The Palmer Method of Business Writing / A Series of Self-teaching in Rapid, Plain, Unshaded, Coarse-pen, Muscular Movement Writing for Use in All Schools, Public or Private, Where an Easy and Legible Handwriting is the Object Sought; Also for the Home Learner

by A. N. Palmer

HAND, FINGER, AND PENHOLDER STUDIES

No. 22

No. 23

Study closely the illustrations on this page. In number 22, the fingers bend naturally as in repose, and their positions should remain the same when the penholder is in the hand.

No. 24

No. 25

In numbers twenty-four and twenty-five, you should study the relation of the penholder to the hand. As you see, it is a little below the knuckle joint. 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. Whether these fingers bend exactly as the illustrations show will depend upon their shape and length. It does not matter whether they rest on the nails or sides, if they are comfortable and can be used easily as the movable rest.

No. 26

No. 27

These diagrams are intended to show clearly the position of the writing paper on the desk, the relative positions of arms, paper and desk, and the direction in which the pen moves to secure uniform slant. Number twenty-six is the half-side position mostly used in public schools and best adapted to them, because of the character of the desks. Number twenty-seven is the square front position.

In both diagrams, A represents the square turn at the right elbow and its position on the desk, B is the muscular rest of the forearm, C the position of the left hand in its relation to the paper and the right hand, D the penholder, and E E the imaginary line between the eyes along which the pen should travel in upward and downward strokes.

With the right forearm crossing the lower edge of the paper a little to the right of the center, the pen should progress one-fourth or one-third of the distance across a sheet of paper eight inches wide, before the position of the paper is changed. 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.

It is not Palmer Method if the lines are tremulous. Study instructions for speed requirements.