(*Portrait
used with permission from Michael Sull’s Spencerian Script and Ornamental
Penmanship, Volume I.)
GA Gaskell
(1845-1886)
The
following information was taken from a December 1936 Educator magazine
G. A.
Gaskell: A Pioneer Penman
G. A.
Gaskell was one of America's most skillful penmen. He was one of the best known penmen because of his national
advertising. At the time the above
flourish was made in 1880 he was in his prime. He conducted the Bryant and
Stratton Business College in Manchester, N. H., where quite a number of
America's prominent penmen received some of their early inspiration. Notably
among these penmen were L. Madarasz and W. E. Dennis. Gaskell advertised the
work of these and other young penmen in magazines throughout the country and
was one of the first to promote the "before and after" type of
advertising. One of Mr. Gaskell's former associates, L. G. Wilberton, M. D.,
now of Winona, Minn., writes as follows:
"About
the year 1882-83 I accepted a position in the Bryant & Stratton College,
Manchester, N. H., and remained with them a year as a teacher of Bookkeeping
and other subjects. At that time Prof. G. A. Gaskell was president of that
college. He was in the height of his penmanship skill.
Prof.
Gaskell was still a young man and of excellent personal appearance. He would be
classed as a handsome man, about six feet tall. His bearing, was erect and
pleasing manners. He was 'a natural orator and speaker as well as a teacher of
first rank. He excelled in teaching others. Penmanship was his favorite
subject, and he did much to advance the study of good writing; in fact he
became a national figure in the penmanship profession. He evolved a style of
writing that was purely his own. He was a real artist and master in describing
how each letter should be made, carefully showing the right and wrong way in
forming letters and figures. The students soon became interested to learn how
to write well. The results were that his students became excellent penmen and
teachers.
Shortly
after I left Manchester, Prof. Gaskell died. My opinion of him stands high and
I am sorry he died so young."
Written by
HO Keesling
