(*Portrait used with permission from Michael
Sull’s Spencerian Script and Ornamental Penmanship, Volume I.)

JS Griffith
(1899-1980)
Taken
from the May, 1918 issue of The Business Educator
John S.
Griffith of Astoria, Oregon, was born in 1899, and in due course
of time graduated in the Idaho Technical Institute of Pocatello. In this
institution lie came under the inspiration and instruction of one of America's
foremost penmen and teachers, Mr. T. Courtney.
He next
attended the Zanerian, and also received instruction from T. B. Courtney and A.
W. Kimpson. For some time he has been connected with Heald's Astoria
Business College,
and is now engaged in Auditing work.
Mr.
Griffith is a young mail of splendid personality and considerably above the
average in size. He writes quite a remarkable business and professional hand,
combining to a large degree, accuracy, grace, strength, and freedom. We hope
some of these times to favor our readers with some of his penmanship, either
professional or business.
Additional
information from IAMPETH’s The Penman’s News Letter, Volume 13, Number 3, January 1980:
It is
with deep regret that I must announce the death of a great MASTER PENMAN, JOHN
S. GRIFFITH on April 26, 1980. Mr. Griffith and his lovely wife, Rose, attended
our convention at Cedar Rapids,
Iowa where John delivered a fine
speech on the "Importance of Handwriting in the Learning of Other Subjects. "He pointed out that we tend to remember what we
write down and that children should be taught to write, not print, from the
very beginning. Here is some information about John from an article provided by
his wife:
"John
S. Griffith became interested in Penmanship as a young student at the Academy of Idaho,
Pocatello, Idaho, his home
state. His teacher at the Academy, Theodore Courtney, was interested in fine
Penmanship. In 1923, John went to the Zanerian College of Penmanship at Columbus, Ohio
where he continued his study of Penmanship. His teachers, C. P. Zaner, Francis
B. Courtney and Theodore Courtney were instrumental in arousing his interest in
Penmanship and after years of sending his fine work to several Penmanship
magazines, he was considered to be one of the foremost penmen in the country.
His
interest in fine Penmanship and related subjects was his pride and joy and he
had several scrapbooks containing many personally-writ ten letters. John served
in the army during WWI, serving in U.S.A.,
France, Belgium and Germany. He received many citations
and was given an honorable discharge with the rank of 'Captain.'
He was
married June 9, 1918 to Rose Reagan of Reno,
Nev. where he was teaching
Accounting and allied subjects. He passed away of a heart attack on April 26,
1980 after a very active life."
Pictured below is a wonderful specimen
of Ornamental alphabets.


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