I would like to commend Randi Kreiss for her recent column “Write it, seal it, stamp it and mail it” (March 6-12). She brought attention to what is becoming, unfortunately, a lost art: good letter writing. I also love to write letters, as well as using emails to communicate with friends and family. It takes time, as Randi pointed out, to compose, organize and write a good letter, but there is great joy when the task is accomplished and one can send it to a relative or friend. There is equal joy in receiving one in return.

It is a sad thought that very soon we will have children born who will never learn to write a letter. As soon as they go to school, or even before, they will be handed a computer. They will not be given penmanship lessons. I don’t feel that our young people should be criticized for this; after all, they must deal with the world they are born into.

But how unfortunate it is if they do not experience the joy of writing a good letter! It is true, as Randi wrote, that “Email … has degraded the English language,” and “spelling and grammar are irrelevant.” The advertising industry doesn’t care about this, and has no respect for good writing skills or the English language. The bottom line is making money, and part of their ongoing campaign to dumb down America.

Like Randi, I like emails myself; it is a fast way to keep up with people and events and saves time. However, in relation to the art of good letter writing, Randi was correct when she stated, “These missives are priceless …” I have letters from family, friends and former students, and I treasure them. Now and then I take them out and read them. The memories they bring are wonderful.

So, congratulations, Randi, for a wonderful column, and thanks for the Winston Churchill letter. It will join my collection of letters.

By the way, if your readers have never seen the “Seinfeld” episode that deals with the exclamation point, don’t miss it! It’s very funny.

Jim Hawkins
Baldwin/Oceanside