Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-07-10
LESSONS IN SWIMMING.
Tie RusAN BODY MADE TO FLOAT
ON TIE WATER.

Confidence. and F-ar 1t Is Given to re-
eianers-Iasiructions from the Teacher
at tho observation-disclosures in Floating.
Different stroi.e-.
There is very unanimous desire on the
part OF the general public to learn to swim
and everybody, male and female. should be
able to do so; but there is a remarkably large
number OF people, born and raised on rivers
or lakes, who ''can't swim stroke, and who
sink like lead if they attempt to raise their
feet from the bed of the river or floor of the
bathing compartments. They simply lack
the nerve and confidence 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 is
by being cast, accidentally or purposely, into
ten feet of water, Then it is swim or die,
and if they have ever heard the secret of
swimming it suddenly comes back to them,
or II 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 to
bad The young man wades out into the
water up to about his waist, and then he
hesitates Generally there are enough small
boys around who enjoy the sport to splash
water all over him. so that he has cold chilIs
running up and down his back, though the
water may be warm, and he begins to think
about going out. If he has any one to make
suggestions he is likely to get tub or keg
or plank under his chest, and paddle around
on that, but always in water where he couldn't
drown unless he laid down in it with a weight
on his chest If his friend knows anything
about the principles of swimming, and wants
to take the trouble, or if he has teacher, he
will take him on his knee and give him the
motion and confidence. This is a very easy
matter, not so hard for the teacher as it
looks. He first holds himself in shallow
water, either by placing his hands on bottom
or by catching something in front of him OF
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 it for a
few seconds, may be for minute, and then
} another, the recovery being so quick that but
one arm stroke in the water has been lost in
the reflling of the lungs This is the first.
lesson, and a very good one.
The teacher then takes the young man, or
young woman, if she desires to be taught in
that way on his knee He is braced in the
water, his Bonded knee far enough beneath
the surface to allow the body of the young
swimmer also to be covered Thus in posi-
ton, the teacher grasps the young swimmers
wrists and shows him the arm movement,
, rapidly and as earnestly as if he was really
swimming Then he drops the arm and
tho inf no
manner, just as he did the arms. By the
time this is repeated a few times-often
single repetition is necessary-the young man
loses his nervousness and sustains himself in
} the water, and really swms without knowing
it, the teacher lowering his knee so that he
does not support the body, and releasing his
hold on the limbs, so that the swimmer does
rot receive any assistance, though he i'm
agines he does When he finds he has been
fooled and that he has i'll reality been swim
ming, he finds himself in the possession of
growing confidence, and from that on strikes
out like veteran, and if he has any skill
soon becomes master of all the strokes, dives,
treads floats etc, and does everything that
an older swimmer can do.
The lady beginner can take her first lesson
in this way if she desires, and really it would
be much better for her to do so. Attired in
q 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. If she has she
can go on the belt This is a wide belt, of
stiff material, coming around the chest or
under the arms, to the back, where it is
caught by rings and hooks to ropes running
away up overhead, over pulley which runs
along a track and is controlled by an attend
n, 1,Npt Io
This attendant lets out more rope or takes it
in as may be necessary, the swimmer regulat-
ing this as she desires. She can swim along
the sides of the tank, or out into the center,
Just as she chooses. These belts are used in
water ten to 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 person who cannot swim at all
can be taught to float in five minutes. Illus
trating this, he fills his lungs with air before
you know it, the action of the mouth and
throat being so sudden, and placing his
hands on his knees bent in the water so that
the cap is above the surface, or even with it,
he drifts in the water as peacefully as if
: sleeping in a swing. A great many long
distance swimmers do this as a means of rest
ing themselves In fact, it is the only way of
resting where the swimmer cannot go out of
the water This act is intended to show the
uninitiated how easy it is to float on the
! water.
After the swimmer has secured confidence
ond IaarIa1 RI keen his hands and feet off 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, fat,
and the other over and back, and then the
, fiat, over with one hand and then with the
other while the first is returning. Then
there is the spring breast, one hand at a
time, downward and back. The ladies'
stroke is the easiest of all, it being breast
one, with the hands above the water Then
there is sculing on the back, which is done
by twisJiEg the wrist, fat, in the water, at
or below - SIDE. These strokes may be in
creased ia III ber almost without limit, but
they all have Tor their foundation, one way
or another. ;:ie movements of simple swim
ming. These are first, to draw the legs up,
with hands out; second, to kick out with the
feet, drawing the hands in, and third, to
assume the original position of the limbs
Globe Democrat
4 Ve::.cious Man.
Wife-What tiE3e did you get in last night,
joint
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