The American Philosophical Society in Old City is using AI to transcribe thousands of Revolutionary-era documents.
The decline of formal penmanship has no doubt pained old-fashioned letter writers everywhere, but it poses a particular threat to Philadelphia historians. Those humble servants of 18th-century antiquary tasked with preserving and interpreting the private musings and public pronouncements of our quill-wielding Founding Fathers and Mothers, all put to parchment in florid and flowing cursive.
What to do, wonder the guardians of Philadelphia’s unparalleled Revolutionary roots, when more and more people can barely make out a word?
“18th-century handwriting is very hard to decipher,” said Patrick Spero, CEO of the American Philosophical Society. “On top of that is an existential threat, which is that nobody is learning cursive anymore.”
Read the full article here.
