The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-07-30
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
THE ART OF SWIMMING.
How Professor Teaches Young.
sters to Strike Out Like Frogs.

sters To Strike Out Like Frogs.
/ ut has often struck me as singular"
said the instructor, "that the majority
of people who begin TO take swimming
lessons imagine they will never be able
to learn. ! am speaking particularly
Of men and boys. AS rule, they have
little faith In the instructor, and seem
to be little suspicious Of his good in
tentions. Ladies, on the contrary, are
coniding. They follow instructions
closely, without questions, and learn
quickly. Some of the best swimmers
we have are little girls and ladies. OF
course they don't possess mans
strength and endurance, but they seem
to understand what they will have to
do and persevere until the purpose is
accomplished. The average boy and
youth will insist upon remaining in the
water longer than is benellcial-very
few Of them realize that ten minutes in
the water is in the majority of cases
far better time to produce n vigorous
reaction than half hour. On warm
day, however person is very much
tempted to remain in longer than is
good for him.
"What causes this lack of confidence
in so many personsPn was asked.
at is rather difficult to explain"
was the reply. you can take dozen
boys and set them to studying Ian
guages or mathematics, or in learning
n new physical cxercise--such rs row.
| ing. The chances are ten to one that
everybody will feel that he can learn
more quickly and perfectly than every
other boy 1t is different when it
comes to swimming. Almost every
pupil will ,xclam: Il know there is no
use trying, because can never learn
if tried hundred years. "
We'll, how many years does it re-
quireP''
Years! exclaimed Mr.. Dinsmore, in
establishment, ''why it doesn't take
even months or weeks. From three to
six lessons will make the most timd
person confident. This is the way we
teach" and, leading tho way to the
tank, the instructor explained how the
motion with the hands and feet were
first taught in an ante-room. "rhe
| pupil is placed in apparatus" said he,
(which supports his body and gives
his arms and legs free swing. Then
teacher counts slowly, one. two
three, until the learner can kick out
like frog at regular intervals, After
that he is placed in the tank, and his
head kept above water with band I'M
der the arms, held in place by rope
attached to tho ceiling. When tho
motion has been acquired the band is
-laken OIL. and tho first thing the pupil
does is to gulp in mouthful of water
and bob under the surface A long
pole is ready in the teachers hands,
and the struggling, suffering youth
grabs the end of IL, and nearly coughs
his lungs up That is all overcome in
few more lessons, and the learner is
surprised to find that he can easily
swim from one end of the tank to the
other.
at is little surprising" continued
the instructor, ito see how many men
there are over DO years of age who can't
swim any more than an oyster. We
had one pupil here few years ago
who was close on to TO- He was slight
ly feeble, bald as watermelon, and
had the govt Well, sir. that old chap
went to work with o will, and learned
how, to swim inside of two weeks. The
only thing that bothered him was the
flies. The little pests would skate all
over his head while he was in the
water, and he would forget where he
was and make frantic grab Of
course his nose would go under and
he'd be half strangled. 1t used to
tickle the boys immensely, and as soon
as the old gentleman reappeared on
the surface he was received with a loud
cheer.
Several ladies have become such
excellent swimmers that they were in
strumental in saving human life. AT
Atlantic City, two seasons ago, very
handsome girl-the daughter OF
prominent railroad man-swam out
beyond the breakers and rescued q
young man who was going down for
the last time Did it result in mar
riagep No, sir; the young fellow was
very grateful, and, | believe, did make
some sort of proposal, but, rs he
was clerking in a notion store at IS
week, was freckled, had no front teeth,
and wore plaid clothes, he didn't make
out very we'll That identical young
lady is now engaged to marry a
wealthy New York banker. He fell in
love with her while she was splashing
around in the ocean at Cape May.
There was one advantage at least, OF
knowing how to swim. 1t caught q
husband. Philadelphia Times.
| There are now eight lines of subma-