The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-07-19

- Source Of Heslthfu1 Pleasure and =
Most Usefol Accomplishment.


a Source Of Heslthfui Pleasure and .
Most Usefa1 Accomplishment.
OF all the summer pastimcs, swim.
ming ranks first in practical usefulness,
and is second to none as source OF
healthful pleasure and as means OF
physical education.
Young America is given to travel
and adventure, and whether our travel
be by land or sea, we are sure to be
more or less upon or near the water.
Not a season passes but hundreds OF
lives are put In peril by accidents
TO passenger vessels and excursion
boats. The traveller on land is liable
Mt almost any hour to be thrown into
the water by defective rail, broken
car-wheel or falling bridge. And even
TO those who stay ut home, the art Of
swimming is often O life-saving &C.
complishment, for every year our
flooded rivers bring risk OF drowning
10 multitudes.
Then think how many Of our sum-
mer pleasures involve more or less Of
peril from water-river and surf bath
ing, sailing, rowing, fishing and the
rest. II we can swim we'll, We may
enter upon these pastimcs not only
with greater safety, but with infinitely
greater enjoyment, and II Is very
common experience of good swimmers
TO have the added satisfaction Of saw
ing friends and others from drowning.
In all this, stress Is laid upon swim
ming well. for swimming is pre-emi-
nently an art In which little knowl-
edge Is dangerous thing. Those who
are satisfied to be able to swim little,
who can barely sustain themselves in
the water unhindered by clothing, may
sometimes, in case OF accident, be bene-
fitted by the art but, In reality, they
are usually more In danger Of drown
Ding than those who can not swim ut all.
Presuming upon their little skill, they
take risks that they would otherwise
avoid.
The weight Of the human body Is
pretty nearly that OF an equal bulk
of sea-water. 1t is little heavier
than its bulk Of fresh water, but
will float II tho lungs are we'll filed
with air. There is no excess Of buoy
;ancy. however, and as rule no con-
siderable part Of the body will be lifted
above the surface; and, owing to tho
unequal distribution Of tho buoyancy,
At is only with some degree OF skill in
posturing that one can float in fresh
water SO as to keep the mouth in air
for breathing.
In salt water it is not 80 hard, yet in
most cases the feet tend to sink, and
the body can not be kept prone with
out some movement OF the hands, un-
less tho arms are extended above the
head in position that demands more
confidence in the sustaining power Of
,water than the beginner Is apt to
have.
At best, the buoyancy of the body is
so slight that II tho hands are lifted
out Of the water the rest of the body
must go under. Hence the first lesson
the intending swimmer has to learn is
TO keep the hands down; only an ex-
pert swimmer can afford to raise his
hands out OF the water.
II the reader would realize this truth
without the risk Of strangling, let him
take slender vial, attach a couple OF
nails to the shoulders Of 1t like arms,
and further load 1t with sand until II
win barely float with its mouth out OF
water. Then reverse the nails to rep
resent uplifted arms, and see how quick
the bottle will 60 down.
Accordingly, we should say to those
who are expert swimmers, as urgently
as to those who can not swim Q stroke,
lose no opportunity to learn to swim
well. II you can not fall into the water
full shod and clad in ordinary dress,
and support yourself with ease and con-
fidence, or better, swim ashore, you
will do we'll to improve every chance
you may have to master this useful &C.
complishment. 1t will not take long to
do it.-Golden Days.