only Scout that really _is prepared_. She not only knows the laws
of health, she lives them: she stands tall, she plays daily in the open
air, she rests and sleeps at night, and conserves her energy at all
times, she is careful to get the right amount of air, water, sun and
food each day, and perhaps most important of all, she keeps clean.

1. _Stand Tall_--Every Scout should be recognized a long way off, not
only by her uniform, but by her erect carriage. In sitting, the lower
back should be against the back of the chair. In bending forward to read
or write, bend straight from the hips. At Scout meetings practice
sitting without support for the back. When "at ease" during drill, stand
with feet apart and parallel and with hands hanging free. When resting,
lie flat on the back without pillows. Correct posture is obtained by
balancing the different parts of the body--hips, head, chest in a
straight line, so that the bony framework bears the weight. The muscles
and ligaments will not then be strained, and the bones will not be
forced into an abnormal position. Two rules to remember are: "Stand
tall" and "Keep your spine long."

2. _Take Exercise_--If you have watched soldiers obey commands in drill
you know how quickly their joints and muscles work. The setting-up
exercises given in the Handbook have been planned to preserve the power
of joints and muscles, and to prevent them from becoming like rusty
machines. These exercises should be taken with windows open, if not out
of doors. Clothing should be light and loose, and corsets removed. These
exercises are not to be considered a substitute for vigorous outdoor
work or play, but only as supplementary to or when these are impossible.
The day should be planned to include at least an hour and a half of
vigorous activity in the open air. This will take different forms,
according to the place and season, so that in the summer one may swim,
row or paddle, or play tennis or any other game outdoors, and in the
winter skate, coast or snowshoe. However, the best all year round
exercise, and the simplest and easiest to get is walking. Five miles a
day is an adequate average. Even walking alone is good exercise, but
walking in a group or two and two is better, because keeping step,
singing, whistling and talking and laughing together add enormously to
the exhilaration of motion and of sun, wind or rain in the face.

A Girl Scout should avoid unusual exercise before, during and
imme