St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-12-22

PUTTING ON THE SKATE, ETC.
The holes being properly made. the
screws are introduced, and the skates
placed straight along the feet. The
little spikes at the front should be
well pressed into the sole of the boot,
and the straps drawn just tight enough
to fix the skate firmly without cramp-
ing the foot.
One of the most useful pieces of ap.
paratus for the skater is little strap
about an inch long, with a buckle at
each end So if strap should break
he has onl y to insert this sdouble-buckle
at the broken parts, and he is all right
again without loss of time.
GETTING ON THE ICE.
If possible, the skates should be
put on while the wearer is sitting on
some spot where his feet can over.
hang the ice. If that cannot be, he
should walk fairly on the ice, and
kneel on one knee while he fixes the
skate on the opposite foot.
Here take an opportunity of con.
demning all such helps as chairs or
pointed sticks. They are as object
ionable as corks to a swimmer, and
moreover give the beginner an awk.
ward attitude, from which he does not
recover for long time, and sometimes
not at all.
Let the learner stand as in the third
position in dancing, with his right
heel in the hollow of the left foot The
two feet will thus form right angles
with each other, and it is from this po-
sition that the first step in skating is
made.
Alumnus now places his weight on
the right foot, and at the same time
presses the inside edge Of the left
foot into the ice. : push given by
the left foot, which is Immediately
taken off the ice and brought parallel
with its fellow. sends the skater for
ward for a few feet.
The same thing is repeated with the
left foot, and 50 alternately, until the
skater is able to get along, although
very clumsiIy, aud with his hands fly
ing about, but still getting on.
When he can skate easily, and keep
his hands still, he should try to skate
backwards.
SKATING BACKWARDS.
There are several modes of learn
ing how to skate backwards, Of which
the best is as follows
Let Alumnus stand quite still upon
the ice, place his right foot well in ad-
r"""1 tho toe tnrnnd i"..:~' II
weight must be nearly entirely on the
left foot.
Then with the right foot let him
describe a sCmicircle on the ice, and
he will thereby force himself few
inches backwards. This movement is
repeated with the other foot, and by
degrees the skater finds himself at
some distance from the spot on which
he started.
At first he seems to make no prog
ress whatever, and appears to be fixed
to the spot But after a little prac-
ticc he overcomes the dii1icuIty,sand
begins to glide backwards in "a sinu-
Gus course, rather pretty to look at
Being familiar with this, his next
lesson is the Outside Edge.
OUTSIDE EDGE.
Hitherto, the inside edge of the
skate has been used because it is the
easiest But good skater entirely
disdains the use Of the inside edge
and So we must proceed to the out
side
The best mode of learning this feat
is by making a circle on the ice, some
eight feet or so in diameter, and put.
ting up some object to mark its cen.
! ter.
The learner then stands on the out
side of the circle, his right skate upon
the line with its outside edge firmly
pressed into it, and his right shoulder
turned towards the center. In this
position lie pushes himself round the
circle by means of the left foot, keep
ing the right skate on the line.
After going round once or twice so
as to learn the observation-disclosures be-
ing careful to hang his head well over
the right shoulder-he puts himself to
speed, and, still keeping the right
skate on the ice, tries to cross his left
foot over the right.
i After he has done so once or twice,
he should turn his left side to the ice,
and go round in thc opposite direction,
trying TO cross thc night foot ovcf the
left When he can ro round the cir
Gle either way, by continually cross
ing the feet, AIuhuus is ready for the
next movement.
Skating on the ou'er edge of the
skate leaning the body to the right
or left as the right OF left foot is used,
and making semi-circle outwardly
from center line, is one of the new
est inventions of the art, and has been
practiscd only within two or three
years. 1t is sometimes called the
"Dutch roll" 1t is easily acquired
especially by those who are already
able to describe circle by crossing
the feet either way-as in going
round circle one foot must move Oh
the outer edge of the skate 1t is q
very gracefuIstyle of skating. Some
lady skaters have acquired it and pro
ceed very gracefully over the ice. II
requires good pair Of skates.
THE CRoss-RoLL.
To skate the Gross Roll the ska
, ter stands as in learning the outside
: edge, and starting on the right foot
crosses the left over it, But instead
5 of repecting the movement. and 81
!; forming a circle, he immediatel,
crosses the right foot over the left
} and SO on.
Then, instead of making one larg,
$ circle, he forms succession of arcl
; of circles, by which he is carried for
: ward. The legs should be crosse,
over each other as far as possible, an,
$ the skater should not be content unit
[ he can even cross the knees.