrel was screwed down onto the section.

 

[duke762]

Geez, that brings back memories. Circa 1967 to 1969 I was crazy about Scheaffer pen's. I was 9 in 1967 and the elementary school book store sold them. I use to have 4 or 5 of them. I wonder where they went.......probably tossed due to lack of interest and ink.....

 

[D.Gray]

And I did it again.... three Lamy Safari pens, and one parker rollerball to another friend's kids.

Rollerball to the six year old boy
fountain pens, converters, and ink to the older kids.
Gave the pens to the mom and showed her how to use a converter.
These will go in the kids stockings

 

[Vacumatic]

And I did it again.... three Lamy Safari pens, and one parker rollerball to another friend's kids.

Rollerball to the six year old boy
fountain pens, converters, and ink to the older kids.
Gave the pens to the mom and showed her how to use a converter.
These will go in the kids stockings

Great Post.

 

[pipingtenor2570]

So I asked our postman's wife if she would like a fountain pen and ink for her sixth grader.
She said yes.

I gave them a Lamy Safari that was given to me as I already have one, a converter, and some ink samples, as well as some ink cartridges.

Their daughter started writing with it as soon as I showed her how to hold it.

I may have created the start of a monster

German schools still teach an entire mandatory course on fountain pen usage to young students. My friend Felix said basically his entire school had a Lamy Safari of some variety.

 

[Vacumatic]

German schools still teach an entire mandatory course on fountain pen usage to young students. My friend Felix said basically his entire school had a Lamy Safari of some variety.

I have heard that good friends in German schools swop the caps of their different colored pens to tell the world that they are friends.

 

[pipingtenor2570]

I have heard that good friends in German schools swop the caps of their different colored pens to tell the world that they are friends.

I like that idea very much!

 

[HUF]

I recall back in Elementry School we were taught to use fountain pen, our desks had Ink Bottle Holder.

No George Washington wss not a class mate.

 

[HUF]

Sixty years later I still remember the fountain pen given to me by my mother. I was second grader.
A few years ago I gave to a ten-years-old relative a nice Pilot Prera. She started writing with the nib up side down. I showed her the tight way to hold the pen, but she kept holding it up side down. I knew right away my little gift was not appreciated.
I have a pretty big collection of nice fountain pens. I am not sure someone will use them when I am gone.

 

[Vacumatic]

Sixty years later I still remember the fountain pen given to me by my mother. I was second grader.
A few years ago I gave to a ten-years-old relative a nice Pilot Prera. She started writing with the nib up side down. I showed her the tight way to hold the pen, but she kept holding it up side down. I knew right away my little gift was not appreciated.
I have a pretty big collection of nice fountain pens. I am not sure someone will use them when I am gone.

I worry about my collection too. A friend collected Victorian pen and ink drawings he had hundreds, he was quite the expert. He passed in 2024, his sons and daughters threw everything away, they had nowhere to keep the drawings in their small apartments and had to clear the house.

There is a pen which trains children to hold a pen correctly, a Pelikan Twist, it also cured my handwriting bad habits which had fallen into disrepair.

 

[HUF]

I worry about my collection too. A friend collected Victorian pen and ink drawings he had hundreds, he was quite the expert. He passed in 2024, his sons and daughters threw everything away, they had nowhere to keep the drawings in their small apartments and had to clear the house.

There is a pen which trains children to hold a pen correctly, a Pelikan Twist, it also cured my handwriting bad habits which had fallen into disrepair.View attachment 1985031

People often do not appreciate stuff cherished by their parents, grandparents. That's a shame. Nice Pelican, by the way.

 

[Doc Dan]

I well remember having to use "cartridge pens" in grammar school. We were not allowed to use a ball point until the 7th grade. It was a right of passage.