Walking
In all gymnastic exercises walking, running, and jumping deserve the preference, because they are the most natural movement of man, and those which he has most frequent occasion to use. This exercise, within the reach of everybody ought to be placed among the number of those which are direct conservators of health, and which have the most important beneficial effects upon our mental and moral economy. Walking provokes appetite, assists digestion, accelerates the circulation, brings the fluids to the skin, strengthens the memory, and gives cheerfulness to the mind, and in fatiguing the limbs gives repose to the senses and the brain.
It might be supposed that every one knows how to walk: not so, however; some persons crawl, some hobble, some shuffle along. Few have the graceful noble movement that ought to belong to progression, or, however well formed, preserve a really erect position and an air of becoming confidence and dignity. To teach walking--that is to say, to teach young persons to walk properly--we should advise a class of them to unite, that they may be able to teach themselves, which they may readily do if they follow the instructions given below.
A company of boys being formed, the eldest, or the one best adapted to the task, should act as captain, and at the word of command, "Fall in," all the boys are to advance on the same line, preserving between each the distance of about an arm's length. At the word "Dress" each boy places his right hand on the left shoulder of the next, extending his arm at full length, and turning his head to the right. At the word "Attention" the arms fall down by the side, and the head returns to the first position. The captain should now place his little regiment in the following manner:--1. The head up. 2. The shoulders back. 3. The body erect. 4. The stomach in. 5. The knees straight, the heels on the same line. 6. The toes turned very slightly outwards. The captain now stands before his men, and advancing his left foot, his knee straight, and his toe inclined towards the ground, he counts one, two, placing his boot on the ground, the toe before the heel; he then directs his pupils to obey him, and to follow his motions, and says, "March," when each foot is advanced simultaneously, till he gives the word "Halt." He then makes them advance, wheel to the right and left, in slow time, quick time, always observing the position of the body, and requiring that they move all together.