The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-28
TRAINING ACROBATS.
HOW BOYS ARE TAUGHT FOR THE
CIRCUS RING.

tiaI to Success as Confidence,
Strength and skill.
From the New York Evening Post.
When the senior member OF an aero
bate family" finds his "top-mounter'
growing too heavy to be thrown graceful
~ from shoulder TO shoulder, and tossed
ara twiried like a barrel on his feet he
looks about for a promising younger boy
10 put in training for the next season. II
he has no son Of his own he picks up
boy in an institution or off the streets;
or, more frequently, takes as apprentice
the young son of friend, or the little
brother of one Of the boys he has brought
up. There is no apprentice law in this
country TO protect him; so that. if he does
not feel inclined to adopt the boy outright
and has an eye to keeping him, after he
has made him valuable, his choice falls
on one who is friendless, or one with
whose parents he can enter into an agree
ment, with a reasonable surety of its be-
ing honorsbly fulfilled. He Will not take
runaway boy, for ne knows it would
make trouble foq him eventually and
boys are plentiful for his purposes, with
out running unnecessary risks.
Albert Miilette, of the "Mi,lette Fam
n.y. a French Canadian ''understander''
(senior acroba0, who has been travelling
the globe over for twenty years, and is
famed in the circus world as a trainer,
has brought up twelve boys in his time,
and ascribes their success, not alone TO
care and good reatment, but 10 his judi
cious selection.
In the old circus days, when the law
gave the master certain authority the APP
prentices had no defense against abuse
In, tI,ara IL
the boy has the upper hand. He may run
away at any time, and the master has no
redress; and he has sure safeguard
against beatings. No ringmaster viii per
NIT a boy TO appear "in the arena" dis
figured with bruises, and every boy must
at all times be supple and strong if the
''act' is to be kept up to the standard
required. Boys are abused even to-day,
but an abusive master is the rare eXcep-
ton, and soon gains a reputation 'in the
profession" that makes a "top-mouuter"
exceedingly difficult for him to obtain and
keep.
Essential Qualifications.
The requirements of his work made the
apprentice almost certain of good food, So
licitous care, kind treatment and continu
Gus advancement up TO the time when he
strikes out for himself. In the eyes of the
circus proprietors he is as good as his
master, since he is usually essential to the
act; in the eyes Of the other performers
he is a man as they are, for he does the
same work and is quite as valuable; in
| the eyes of the women of the show he is
a little boy, and is coddled when ailing.
The only way to make an acrobat, ac-
| cordlng to the experienced trainer refer
| red 10, is to inspire him with confidence
In his mates, to whom he must trust his
| life and limb twice a day every day of
| the season. Some promising boys cannot
be taught this, and have to abandon the
| circus profession or go into some other
| branch of it that calls only for confidence
in themselves, as tumbling or bareback
! riding.
A second and absolutely necessary re-
| qurement is the sustained confidence that
| a somersault can be turned, always, by
certain physical movements; many boys
| have to learn this, and others. who lose
! heart before each trial, are given up be
| cause they cannot learn it. SO far as the
| body is concerned, the boy must give
| promise of approaching nearly the fanlil-
lar acrobatic IDEAL if he is knock-kn eed
or thin-chested, or marred in face or form
| in any other way, he is not considered.
| If he IS particularly well formed his ''be Ru-
| ty," as it is called, works strongly in his
| favor, and he is almost always taken on
| trial If he is to be trained for top
| mounter' he must be short from the knee
to the sole; if he is to be an "uu1er-
! stander'' he must be large-boned; if he
is to be a "midde-man" he must be near
! the average.
First Lessons in Traiuing.
At 10 years is the best age to put boy
| in training but children born n the cir
Gus learn to turn a "fip-flap' soon after
| they learn 10 walk, and Is years is not
too late to begin. The time wh,er a Sc
rious training is undertaken is be tween
| the circus season, when the acrobat is at
home with mis- family and has time on his
| hands. mechanic is rugged in his
room; this is a long rope run through two
pulleys fastened TO the ceiling ten feet
apart the rope Says to the floor between
them, and at the slack is wound round the
boys waist. The acrobat stands the lad
| under the pulleys and between them; tlten
he takes the ends of the rope in his hands,
gets a good grip, and pulls it tight
Put your heels together" he saws
| Throw your shoulders back; put some
| life in yourself. When you jump spring
| high; draw your knees up and catch your
| thighs with your hands; then throw your
| head back and you'll turn. Let yourself
out and you'll land on your feet. Now.
when l say go. jump"
| This Is the point at which the boy loses
courage. He cannot fall. for the trainer
has a tight grip on the ends of the rope,
| and would lift him out of danger If 1t ap-
peared that he was not about to light on
| his feet. The boy finds 1t hard to commit
| himself to the strength and alertness of
| the man; and at this the critical point he
must be taught the confidence he needs at
| all times.
Coz says the acrobat.
| The boy jumps and gets "in tuck" as
| drawing UP the knees Is called. easily
enough; but seldom has the courage To
throw his head back, an essential move
ment. If he chooses to make the turn and
XXYE