A. N. Palmer

“ LESSON 15 MORE ABOUT COUNTING In writing, as in music, regularity of movement is an important factor. A jerky, spasmodic motion is to be avoided, and successful teachers of writing have found that some method to mark the time of making parts of letters is helpful. Some use a metronome, some a chalk box and a ruler, others musical instruments; but we prefer that wonderful machine, the human voice, and a process of counting to fit the letters. In individual home practice the counting process is of as much value as in the school-room, and pupils should learn to use it. ”

“ In the Palmer Method, freedom of movement is the foundation, and, through a constantly repeated series of rapid drills, the application of movement becomes a fixed habit of the learner. Under this plan the pupil’s first attempt is naturally crude, but every drill practiced in strict accord with the printed instructions tends to add grace and accuracy to his work. The sure result is a handwriting that embodies these four essentials—legibility, rapidity, ease, and endurance. ”

“ When pupils have learned good posture, correct penholding, and how to use muscular movement in making a good two-space compact oval, they are ready to begin to learn how to write well. Too many pupils think they have really learned how to write well when they are able to make some of the very simple drills in correct posture at the right speed and in correct rhythm. That is really the starting-point toward good penmanship, and should be followed immediately by the practice of words, and, indeed, by the use of the movement in all written work. ”

“ An effort should be made to bring the upward and downward strokes of small t together at the top, but if a very short narrow loop is sometimes made as a result of rapid movement, it will not conflict with legibility. The small t should always be a little shorter than the small l and its companions, b, h, k, and f. The practice speed for t in groups of five is twenty groups, or one hundred letters, to the minute. There is no special value in this letter as a movement drill, but a little practice of it in group formation will be an aid to its mastery. ”

“ It may be profitable for third, fourth, and fifth year pupils to spend the practice periods of one week in studying and practicing the two movement drills given in this lesson, reviewing each day everything that has gone before. Pupils in the sixth, seventh, and eighth years, and in high schools classes should be able to progress more rapidly. It is not safe to say how rapidly, as that depends upon the knowledge of the teacher, the mental caliber of the pupils, their interest in the work, the length of the daily lessons, and the amount of the right kind of outside practicing that pupils do. ”

“ Compare the oval of capital D with capital O. Do not neglect to make a careful study of D, each part by itself, and the letter as a whole. Do not drag the hand over the paper, but keep it well up in front of the eyes, and drive it along firmly but lightly. It takes a little time, energy, and enthusiastic practice to make a good business penman, but it is encouraging to know that under the muscular movement plan there are no failures when favorable conditions prevail. Practice capital D until you can make forty-five fairly good letters to the minute. Count 1, 2, 3, for each letter. ”

“ ABOUT SPEED Speed is so important in the development of good writing that it should receive close attention in all practice work until correct speed has become a habit. Too much speed is just as bad as too little. Correct speed forces a light, firm line; too little speed results in shaky tremulous lines; while excessive speed means irregular letter formation. If you develop a light, firm, elastic motion, and the proper degree of speed in straight line and oval making, you will find the work of the following lessons comparatively easy. ”

“ COUNTING TO REGULATE MOTION In developing light, uniform motion in class penmanship practice, counting is important. It makes the work more interesting, tones down the movement of the naturally nervous pupil, acts as a constant spur to the habitually slow boy or girl, and keeps the indolent student busy. In the oblique straight line and the oval exercises given in drill one, the downward strokes only should be counted. ”

“ Pupils, do not vehemently assert that you are very anxious to become good penmen, and then abuse the opportunities within your reach. Learning to write well is not difficult to the earnest, careful, hard-working pupil; and with such, results almost immediately follow correct methods of practice.
Finger movement and muscular movement are antagonistic, and the student who makes an effort to use muscular movement in the writing class only, need not hope for success.
Home students, not having the advantage of the directing counsel of good teachers, should frequently review the beginning lessons. ”

“ The pupil who becomes the absolute master of a finished style of muscular movement writing within the limits of six months or one school year is he who gives the closest attention to every detail relating to the beginning steps, who follows the printed instructions closely, who sits in correct position at all times, and uses muscular movement throughout the writing lessons, and in all his written work within a month from the time he begins to study the Palmer Method. ”

“ You should always sit well back in your seat, so far back that the body will not touch the desk. This boy is none too far back; his writing is well in front of the eyes, and it is easy for him to retain the very important square turn at the right elbow. You should follow his good example in the matter of position, and if you practice faithfully you can soon become an expert penman. ”

“ Pupils who constantly practice the movement drills in poor positions with incorrect movement never even get started, and pupils who practice from fifteen to thirty minutes a day in good positions with correct movement, but who fall back into the old bad cramped positions and finger movement habits in all other writing, do not get beyond the beginning stages, no matter how many years they may practice. ”

“ There are also bound books, with copies at the top of the pages that were really written with some show of muscular movement and afterward photo-engraved, but the copy-book principles are involved in the publication of such books—principles which preclude the teaching of good writing through their use. The mental attitude of pupils who see before them the immaculate page upon which they must make reproductions, as nearly facsimile as possible of the copies at the top, is wholly unfavorable to the process. ”

