I think that when learning to set-up and fly C/L models the idea would be to use the best and most advantageous ways to do so. There is no reason not to.

Bellcrank position should be around the middle of the fore/aft chordline. Simple and the most room to mount it.

The leadouts should be a little bit behind the CG. More for traing, less for more advanced flying.

Outboard tip weight should be so the outboard tip drops nicely to the bench when inside with no wind blowing on it.

The bellcrank should be mounted so that the "up" elevator leadout is in front. With a simple model with no flaps the horn of the bellcrank toward the outside of the circle and the elevator horn on the top of the surface.

The handle should be held as vertically as possible so that when full control is necessary when flying inside and outside maneuvers the hand has more or less equal. This is more important later, but you'll have the experience of trying to fly with the handle that way.

All of this is from years of stealing others great ideas about Stunt model set-up and since they fly the easiest and most stable, it's a good way to go from the start.

If you don't have your first couple of models this way, no big deal at first, but it'll begin to help as you start looping, flying above the 45 degree elevation and doing combination inside/outside maneuvers and inverted flight.

Good luck,
Chris...