Isn’t this page from Fitzgerald’s baby book incredible? A friend shared this recently in light of the push to stop teaching handwriting in schools.
Wanting to know more about the page, I found an interesting site that was made by/for the author of Scrapbooks, Jessica Helfand, called The Daily Scrapbook–though I fear it isn’t being updated. Helfand quotes a biography of Fitzgerald that references his mother, Mollie McQuillan Fitzgerald, and explains that Mollie kept extensive records of her son’s youth (first cry, cute sayings, dance cards, and so on).
Umm… I have a cocktail napkin saved with Aron’s signatures after 21st-birthday drinks…
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
This is seriously amazing. Who would have thought to do this? What an incredible mother who had an incredible son. It's so sad that some people don't value handwriting. Man, I learned Calligraphy in school and I still use it to this day.
I always notice when someone has nice handwriting. I admire it. I don't like mine. It's interesting to see when he started adding the "F", looks like he just went by Scott for a bit. Great idea.
Very cool find. I can't believe how nice his signature was at 6. Mine was not so elegant at that age.
Such a great idea! I would love to keep things like this for my child. You can kind of see how his personality started to develop with his handwriting.
This is amazing! Okay, now I want to see the napkin.
This is really amazing.
I have to keep that in mind for my future kids.
yeah, yeah, F. Scott whatever… You saved a cocktail napkin!?! That is the sweetest thing! Seriously! You two make me say 'awwww' just about every time I read your posts or look at your photos!
awwww….
Jesse saved a torn piece of the DC City Paper with my name and number on it — although no signature. I love the signature idea for a baby book.
What a neat idea. I may start doing this with my daughter. And to pass the idea for my friend who is expecting.
I like how at age 15 he began writing Frances Scott versus at 14 it was Scott F..very interesting!
I love this. I keep a photo album for my son. One page for each year…so when he graduates high school I can give it to him. I am totally going to have him
sigh each page from now on so we cab track his erring through the years. Thanks for the inspiration!
thanks for featuring this on your blog … this is jessica helfand — author of scrapbooks: an american history, in which the f. scott fitzgerald baby book is featured … it's at princeton university with the fitzgerald papers, if any of you want to go see for yourselves!