“ Teachers who cannot maintain enthusiasm throughout the writing period, and who do not realize the necessity of constantly repeated cautions and admonitions, must never expect to secure flattering results.
Teachers, see that your pupils are alert, watchful, and practicing under the most favorable conditions. Force upon the inner consciousness of every pupil the harmfulness of careless practice and the necessity for making every stroke according to instructions and in the right direction. ”

“ It is a fact, that among the thousands of men and women employed in business offices who do longhand writing constantly, rapidly, and well, none can be found who do not use muscular movement, because it is the only movement through which penmanship embracing in the highest degree legibility, rapidity, ease, and endurance can be developed. ”

“ See that pupils’ arms are free of heavy clothing.
WRITING MATERIALS Not much progress can be made with poor paper, poor pens, or poor ink. Good materials are a necessity. Do not use a penholder covered with metal where the fingers rest if another can be procured. Never use an oblique penholder in business writing. It is out of place and of no advantage whatever. Nothing equals an oblique holder for ornamental writing, but there its utility ends. Use paper of generous size for your practice, a medium coarse pen, and ink that flows well. Blue-black writing fluid is the best. ”

“ It has not been written to exploit any one’s skill as a pen artist. It aims to be of use to those who are ambitious to become good, practical business writers. The lessons it contains are not experimental, but have been the means of guiding millions of boys and girls, young men and women to a good business style of writing. ”

“ These features alone should be sufficient to encourage boys and girls to master a physical training system of writing such as is presented in the following pages, remembering that it is impossible to do good muscular movement writing in twisted, unhealthful positions, or with stiff and rigid muscles.
Straight line and oval drills are of no value except as they lead to writing. They are the means through which to gain the muscular control that will enable pupils to master an ideal permanent style of rapid, plain-as-print writing. ”

“ There is no value in any penmanship drill ever invented unless it is practiced with correct positions of body, arms, 5fingers, penholders, paper, and with exactly the right movement, and at exactly the right rate of speed. ”

“ Drive the pen through the exercise rapidly and lightly. Make four connected m’s before lifting the pen, and three such groups across a line. You will make the letters too large, irregular, and awkward at first, and will have trouble with the union (connecting lines) , but keep right on. Make the four lines in a minute and move the paper after each group. As taught in drill thirteen, lesson fifteen, the parts of small m are made with over-motion, but to use an over-motion between letters would give no connective line and hence no dividing line between the letters. ”

“ 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 ”

“ If the position is correct, and if all downward strokes are made toward the center of the body, each pupil will develop uniform slant, though different pupils may develop individual slants. Following the same rules, and practicing at the same time under similar conditions, different slants result, because of the variations in length of arms, and other physical conditions. The degree of slant is not a matter of grave importance so long as each writer develops uniform slant in his own writing. ”

“ Without conflicting with other subjects it is possible to lay the foundation for an excellent handwriting in one school year, with but fifteen to thirty minutes daily study and practice, and the employment of muscular movement in all written work just as soon as possible. As progress is made in the grades the use of muscular movement can be permanently established. ”

“ If you have studied the lessons in advance, have practiced the different drills and mastered them before giving them to your pupils, a good plan to follow in word-practice is sometimes to sit at your desk, or a pupil’s desk writing the words with them and spelling as you write. ”

“ Boys and girls who learn to skate with almost consummate grace must pass through the awkward stages, when they sit down instead of standing up as they had planned, and when their feet take possession and run away with them. In instrumental music of any kind one does not become an expert without first learning how to practice and then practicing in exactly the right way according to methods prescribed by master teachers. ”

“ The loop letters were three spaces, or three-eighths of an inch high, which is two-sixteenths of an inch higher than the loops in these lessons.
Movement Used—In business writing, all loops below the line should be made with pure muscular movement. In making those above the line, the fingers should be relaxed, and as the arm slides forward, a slight extension of the fingers will help to make the upper part of the loop. The combination of the two movements is perfectly natural to most hands, and little encouragement need be given to the use of the fingers. ”

“ The count in groups of five is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5—one for each letter.
LESSON 33
Drill 34
More study, more practice. Study and practice should be constant companions in developing good writing. One without the other will lead to one-sided results. Don’t be one-sided.
Drill thirty-four offers good movement practice. Close observation will indicate just how it is done. The small traced oval is about one-half the capital in height, and the upper loop is also one-half the entire height of the letter. ”

“ When pupils have mastered the movement and become good business writers, their second specimens should be sent to be filed with the first. The improvement is often so great that the first and second specimens may be engraved and published with great credit to the schools, the pupils, and the Palmer Method. ”

“ When a letter is poorly made, it may be due to one or all of four causes—first, the position may be poor; second, the muscles may be rigid, preventing easy action; third, the mind may not have a good picture of the form; and fourth, movement direction may be wrong. ”

“ Make a few lines of capital N as a movement drill before practicing the word Noon. Repeated letters and words should always be considered movement drills. Strive for a firmer, lighter motion constantly. Examine all letters and words practiced with special reference to firm, smooth lines, their direction, size, distances between letters, height and width of the different parts, connecting lines, the finishing lines in the final letters, and every little detail. ”

“ If the wrist or side of the hand rests on the paper, all motion coming from the muscles of the arm will stop at the wrist and it will be an impossibility to use muscular movement. Watch the wrist and the side of the hand closely. ”