ironwood, locust, the heaviest mahogany, or lignum-vitæ. Very good light clubs, for women and youth, are made of whitewood, ash, or Mexican mahogany.

The length of the club is determined by the length of the arm. The long club, when held upon the arm extended horizontally, should reach to the point

FIG. 5.

of the shoulder where the arm and shoulder join, as in Fig. 5. The short club in the same position should extend nearly two inches above the elbow.

RINGS.

INGS made of iron, and employed for movements that

are executed by the combined efforts of students arranged in pairs, have been used in our gymnasiums for many years. Although they are worthless in the hands of one person, and consequently inferior to wands, Indian clubs, and dumb-bells, yet they afford opportunities for so many graceful positions and effective movements in combination, for persons of all ages and degrees of strength, that they are justly classed with the most desirable and valuable gymnastic apparatus.

The best and most popular rings for

exercises in schools and families, for parlor games and tableaux-vivants, are

made of wood. Any

O

FIG. 6.

common hard wood will answer, though cherry and mahogany are preferable.

The ring is turned from two pieces of board, one-half of an inch thick, glued together, with their grain running in contrary directions. It should be highly polished, or varnished with shellac as explained on p. 253. Thus made, it is beautiful and strong. Fig. 6 is a good illustration of a mahogany ring.

Two sizes afford a sufficient variety. The body of the ring, for men and women, is seven-eighths of an inch thick, and its inner diameter five inches. The ring for boys and girls has an inner diameter of four and one-half inches, with a body three-fourths of an inch thick.

E

CLASSES OF MOVEMENTS.

VERY class of movements consists of thirty-two motions, sixteen of which start from the commencing position, with the sixteen accompanying ones that are made for the recovery of the commencing position.

The general commands of execution that are usually employed in connection with the various classes of movements are: RIGHT, LEFT, ALTERNATE, RECIPROCATE, BOTH. At the command, RIGHT, a prescribed number of motions is made from the commencing position with a right member of the body, or to the right; at the command, LEFT, the same number of corresponding motions is made with a left member of the body, or to the left; at the command, ALTERNATE, a motion is first made from the commencing position with the right member, or to the right, and the commencing position regained, when a corresponding motion is made with the left member, or to the left, and these alternate motions are thus continued the prescribed number of times; at the command, RECIPROCATE, the prescribed number of motions is made by a reciprocating or see-saw movement, the right member first executing a motion from the commencing position, when one member passes from the commencing position at the same time the other recovers it; and finally, at the command, BOTH, both members execute the motions simultaneously,

the one to the right and the other to the left, or the entire distance is described by the body, without pausing at the commencing position, until the prescribed number of motions is made. Such general commands as, FRONT, Rear, Up, Down, &c., are sufficiently significant without explanation.

To avoid constant repetition in describing classes of movements, and for convenient reference, we here introduce the

General Varieties.

FIRST VARIETY.

The student will first make the prescribed motion, in a given direction, and recover the commencing position, four times; then he will make four corresponding motions from the commencing position in a contrary direction; then four of these motions from the position will be made by alternation, the first in the direction first prescribed; and finally, eight double motions will be made the entire distance, the first commencing from, and only the eighth terminating at, the commencing position. In executing the double motions, the music, or the counting, will be retarded nearly one-half. The usual commands of execution are: RIGHT (or FRONT), LEFT (or REAR), ALTERNATE, Bотн.

SECOND VARIETY.

The prescribed motion will first be made, and the commencing position regained, four times with the right member of the body; then four times with the left member; then four times by alternation, the right member first executing a motion and recovering the commencing position; and finally, four times with both members simultaneously. The usual commands of execution are: RIGHT, LEFT, ALTERNATE, BOTH.

THIRD VARIETY.

The student will make the prescribed motion and recover the commencing position twice with the right member of

the body; twice with the left member; four times by alternation; eight times by reciprocation; and finally, four times with both members simultaneously. The usual commands of execution are: RIGHT, LEFT, ALTERNATE, RECIPROCATE, BOTH.

FOURTH VARIETY.

The prescribed motion is made, and the commencing position regained, four times with the right member, or in the given direction; four times with the left member, or in the contrary direction; and eight times by alternation. Ther usual commands of execution are: RIGHT, LEFT, ALTERNATE.

FIFTH VARIETY.

Four motions are made from the commencing position with the right member of the body; four corresponding motions with the left member; and finally, sixteen of these motions by reciprocation. The usual commands of execution are: RIGHT, LEFT, RECIPROCATE.

SIXTH VARIETY.

Four double motions are made from the commencing position, in given directions, with both members simultaneously; then four corresponding motions are made in contrary directions; and finally, eight of these double motions. are made in the prescribed directions alternately.

SEVENTH VARIETY.

Sixteen reciprocating motions are first made with both members in given directions, and then sixteen corresponding reciprocating motions are made in contrary directions.

EIGHTH VARIETY.

Four double motions are made from the commencing position, in the same direction, with both members simultaneously; then four corresponding motions are made in a contrary direction; and finally, eight of these double motions are made by alternation.

WAND EXERCISES.

I.

ARM AND HAND EXERCISE.

FIRST SERIES.

First Position.

No. 1.-The students being placed as explained in the article entitled FORMATION OF THE CLASS, p. 125, and occupying standings as illustrated in Fig. 8, p. 127, their wands being held against the right shoulder, with the right hand, in the position of the dotted wand of Fig. 7, the instructor will first. command, Order-WAND.

No. 2. At the first word of command, Order, the students seize the wand briskly with the left hand near the point of the shoulder, as shown by the dotted arm of Fig. 7. At the second word of command, WAND, they loosen the grasp of the right hand, simultaneously force the wand with. the left hand through the right to the floor, and instantly carry the left arm back to the side, thus taking the habitual or military position, as illustrated by the solid part of Fig. 7.

No. 3.-REST. The instructor will always command, Order-WAND, before he permits the student to rest, as explained on pp. 128 and 149.

FIG. 7.