Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-08-31
The ART oE SWIMMING.
A Source of Healthful Pleasure and {
Most Useful Accomplishment.

A Source of Healthnl Pleasure and
Most Useful Accomplishment.
or all the summer pastimes, swim
ming ranks first in practical usefulness,
and is second to none as. source OF
healthful pleasure and as u 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 u season passes but hundreds OF
lives are put in peril by accidents
to passenger vessels and excursion
boats. The traveller on land is liable
at 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 u life-savipg &C
complishment, for every year our
flooded rivers bring risk of drowning
to multitudes.
Then think how many of our sum-
mer pleasures involve more or less OF
perm llOlI W ultI anu Dull bAAh-
ing, sailing, rowing, fishing and the
rest. II We can swim well, we may
enter upon these pastimes not only
with greater safety, but with infinitely
greater enjoyment, and it is a 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-
nentiy an art in which n little knowl-
edge is n dangerous thing. Those who
are satisfied TO be able TO swim a little,
who can barely sustain themselves in
the water unhindered by clothing, may
sometimes, in case Of accident, be beno-
fitted by the art but, in reality, they
arc usually more in danger Of drown
ing than those who can not swim at all.
Presuming upon their little skill, they
take risks that they would otherwise
avoid.
The weight Of tho human body is
pretty nearly that Of an equal bulk
Of sea-water. II is a little heavier
than its bulk OF fresh water, but
will float If the lungs are well filled
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 the
unequal distribution Of the buoyancy,
IL is only with somo degree of ukill in
posturing that one can float in fresh
water 30 as TO keep the mouth in all
for breathing. --~-
In salt water il is not so 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, I'M
less the arms are extended above the
head in II position that demands NOR
confidence in the sustaining power o.
water than the beginner is apt tc
have
! At best, the buoyancy of the body Is
so slight that il the hands are lifted
out Of tho water the rest Of the body
Unjust go under. Hence the first lessor
the intending swimmer has to learn i,
TO keep the hands down; only an OK
pert swimmer can afford to raise hii
hands out OF the water.
II the reader would realize this trutl
without the risk of strangling, let hin
take a slender vial, attach n couple o
nails to tho shoulders of it like arms
and further load IL with sand until 1
will barely float with its mouth out o
| water Then reverse the nails to rep