manner of standing on one foot, or the habit of giving the body the swaying movement from foot to foot, which is too common a fault with our young people.

READER'S POSITION-(Figure 10.)

This is the same as the speaker's position: with the right hand holding the book flatly open, with the thumb and little finger used to keep the book open and leaves down, the other three fingers beneath the book as a support. Let the elbow be advanced a few inches, with the forearm at an angle of about forty-five degrees, to secure perfect vision without bending the neck or body. A rest and change can be given in this the same as standing position, by also changing the book from the right to the left hand. These directions in holding the book should be observed in reading aloud in a sitting position as well as standing.

EXERCISES-Forward and Backward Poising-(Figure 11.)

First. Carry the weight of the body as far back as possible without lifting the heels or bending the spine. The ankle joints are alone brought into play in this movement. All the other joints of the body remain inflexible. By count return steadily to position.

Second. Carry the weight of the body as far back as possible. Let the weight be mainly on the heels, still without lifting the toes, with the rest of the body in the same position as on the forward movement. Return steadily to position.

RISING MOVEMENT (Figure 12.)

From the standing position let the body be raised gently by lifting the heels and throwing the weight on the toes. This is accomplished by an extension of the instep. Let

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

51

the position of the body remain as in the correct standing position, and give elevation to the body as much as possible, with the knees extended. The trunk and head by being kept in a straight line with the lower limbs are gradually thrown forward during the rising position without the body losing its balance.

Return gently and slowly to position after remaining standing through two counts. This same exercise may be practiced with benefit by rising on one foot at a time. This gives strength to the lower limbs, and a better general command of the body.

The forward and backward bending of the body as in Figures 13 and 14 should be practiced with care and gone through gently. They have the tendency to strengthen the muscles of the waist and back, and to give impulse to the digestive organs. Let the body be bent slowly forward, the feet remaining firmly fixed to the floor, bending only the hip joint. Let the arm fall naturally as the trunk goes forward as far as possible. Remain in this position a moment, and return slowly, taking care that during the entire movement the head with reference to the trunk is kept in a proper position, and as you rise let the hands gradually return in proper place. At the discretion of one taking this exercise the hands may be placed in position as in Figure 14. The backward movement is obtained in the same way, letting only the hip joint come into play.

BODY BENDED RIGHT AND LEFT-(Figure 15.)

The bending of the body as in Figure 15 should be made first slowly to the right, and let both feet remain firmly in position, and keep the knees straight; only the body from the hips up is brought into action in this exercise, Let the hands fall gently to the side, and bend far enough over until the hand touches the outside of the knee,

returning to position. Repeat this exercise, bending the body to the left; with a short interval this may be practiced two or three times in succession with benefit, taking care that all the movements are made gently and without forcing the body.

WALKING-(Figure 16.)

In walking, the main points of the standing position must be observed: the body erect, head raised, eyes looking straight forward, with chest active as in Figure 16, arms falling easily and allowed a gentle natural swing. Let the step be quick in time and length, approaching as near as possible the military march, but avoid any rigidity or stamping. All the muscles of the body must be in a state of easy elastic tension. All lassitude, bending, carelessness, falling of the head, dangling of the limbs, bending of the trunk, and loose, irregular gazing should be avoided.

In a quick ordinary step the heel of the advanced foot strikes the ground first; in a very slow long step the outside toe strikes the ground first. The quick ordinary step is far preferable, and should be most practiced.

BODY TURNED RIGHT AND LEFT—(Figure 17.)

Assume the correct standing position as in Figure 7, then turn the trunk to the right; keep the legs straight and close together, with the feet firm; the head must not turn back except in unison with the body; let the arms and hands remain in the same relative position to the body as at the beginning of the movement. This movement is extended until an angle of about forty-five degrees is attained from the correct standing position, or until the eyes are looking directly from the right side, as in Figure 17. Returning to position, the left movement is practiced in the same way.