How to write in cursive, in the words of the 1915 Palmer manual

“No student who fails in the matter of position will master muscular movement writing. Correct position is of the greatest importance, and it should be studied and thoroughly mastered before the writing itself is considered.”

“A good rule to follow in finding the correct position of the right arm on the desk for writing is as follows: Place the body at the desk in the correct square front position, raise the entire right arm a few inches, and withdrawing control, let it drop. Wherever it strikes the desk it should remain.”

“You should always sit well back in your seat, so far back that the body will not touch the desk.”

“Always use the left hand to move the paper. Paper 8×10½ inches in width should be moved three or four times in the progress of the pen across it.”

“When the end of the line has been reached, the paper should be returned to its original position, and should be moved up on the desk the width of one line. Lift the pen before moving the paper.”

“The first finger bends naturally, and rests on top of the holder about one inch from the point of the pen; the thumb rests on the holder nearly opposite the first joint of the first finger, and the third and fourth fingers are bent, touching the paper and forming a movable rest.”

“The fingers hold the pen easily and firmly without pinching; the third and fourth fingers are bent backward and form the movable rest under the hand; neither the wrist nor side of the hand touches the paper, and the arm should rest all the time on the largest portion in front of and near the elbow.”

“Are you comfortable in your seat; do your arms feel comfortable; and are you holding the penholder lightly in the hand without pinching it? Give close attention to these things.”

“Use paper of generous size for your practice, a medium coarse pen, and ink that flows well.”

“Muscular movement as applied to writing, is the movement of the muscles of the arm from the shoulder to the wrist, with the larger part of the arm below the elbow on the desk, the fingers not being held rigid, but remaining passive, and neither extended nor contracted in the formation of letters. In this movement the driving power is located above the elbow in the upper muscles of the arm.”

“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.”

“Do not forget that the force that moves the hand and carries the pen along without bending the fingers is above the elbow. It is not located in the fingers, hand, wrist, or forearm.”

“Before making the oval drill or attempting any part of it, move the pen in the air rapidly over the path of the first oval several times. While doing this, watch closely the movement of the muscles of the arm. While the pen is moving rapidly, and without checking its motion, let it strike the paper. The force thus gathered will compel light, quick action, break up finger motion, give smooth lines, and aid form building.”

“In developing light, uniform motion in class penmanship practice, counting is important.”

“In the oblique straight line and the oval exercises given in drill one, the downward strokes only should be counted. The other parts of the drills, being what are termed connective lines, are not counted.”

“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.”

“The straight line and oval exercises in drills one, two, and three should be made at a speed of two hundred downward strokes to a minute; one hundred in one-half a minute; and then move the paper.”

“Until correct speed habits have been developed, the second hand of a watch should be used as a guide.”

“Good practice speed for these words is “mine,” eighteen; “uses,” twenty; and “sell,” twenty-two, to the minute.”

“The rate of speed should be about twenty complete traced ovals, and as many capitals to the minute.”

“Slant needs no special study, but will take care of itself if the instructions have been studied and heeded.”

“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.”

“Always, before beginning practice, the drill should be studied in every little detail until the correct picture is in your mind.”

“Practice of the right kind leads toward perfection, but the wrong kind of practice leads just as surely in the opposite direction. It is not so much the exercise that is practiced as the manner in which it is practiced.”

“Before attempting to make any part of drill one, review lessons one, two, and three, and give the closest possible attention to position, muscular relaxation, and penholding. Don’t practice before you know how.”

“Each practice period should begin with a review of position, careful study of the arm, fingers, and penholding, and practice of the preceding movements without touching the pen to the paper.”

“Before beginning the practice of any drill or letter, study its form closely, part by part, and as a complete whole. In what direction does the pen move to make the first line? See that the pen moves in that direction before coming in contact with the paper.”

“When pupils make the ovals fairly well, they are ready to begin to apply muscular movement to words and sentences.”

“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.”

“Acquire elasticity, lightness, and freedom, and do not mind if the pen runs away at first and makes some awkward letters. This is to be expected.”

“Letting the distance between the two ruled lines, three-eighths of an inch apart, represent one space in height, any part of this drill should be two spaces high.”

“The ovals given above are twelve-sixteenths of an inch high, and the letters in the word “mine” (called minimum letters) are about one-twelfth as high, or one-sixteenth of an inch.”