The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-05

There Is O very unanimous desire On the
part Of the general public to learn to SWIM
and everybody, malo and female, should be
able TO do 50: but there is a remarkably large
number Of people, born and raised On rivers
or lakes. who cant swim stroke ana woo
sink like lead il they attempt TO raise their
feet from the bed OF the river or moor OF tne
bathing compartments. They simply iack
the nerve and confidence TO try to swim, ana
instead Of trying by following rules ana IN
Struction., they remain In shallow wafer,
and when they do strike ont do SO with hrs'
ono foot and then the other touching Dottonl-
The only way these people learn to SWIM Is
NV beiut, cast. accidentally or purposely, INTO
ten feet OF water Then it is swim or die,
and if they have ever heard the secret oi
swimming it suddenly comes back TO thenl'
or IL they haven't their horse sense dictates
what they should do TO be saved.
One of the most amusing things In the
world is the young man just learning "
swim The boy, or even the girI, Is hot ~
had The Young man wades out into the
water nm To about his waist and then Ee
bcsitates Generally there are enough small
BOYS around who enjoy the sport 10 splash
xra,er oil over him. so that he has cold chliis
rnnning mn and down his back, though the
,,o,or may bs warm, and tie begins to think
about Going out. If he has any one 10 make
suggestions he is likely TO get "a 'uo Vi Aes
or nlapk under his chest, and paddle around
on that. but always in water where he cou'un
drown unless he laid down in IT with weight
on his chest. If his friend knows anything
about the principles of swimming, ana wants
N..lt. hl
10 take the trouble, or if he has a teacher' Nc
will take him on his knee and give him the
motion and confidence This is very easy
r,ot,er not so hard for the teacher as IL
lools He first holds himself IN shallo"
water. either by placing his hands on bottom
or by catching something In front OF MN VI
overhead. and shows tho learner the mo.ioh
Of tLe Ices. and then the arms. lie lneh
shows biIn bow TO breathe, drawing Ill
short sudden breath and holding II Ior d
few seconds. may be for minute, ana tneh
another. the recovery being 90 quick that ou'
ono arm stroke in the water has been iost III
the reGlling of the lungs. This Is tho fTst
lesson. and very good one
The teacher then takes the young man, OF
voung woman. if she desires to be taught IN
TINT way. ON his knee. He is braced III the
water. his Bonded knee far enough oehea'h
the surface TO allow the body oil the youhs
swimmer also to be covered. mus III posi-
ton. the teacher grasps the young SWIMMER
wrists and shows him the arm movement,
RAPIDLY and rs earnestly as If he was really
swimming Then be drops the arm ana
crasps the legs, moving them in the proper
manner. lust as he did the arms. BY the
time this is repeated few times-often
sinc lie repetition is necessary-the young man
loses his nervousness and sustains himself IN
the water. and really swims without knowing
it, the teacher lowering bis knee so that ne
does not support the body, and releasing his
hold ON the limbs that the swimmer docs
not receive any assistance, though he I'M
acines ne does When he finds he has been
fooled and that he has in reality been SWIM
mine. he finds himself in the possession OF
growing confidence, and from that on strikes
ont like a veteran, and if he has any skill
soou becomes master Of all the strokes, dives,
treads, floats, etc, and does everything tha'
an older swimmer can DO.
The lady beginner can take her iirSt lesson
in this way if she desires, and really II would
be much better for her 10 do so. Attlred IN
a neat fitting jersey costume, every part OF
the body covered, except the jersey may be
cut in the prevailing decOllete style, she need
have no feeling of delicacy. II she has she
can so ON the belt. This is wide belt, OF .
stiff material, coming around the chest or
under the arms to the back, where 1t Is
caught by rings and hooks to ropes running
away up overhead, over pulley which runs
along track, and Is controlled by an attend
ant on the walk above the level OF the water.
This attendant lets out more rope or takes II
in as NAV lie necessary, the swimmer regulat-
ing this as she desires She can swim along
the sides of the tank, or out into the center,
lust as she chooses These belts are used in
water ten 10 twelve feet deep, and the begin
ner who selects them must make up her mind
to deep water if she declines the knee and
takes up the belt There can be no touching
the bottom there, though she's safe from even
getting her head under water.
Frequently lessons in floating are given
before the ambitious youngster Is introduced
TO the mysteries of swimming. Experts
claim that "A person who cannot swim at ali
can he taught TO float in five minutes. Illus
trating this, lie fills his lungs with air before
Won know it. the action of the mouth and
throat being so sudden, and placing his
hands Oh his knees bent in the water SO that
the cap is above the surface, or even with 1t,
he drifts in the water as peacefully as If
sleeping in swing. A great many long
distance swimmers do this as means OF rest
ing themselves In fact, 1t is the only way OF
resting where the swimmer cannot so out OF
the water This act Is intended TO show the
uninitiated how easy 1t is TO float on the
water.
After the swimmer has secured confidence
and learned to keep his hands and feet oR Of
the ground, or river bed. at the same time
he begins to study the stokes. First Is the
breast stroke, with the hands out straight
but not together, working like wings Next
comes the gentleman's stroke, in which the
arms are stretched full length above the
head, the hands palm to palm. Then comes
the overland one, the side, straight out; Tat,
and the other over and back, and then the
Eat, over with one hand and then with the
other while the first is returning. Then
there is the spring breast, one hand at
time, downward aud back The ladies'
stroke Is the easiest of all, it being breast
one, with the hands above the water Then
there is sculling on tho back, which Is done
by twisting the wrist, fat, i'll the water, at
Or below the side These strokes may be in