diff --git a/lib/screen1.h b/lib/screen1.h
index 26d933a..133e561 100644
--- a/lib/screen1.h
+++ b/lib/screen1.h
@@ -9,11 +9,8 @@ const word SCREEN1_SIZE = (32*24);
 void screen1_load_font() {
    byte *source = FONT;
 
-   // start writing into VRAM from space character (32..127)
-   tms_set_vram_write_addr(TMS_PATTERN_TABLE+(32*8));
-   for(word i=768;i!=0;i--) {
-      TMS_WRITE_DATA_PORT(*source++);
-   }
+   // copy normal FONT 32..127
+   tms_copy_to_vram(source, 768, TMS_PATTERN_TABLE+(32*8));
 
    // reverse font (32..127)
    source = FONT;
diff --git a/lib/tms9918.h b/lib/tms9918.h
index b99321d..33ecfa3 100644
--- a/lib/tms9918.h
+++ b/lib/tms9918.h
@@ -164,6 +164,15 @@ inline void tms_wait_end_of_frame() {
    while(!FRAME_BIT(TMS_READ_CTRL_PORT));
 }
 
+// loads the font on the pattern table
+void tms_copy_to_vram(byte *source, word size, word dest) {
+   // start writing into VRAM from space character (32..127)
+   tms_set_vram_write_addr(dest);
+   for(word i=size;i!=0;i--) {
+      TMS_WRITE_DATA_PORT(*source++);
+   }
+}
+
 #include "apple1.h"
 #include "font8x8.h"
 #include "sprites.h"