Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-13

reared, and he has special aversion to
water. Tell him, when you have assured
him there is no danger, to duck his head.
At first he succeeds after several efforts
in getting his face wet. Take hold of his
hand, and suggest that you both duck to-
suspicious, and don't go under. He opens
his eyes aud sees you still under. That Is
an object lesson he never forgets.
1.-THE next time you suggest duck, he
will try to initiate you. By this time he Is
assured you mean him no harm, and will
not duck him. Lead him out until the
water is about up to his abdomen. Then
explain that you want him to stretch out
while you show him the stroke. Place your
hand well up on his chest and make him
stretch his full length. Then tell him to
place the palms of his hands together in
front of his chest, and draw his legs up
like frog, with the heels close together
and the toes pointed out. Now you are
ready for the stroke.
"At a signal the legs are swiftly pushed
out, and brought together, while the arms
are rapidly sent forward. Then the palms
are turned outward and the arms describ-
ing semfcfrcle, the stroke is completed.
The hands are brought to their first posi-
ton, and the legs follow naturally. When
the stroke is mastered. you can gradually
relieve the pressure of your hand, until he
begins to swim alone.
my other system, and one which has
been equally successful, is to place belt
about the pupils chest, well down toward
the abdomen, and attach long string to
the back of it. The free end Of the string
IS securely fastened to a long pole, and
with this the first lesson commences. The
pupil Is assured there is no danger, and
after wading out waist Deep is directed to
throw himself forward on his abdomen.
When he finds that he is supported by the
pole and string, he soon gets composed, and
follows the directions you give him.
In Two Lessons.
"After teaching the stroke, walk along
the bank supporting him with the string
and bid him strike out. After a little while
he finds that he is going It alone, for, with
out his knowledge, you have gradually
Stacked UP on the string, until he is SWIM
ming by himself. And that's all there is to
It. Give me a boy who has confidence in
me and l will guarantee to teach him to
swim in two lessons.
1T has not been SO very long ago that I
volunteered to teach a handsome little fell
low to swim. Unfortunately his father
made the mistake of ducking the boy the
first time he got him In the water. That
ducking he never forgot. 1t seemed to
change his very nature, and it was only
after the most patient attention. that was
able to undo the damage the father had
wrought. When gained his confidence he
did exactly as I told him and was SWIM
ming in a little while.
Il remember the first time he swan alone.
He took about dozen strokes and was SO
surprised with himself that he grabbed
hold of me and declared that he had lost
his breath. I asked him where he had lost
it, and suggested the advisability Of hunt
ing for 1t right away. Shortly afterward
I heard him calling to me that he had
found his breath under the float, and there
ne was swimming like duck. But,
strange to say, I could never get him to
dive. He would try 1t now and then; but
never enjoyed 1t. He confided to me the
reason once. Said he: You see, If should
lose my breath under there I couldn't get
it again."