Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-07-01
To Learn to Swim.

| t1SI SIdUudLlOlf SLEEVES
| -Somerville Journal.
To 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.
| When you first find that you are keep
| ing yourself afoat 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 spasmodically 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
graceful and for long distances the best,
| if used properly.
The Stroke should always be taken
evenly, like a 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
arms, and turn the hands so that their
! 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
| - RIa<f hi nh
at the count one, they should again be
| brought back to the first position and the
stroke repeated. In trying to regulate the
stroke be 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 as possible. AT the
count two, when the hands are thrust
| forward, the legs should be drawn quick
| ~ up, until the heels are as high as they
| 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 fat 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 in unison with the
| stroke The body should be all sub
merged, with the head thrown back, so
| that the water just touches the chin. Aft
| err 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 1T
| used
| Floating and swimming on your back
! you will not find quite so easy, but 1T
/! will not take you long to learn II you
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
| little, but keeping your feet extended
| and perfectly quiet. Don't mind If your
| face goes under water once or twice
when you make the first trial, but keep
perfectly quiet until you can hold your
gin to swim, until you have regained your
| wind After you have tried this half
dozen times you will find it easy to keep
| your face above water, and gradually
| will learn to breathe, at first spas1nod-
| ically, but afterward naturally. Next
! you may commence to kick, Keeping your
| 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
| boat and your arms were oars, and you
have acquired the full art Of swimming
| on your back
After one has once mastered the rudi-
| ments of the art of swimming the rest is
| simply q matter of systematic practice,
and anyone may become an expert.
Swimming, however, should be enjoyed
| in moderation, and certain rules should
| be strictly followed, if the best results
| would be obtained. One should not battle
! oftener than once day, nor should he re-
main in the water after he has COM
| 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
enervating. You should never under any
| circumstances battle within an hour after
| eating. Two hours would be better If
| 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
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 go at
| once to your bathhouse and rub yourself
down with a rough towel-"Old Boy in
Brooklyn Eagle.
Signaling at Night.
| Ensign John NJ Ellicott, in the May
| st. Nicholas. has 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