It is often advantageous to go over the path of the letter, or exercise,
with a dry pen. This method is especially helpful to a student whose
muscles are hard, and who finds difficulty in overcoming the tendency to
keep the muscles of the arm and body in a rigid condition. This plan has
been suggested in former lessons, and we consider it of sufficient
importance to receive emphasis here.
Another plan which the author has found helpful to students who write
with strained muscles, is to place a weight on the paper, and write with
the left arm hanging down. The tension of the right arm is relieved at
once.
Still another plan to relieve this tension, so common among beginners,
is to select some easy drill like o or m, and make it across the ruled
lines with the eyes fixed upon some object at a distance on a level with
them when the body is fairly erect.
=Drill 92=
[Illustration]
Small f is a little shorter below than above the base line, and is
closed on the base line. A fair rate of practice speed is fourteen
groups of five letters each, or seventy letters to the minute. Count
1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, for each group.