General Positions.

1. The military, or gymnasium position, is to place the heels together, toes out, and hands at the side; the ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle appearing to be

in a perpendicular line, and the weight equal on both feet.

Full Description of the Military Position. a. Heels together, or an inch apart.

b. Feet at right angles.

c. Knees together.

d. Body and head upright.

e. Shoulders back.

f. Eyes front.

g. Arms at the side.

h. Palms in, and thumbs front.*

i. Mouth closed (except in vocal exercise).

2. The rostrum position is an easy, upright speaking po sition, with one foot advanced, and the

weight of the body principally upon the

foot in the rear.

Full Description of the Rostrum Position. a. Body erect and easy.

b. One foot three or four inches in advance of the other.

c. Toes turned out in an angle of about 45 degrees.

d. Arms at rest at the side.

e. Heel of the foot in advance, in a line with the heel of the other.

f. Hands relaxed and natural (as they would hang at the side).

3. The reading position is similar to the rostrum, save that the book should be held in the left hand, high enough to keep

*This position is sometimes given with the palms front and thumbs out. (See Figure.)

the head from drooping, yet not so high as to hide the face of the reader from the audience.

Special Positions and Movements. (See Table No. 1.) The special positions are always taken at the commencement and between the movements of a series. The military always precedes the special position, unless otherwise stated.

I. CHEST SERIES.

1. Percussing.*-Position: hands upon sides, so that the fingers may touch in the back; thumbs pointing front, with the elbows pressed back, and the chin curbed; action: fill the lungs, and, with open hands, pat the chest rapidly and gently from the neck to the girdle; increase the intensity of action when no inconvenience is felt therefrom, but never bruise the flesh.

2. Single Thrusting from the Arm-pit.t-Position: fists upon the chest, near the arm-pit, in front; elbows elevated and pressed back; wrists bent inward; direction, the twelve points: three front, three oblique, three extended, and three backward; order, single; manner, direct. (See Table No. 1.)

* Percussing distributes the air to the remote portions of the lungs that are less often inflated, and strengthens them.

All the thrust exercises widen the chest in front, and make the back straight and narrow.

B

3. Double Thrusting from the Arm-pit.*-Position as in No. 2; direction, contrasting, up and down, or right and left; order, double; manner, direct; action: 1st, descending and ascending front, alternating four times with both fists; 2d, descending extended to the right, and the same to the left, four times alternately; 3d, horizontal extended to the right twice, the same to the left, and four times alternately; 4th, ascending extended to the right twice, and the same to the left, and four times alternately.

4. Thrusting from the Chest centre.-Position: fists on the chest, backs front, knuckles touching; elbows horizontal with the shoulders; direction, the twelve points; order, single; manner, direct.

5. Thrusting from the Sides.*-Position: elbows back; fore-arm and fists parallel upon the sides, and horizontal; direction, three points front; order, single; manner, direct.

6. Thrusting from the Hips.-Position: fists upon the back of the hips, near the girdle, palms in, thumbs closed, and elbows pressed backward; direction, backward; order, single; manner, direct.

II. SHOULDER SERIES.

1. Extending the Arms from the Arm-pit.-Position: elbows horizontal with the shoulders, thumbs and fingers joined, and drawn up under the arms; direction, extended * Inspire at the return, and expire at the outward movements.

(descending and horizontal); order, single; manner, direct; action: 1st, bring the arms from the special position direct. ly down in the single order, i. e. right hand twice, left hand twice, alternately twice, and simultaneously twice; 2d, bring the arms from the special position to the horizontal extended in single order.

2. Extending the Arms from the Shoulder top.-Position: fingers rest upon the top of the shoulder near the joint, thumbs back, elbows extended horizontally from the shoulders; direction, extended (three points); order, single; manner, direct; action: bring the arms from the special position, 1st, to the descending extended; 2d, to the horizontal; 3d, to the ascending extended in the usual single order. (See No. 1 of this series.)

3. Shoulder Lifting.-Position, military; arms relaxed; direction, upward; order, single; manner, direct; action: raise the right shoulder twice, the left twice, alternate twice, and twice simultaneously.

4. Rotary Movement.*-Position and order as in No. 3; manner, rotary; action: bring the right shoulder forward, upward, backward, downward twice, twice with the left,

* To teach quickly, let the pupils count four; at one, bring shoulder forward; two, upward; three, backward; four, downward. It is a good exercise for removing a stoop or round of the shoulders, as indeed are all the chest and shoulder exercises, with No. 4 of the Elbow Series, and No. 7 of the Arm Series.

etc. Let the arms be loose, and swing as they may, dur ing this exercise.

5. Swinging the Arms horizontally backward.-Position: the palms together, horizontal front; direction, backward; order, double; manner, direct; action: swing the arms backward and forward eight or sixteen times.

III. ELBOW SERIES.

1. Hands clasped and upon the Head.-Position: hands clasped and placed upon the head, palms down, and elbows extended at the side; direction, upward, etc.; order, double;

manner, direct; action: 1st, raise the hands above the head without unclasping four times; 2d, upon the back of the