The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-07-12
To Learn to Swim,

10 Learn to Swim.
The art Of swimming is not difficult to
learn, and is nearly if not quite as easy
for girls as for boys. The first requisite
is to have confidence in yourself and get
over the natural dread of submerging
your head. Before you have mastered
| the elements of the art you will find your
self under the water many times. This,
however, will not hurt you, but as YOU
grow accustomed to it will do you much
good in teaching you to hold your breath
properly.
ing yourself afloat you will be doing so
with tremendous exertions, and swimming
dog fashion," that is, by keeping your
hands moving up and down rapidly and
kicking systematically and without regu-
larity. TO get over this is the first step,
which is always the most difficult. After
ward you will drop naturally into the
breast stroke. which is by far the most
| if used properly.
The stroke should always be taken
evenly, like II bar of music in 1924
time. In the first position the hands
should be joined with the palms together
| just in front of the chest and under the
| chin. At the count two project the hands
| straight forward to the full length of the
| backs will touch. During the counts
three and four, the arms, still at full
length, should be swept backward, the
| palms pressing the water and propelling
the body forward, with the fingers and
| thumbs close together, so that the hand
forms slight SCOOP The stroke is ended
| only when each hand has described a
half circle, and rests on the thigh. Then,
at the count one, they should again be
a. b. 4lo / L.
stroke repeated. In trying to regulate the
stroke he careful and not make it jerky,
but keep it slow, even and graceful. The
kick which accompanies this stroke is
! very important, as from it the greatest
| momentum is gained. While the hands
| are in the first position the legs should
be extended to their full length, with the
| foot bent back so that it is as nearly
parallel with the leg us possible. At the
forward, the legs should be drawn quick
| ly up, until the heels are as high as they
can be brought without cramping the
muscles. The heels should be close to-
gether and the feet and knees spread
| apart at an angle of about forty-hve
degrees. The position Of the foot should
! be changed by drawing it up toward the
knee, SO that the fiat or bottom of the
| foot will press directly against the water
| when the kick is made At the count
| three kick vigorously back to the full ex-
| tent of the legs, so that when extended
| they will be at an angle of about forty
| five degrees with one another, and at
| the counts four, one, bring them slowly
together again in their first position, ready
| to repeat the kick Ill unison with the
| stroke. The body should be all sub
! that the water just touches the chin. Aft
er you have mastered the breast stroke
| the rest is easy. Swimming on your side
| will come so naturally that no explana-
! ton is necessary, and the English over
hand stroke you will be able to pick up
| in ten minutes after once having seen it
| used.
Floating and swimming on your back
you will not find quite so easy put IT
only have confidence that you are not
! going to drown. First take long breath,
filling the lungs completely, and holding
| your breath. Then turn yourself over
on your back, moving your: hands just a
little, but keeping your feet extended
| and perfectly quiet. Don't mind if your
! face goes under water once or twice
| perfectly quiet until you can hold your
! breath no longer. Then turn over and be-
| gin to SWIM until you have regained your
wind. After you have tried this half q
| dozen times you will find it easy to keep
your face above water, and gradually
| will. learn to breathe, at first spasmod-
ically, but afterward naturally: Next
arms out at full length at right angles
| with the body and moving slightly. AS
| you become used to the position and the
| kick you may commence using the hands
| and arms as though your body were a
| boat and your arms were oars, and you
have acquired the full art of swimming
| on your back.
| ments of the art of swimming the rest is
simply matter of systematic practice
and anyone may become an expert
| Swimming, however, should be enjoyed
| in modera ton. and certain rules should
be strictly followed, if the best results
would be obtained. One should not battle
oftener than once a day. nor should he re-
menced to feel tired. During the time
you are in the water you should keep in
action. Long rests are dangerous while
in the water. If you stay in after you
have commenced to feel tired the good
effect of the bath is lost and it becomes
encrvating. You should never under any
circumstances battle within an hour after
eating. Two hours would be better. II
your system is in any way deranged you
should not battle, as that is the time
cramps are to be feared With your
system in good condition you need never
fear them. Do not enter the water when
you are overheated. If the day is excess
lively warm stand in the shade until the
air has cooled you off, It is always a
good idea to dip the water up and wet
your head before you plunge in, and fire.
quently during the bath to dive under.
After leaving the water you should 20 at
once to your bathhouse and rub yourself
down with rough towel-"Old Boy" in
Brooklyn Eagle.
Signaling at Night.
! Ensign John NJ. Ellicott, in the Nav
! st. Nicholas. has q paper entitled "What
the Lights Tell" This is a description
Of the system of signaling at night. En-
sign Ellicott writes as follows of the
"Rules of the Road:'
Presently there flashes out of the gloom
ahead small bright speck; then it is
gone; then it shows again, and one of
the lookouts who has craned his neck for
ward in the intensity of his gaze cries
| out:
Light hov'
| In an instant the officer of the deck is
by his side, glasses in hand, inquiring:
| where away"
| Then he, too, sees it, and by it. is in
him OH the dark ocean. Then comes an
anxious time when with strong glasses
ne strives to tell the color of that faint