h understanding of essentials, and you
will be pleased at the ease with which the field opens. The
encouraging words of your associates and the echoes of the good you
are doing will strengthen your confidence.

~~Equipment and Materials.~~

The necessary equipment and materials for the work include the drawing
board, the drawing paper and the chalk (or lecture crayons).

~~The Drawing Board.~~

Probably your school has a reversible blackboard mounted on an easel,
like that shown in Fig. 1. If so, you will find it amply sufficient
for your use. The two or three little holes made by the thumb tacks,
to attach your drawing paper to the board, at the top, will not injure
it in the least. If you haven't such a board, it would be well to
procure one, as it can be used for many purposes. The writer has often
used a board of this kind in giving chalk talks. The publishers of
this book will be glad to give full information as to size and price
of such a board.

[Illustration: Fig. 1]

[Illustration: Fig. 2]

Another convenient and cheap equipment is an ordinary square board,
Fig. 2. If you take six boards, each 45 inches long, 7 inches wide and
1/2 inch thick, and attach them to two cleats at the back, you will
have a good, serviceable drawing board which can be hung against the
wall with screw hooks and screw eyes; or, it can be set on an easel or
other convenient holder. It is only necessary that the board be smooth
and the wood be well-seasoned soft pine or bass wood to keep it from
warping. If screws are used to fasten the boards to the cleats, screw
them through from the back, leaving the front perfectly smooth. Be
sure that the screws aren't too long. It would be well to stain the
board brown or some other dark color.

[Illustration: Fig. 3]

A combination drawing board and easel is shown in Fig. 3, a back view
of which is given. Take six boards of well-seasoned soft pine, 45
inches long, 8 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. For the rear legs, use
two pieces 5 feet and 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch
thick. A wire should be attached to each rear leg to avoid spreading.
Fig. 4 shows this board and easel in use.

[Illustration: Fig. 4]

~~The Drawing Paper.~~

The most inexpensive paper for chalk talk work is the kind on which
newspapers are printed. It may be purchased from printing houses,
paper dealers or newspaper offices. A cheap quality of book-paper is
also good, and may be bought from pr