Evening star., 1896-01-18

proficiency. The first thing to develop is
confidence. Without that no one can hope
to ever get SO far as the roll, to say moth
Ing of the intricate curves and pirouetting
frequently seen. The old saying, never
too old to learn, furnishes a world of COM
tort to many, but the sooner in life the
attempt is made the better Many per-
sons have learned to skate even after their
thirty-fifth year.
In preparing for season of skating the
most important things to be considered in
the skaters makeup are the proper skates
and shoes. The latter should be laced, as
they afford the best support the ankles
can be given. and now that the strap has
been succeeded through the channels of in
vent1on by the clamp one Of the best
recommendations is that the shoe gives
strength to the ankles. In this same con-
nection great mistake is frequently made
oy many skaters in the lacing of the shoes.
They should be drawn tightly at the ex-
IRENE bottom and the extreme top of the
iace. leaving it comparatively loose imme-
olately over the tnstep at the bend Of the
ankle This holds the shoe firmly at the
toe and over the ankle, giving plenty Of
play for the bending of the foot. BY tight
iacing IN the benz of the ankle the shoe
is made to bind, and after time the ankle
becomes bl1stered and put in such a con-
d1uon as to make skating on the follow
Ing day painful. IL not an impossibility
The shoe must be just as heavy and solid
as possible
The selection Of the skate is point about
Whlch 700 much care cannot be taken. For
women there Is zone better or more serv-
iceaoe than the half-clamp and half-strap:
tfat is. with clamp on the toe and strap
| with leather heel support This arrange
meht mas two-fold virtue. The clamp
onr oxer the the toe .S does away with tight strap
the strap at the heel braces the skate
nrmly to the shoe and gives support to the
al kles at the same time. The majority of
men skaters prefer the all-clamp skate
Embryo skaters too often make the mistake
| or selecting a skate with too much curve
TO the blade Beginners skates should
nave as little rock as possible The fiat
plade is best for speed and free movement,
Wnlie the chief use to which the rocker"
| Is adapted is small figure work The skate
with the lesser "rock'' can be used equally
well for the small figures but the other can
er strokes '0AAe
The first effort of the beginner should be
to learn to walk on the ice. This strength
| ems the ankles and teaches the rudinents
of skating. Next a few strokes. and then
slide In the direction the feet are wont TO
ieaa at the same time making an attempt
10 keep the ankles from turning. The nov
Ice should not be disc concerted by the laugh
Ter and Jeers Of lookers-on nor get dis
couraged by few tumbles No one has
ever learned to skate without a fall One
time for the initial lesson This should he
1oiIowed up the next day, no matter how
stlii and useless the skater feels.
The foundation stroke of all movements
on skates is that on the inner edge This
Is the stroke used in most all the forward
movements and for developing speed. AS
general rule, after person has managed
this stroke the assistance of friends or in
structors only tends to decrease confidence
and hinder the progress After the inner
edge has been mastered, next in order
comes the outside edge and the Dutch
roll.