The writing is "Spencerian Penmanship" and is considered a distinctly American form. Its influence is still recognizable in the Coca Cola and Ford logos. Many homeschoolers still buy reprints of the classic manual for use in their curriculum.
I've been using the script for all of my handwriting for over a decade, even filling out cursive-prohibited official forms without issue. The swift transition from being notorious for "Dr.'s handwriting" to being sought after to fill out wedding and funeral cards was startling.
http://www.amazon.com/Spencerian-Penmanship-Theory-Book-copy...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencerian_script
I've been using the script for all of my handwriting for over a decade, even filling out cursive-prohibited official forms without issue. The swift transition from being notorious for "Dr.'s handwriting" to being sought after to fill out wedding and funeral cards was startling.