The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-24
THE scHOoL DESK.
not one In ths " Jr.d constructed on Cor
rect principles.

George ". Gorld. ~ D.. in Ge Wrir1i Record
There a. probably not pupils d'sk IN the
world constructed upon correct phHA1loslc
principles Many approximate, but iail m
one or more important particulars. lhlH -
because With all OF the interest, study ana
invention which have boon put into the WORK.
with all that has been written concerning
the vertical and slantinR huudwriunEa, there
has been no understanding Of the physiology
OF derrality and dcxtrocularlty, no oompre-
henslon OF the optic problem which controls
every posture and act.
The wrong 10 the child began with the be-
RinnlnRa OF pedagogy. Prior 10 this hand
writing was usually vertical because without
a pow erfully dominating necessity no adults
much less the shrewd monks, would have
bent themselves 70 the left and skewed their
yellum, tablet or paper at the absurd angle
now common with all writer's But Wheh
school teaching began II was, OF course. In
the houses or rooms Of adults, and with their
tables, benches, forms OF stools No one then
dreamed Of the peculiar child nature, not even
the size Of the child's body. Hence, he SAT
upon a bench OF seat too low, or what amounts
20 the same thing at a table too high, for the
height OF his body. and at about the level OF
his sternum, neck OF chin. When compelled
70 write be could do nothing at the desk ez-
cept by placing his forearm and even bis
elbow. upon the table
Let an adult Try 10 write sitting AZ q hAt
table the height Of his neck and he win real
ize the child's predlcament With the arm
upon the table there can be no writing accom-
plshed unless the head is canted 70 the left,
the body also the paper placed askew; ne
feet OF one foot thrust out 70 lessen the str AL
and wTenching Of the spine, the pen held at a
related abnormal angle and the hand grip
ping the holder In a distorted way. All tins
that the right eye may have an unimPeded
view Of the space in which the letters are pelns
Think Of the millions Of morbidly. raised
| right shoulders the millions, Of necks and
backs thus wTenched, With ell the resultant
! disease, during the last four hundred years
Most school desks are without lateral space
| 10 the night In which the paper may be placed
] opposite the right shoulder when the body
| and head are erect and sduarely placed "
| front Of the desk, and not as now In front OF
! the face or chest. This lack OF lateral space
| 10 the right has always been the unrealized
] need, and upon securing II the complete estao-
| fishing Of the vertical style OF handWr1tin
! from tie bad postures and nj health caused
! by the diabolc head fitting. riEht shouldcl
| elevating, eye running, body bending, pelyi,
! cramping, spine twistin g, Bcoliosis proNokint
postures which have come down 70 our times
-, Il will be, useless 70 demand OF the ehilo
that he shall write vertically. SIT vertically
| place the paper sruarnly and not asEeW, ano
| opposite the median line OF the body. Nc
human being can wrlts ~ nst EaS Snlsei
toward the northeast, or upper right corner OIL
the paper. OF even toward tho north. all surf
| 70 produce writer's cTamp or other eVl 70
| suits in a short time. In former times, a. W
| know the children were crowded together
| side by side 80 that II was impoSSible TO plac q,
| the paper opposite the right hand SIDE q
| the body and Keep the body and head eTect
| The high desk united 70 compel the arm 70 h
! rested upon the desk, the right SIDE TO q
| turned toward e. the len side away from II
the head and body bent 20 the len In ordel
! 20 gain a clear view Of the writing space ol
| the pen point with the dominant eye. EVeI
the FIAT desk or table cooperHted 20 produc'
the resultant bad posture and the sLanteC
chirography.