Wichita eagle., 1888-07-31
LESSONS IN SWIMMING.
THE HUMAN BODY MADE TO FLOAT
ON THE WATER.

Conade~ee. and How II IL Given TO Be
xinnsrs-Inssruceions from the Teacher
n the N.tasoriun-Lessens in FIsssins.
Different StrokS~
There Is q very unanimous desire on the
part OF the general puoi,c to learn 10 swim,
and everybody, male and female, should %
able 10 do 30: but there is a remarkably large
nunber Of people, born aud raised on river
O. lakes, who "can's swim . stroke. : and who
sink hike ieea If they attempt 90 raise thcii
feet from the oed Of the river or door of ;hs
bathing compartments They simply lack
the nerve and eonfi.icnce to Try to swim, and
instead OF trying by following rules and in
structions. they remain in shallow water,
and when they do strike out do so with first
one foot and then the other touching bottom
The only way these people learn to swim 10
by being cast, accidentally or purposely, into
ten feet OF water Then it is swim or die,
and il they have ever heard the secret .!
swimming il suddenly comes back 10 them.
or If they haven't their horse sense dictates
what they should DO to De saved
One Of the mos: amusing things IN the
world il the young man Just learning -
swim The boy, or even the girl. IS not 70
bad The Young MAN wades out into the
water up 70 about mis- waist. and then ne
hestates Generally there are enough small
boys around who enjoy the sport to splash
water all over him. so that he has cold chiiis
running up aud down bis back. though the
water may be warm, and be begins To think
about going Qua Ii he has any one 70 MAKE
suggestions he Is likely 10 get a tub or a keg
or q plank under MS chest, and paddle around
on that, but always in water where he couldnt
drown unless he laid down in it With weight
on his chest II his friend knows anything
about the principles Of swimming, and wants
to take the trouble, or If he his a teacher, he
viii take him on his knee and give him the
motion and confidence This is a very easy
matter. not SO hard for the teocher as IL
looks He first holds himself in shallow
water, either by placing his hands ON bottom
or by catching something IN front OF him or
overhead, and shows the learner the motion
OF the legs, and then the arms He then
shows him how to breathe. drawing in a
short, sudden breath and holding 1t for
few seconds, may be for minute, and then
another, the recovery being ~ quick that but
one arm stroke in the water has been lost in
the refilling Of the lungs This Is the hrss
lesson end very good one.
The teacher then takes the young man, or
Young woman. II she desires to be taught in
that way. on his knee He 10 braced in tho
water, his Bonded knee far enough beneath
the surface to allow the body of the young
swimmer also to De covered Thus In posi-
tion, tho teacher grasps the young swimmers
wrists and shows him the arm movement,
rapidly and as earnestly If he was really
swimming. Then he drops the arm and
grasps the legs, moving them in the proper
manner, Just az be did the arms BY tho
time this is repeated few tiuns-o.ten
single repetition is pecessary-the young man
loses his NERVOUSNESS and sustains himself in
the water. and really swims without knowing
it. the teacher lowering MS knee that hs
does no, support the body. and releasing bis
hold on the limbs 30 that the swimmer docs
not receive any assistance, though he inn
AGNES he does When he finds he has been
fooled. and that he has in reality been swim
ming. he finds himself in the possession OF
growing confidence, and from that on strikes
out like veteran, and IL he has any skill
coon becomes nastrr Of all the strokes, dives.
treads. floats etc, and does everything thai
an older swimmer can do
The lady beginner can take her first leeson
In this way il she dyircs, and really IL would
be much better for her ~ do Attir~d in
q neat fitting jersey costume, every part OF
the body covered except the jersey may he
cut in the prev ailing decoIlete style, she need
have no feeling OF dehcscy II she has she
can go on the belt This is q wide belt, Of
stiff material, coming around the chest or
under the ar1ns, to the back. where IL il
caught by rings and hooks TO ropes running
away up overhead, over a pulley which TINS
along q track. and IN controlled by IN attend
ant on the walk above the level Of tbs water.
This attendant lots out more rope or takes 10
In a. may be necessary. the swimmer regulat
ing this as she desires She can swim along
the sides Of the tank or out into tire center,
lust as she chooses These belts are used in
water ten to twelve feet deep and the begin
ner who selects thrn must make up her mind
% 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 bead under wscsr
Frequently lessons in floating ara given
before the ambitious youngs;er Is Introduced
10 the mysteries Of swimming Experts
ciairn that a person who cannot swim 1T ak
can be taught to Goat in ilve MINUTES ulrs-
trat.ng this, be fills his lungs with air before
you know II. the action u the mouth and
throat being 30 sudden. and placing his
hands ON MS knees. bent I'm the water 10 that
the cap Ia above tire sErface. even with H.
be drifts IN the water peacefully as II
sleeping 10 q swing A great many long
distance svimneTs do this A. mans u resi-
ing themselves In fart, it u Tho only way Of
resting where the swimmer oannot GO cut Of
ths water This act In iutend~d ~ slow the
uninitiated how easy It Is 70 no~s "a the
water.
md learned 70 keep hit hands and fset OF OF
The ground. or river hea- IT tbs @ms tr-is,
he begins TO study the ssot.a Pirsa u tho
breast ssroks, with The hands out stxsight,
bat not together, working aks ~tnEs NEXT
runss the eenEc-nans styuke. Ia which tbs
lruas sr, stretched TAI IenStb shove ths
bead, the hands palm 10 pnliA Then CONES
he overland ozss tns siks. sxsighs out Cat,
md tie oeh@ svsY and bark. and tA1n tho
lat, over with ous bad aud then vtsA the
,ther whtis the era b rseurrlsnx Then
hers u the spring hs~se. sus hand -
ANA. dowuwsrd snA hook Ths Lsdkf
3roks h Tie essse<t Of al, 10 bsfnx . br>nss
1ns. WITH the hands SHOW. rts wzs,r. TsH
hero n sraIapg ras baet- vhsah - tans
" twtsana sxse WIS. iAk, io tt,s water, e
y belosw the Gda rheas srPo1npB may b Ia.
raasnd Il narnhsr shao.s vr:Aus1k NINA boa
hey ell have for sazstr foundation, ono way
= anoeksr. cbs novsoen3 II Gr1pSs swfxD-
ming, Tse ars. nyH, 20 trww tbs Len. IN.
Il