Correct Posture, Relaxing Exercises, Movement Practice, and Penholding,
Taught in Pictures
No progress can be made in mastering good muscular movement writing
until there is a correct understanding of the important steps and the
order in which they must be taken.
No written or spoken words can explain these more fully and plainly than
the fifteen accompanying pictures given as models. They tell all that
could be told about the important beginning steps, and they should be
studied with thoroughness now, and often during future practice periods.
=Step one=, illustration four: Position in seat with arms hanging limply
at the sides. =Step two=, number five: Body turned a little to the left
and arms extended above the desk, wrists and fingers limp. =Step three=,
number six: After permitting both arms to drop to the desk, raise right
arm as shown in the picture, withdraw control and let it drop, repeating
the operation until the arm drops comfortably into the writing position,
with a square turn at the elbow and fingers bent naturally. =Step four=,
number seven: =Learn to run the writing machine=.
Notice the closed fingers making a fist, and the absorbed interest with
which this boy studies his arm near the elbow. The arm is the machine,
and the engine that moves it is above the elbow. With the arm lying on
the desk in that position, it requires but little effort to drive the
wrist forward out of, and to pull it backward into, the sleeve; this is
“muscular movement.” Fix in your mind the following facts: In muscular
movement writing the arm is never raised above, but lies on the desk all
the time in a perfectly natural, comfortable position; the sleeve
remains in one place on the desk at all times, and the flesh on the arm
moves, the action being inside the sleeve.
Careful study of illustrations nine and ten at this point will be
helpful. The arrow points to the main rest, which should always be the
larger part of the forearm near the elbow. In writing, the wrist and
side of the hand should never touch the paper. There are only two rests,
the muscle near the elbow, as explained, and the third and fourth
fingers, those fingers supplying a movable rest, and gliding over the
paper in the various directions in which the pen moves.
Do not think of writing or penholding at this point, but give all your
attention to position, muscular relaxation, and the running of the
writing machine, until good position and easy movement have become
natural. It often pays primary grade pupils to practice on position,
relaxing exercises, and movement, from three to six weeks before taking
writing instruments. It is best that all beginners on muscular movement
practice should devote several periods to these things before thinking
of penholding or writing.
Future progress depends upon present understanding of these first
important steps. Even after beginning the movement drills, and when
muscular movement is used in all writing, parts of practice periods
should be devoted to the study of the writing machine, and to the
calisthenic exercises suggested.
Illustration number eight is worthy of close study and imitation. This
boy was looking at some object at a distance. In this position you
should practice the movement. Test the movement here, and see if you can
feel the action of the muscle of the forearm as it rests on the desk.
[Illustration: No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8]