AW Dakin
(1859-1937)
Taken
From The Business Educator, October 1937
A. W.
Dakin was born at Hilsdale, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1859, and moved to Tully, N. Y. At
the age of 18 he became interested in penmanship through Gaskell's Compendium
of Penmanship, a book that influenced many to drop the plow and take up the
pen. He received a high school education, then at the age of 20 he began
teaching penmanship and advertising his work. For two years Mr. Dakin carried
on an extensive advertising campaign in the Penman's Gazette, Penman's Art
Journal, Western Penman and Business Educator, making and selling large
specimens, deer, eagles, horses, etc. For six years he taught penmanship in
Well's Commercial College, Syracuse, N. Y. His next venture was to open a business
school known as Dakin's Business Institute, Syracuse, which he conducted for
about 20 years. The school was purchased by the Central City Business School,
and for the past 21 years he has taught penmanship in that institution. His
skill in penmanship was acquired by following the work of Madarasz, Dennis,
Kibbe and Gaskell's Compendium. In June, 1883, he received a letter from that
great master of ornamental writing, L. Madarasz, offering him a position
writing cards and doing miscellaneous penmanship. Mr. Dakin accepted the offer
and went to New York to handle the mail orders for Madarasz while he had a try
out as a Shakespearian actor. At the end of three months Mr. Madarasz found he
was a much better penman than he was an actor and took his mail business back.
About 25 years ago Mr. Dakin invented a style of knifemanship that he called
Card Carving and became quite famous as an artist in this line of work. Mr.
Dakin will be glad to examine the work of persons following his course. We hope
some of the old timers will surprise him with some of their work.
