The age-herald., 1898-08-21
The Swimming Classes
At the Natatorium

The natatorlum has it's fashionable seas- on at the same time that the light of the sea takes on it's old-time dazzling strength. The warm August days may be said to have brought the season to it's height
 Tuesdays and Fridays, when the ladies swimming classes take their plunge, there is A charm about the place that is not unlike a tide-caressed shore and the walk along the strand One is apt to forget that the sea breeze is not sweeping along the coast and that the summer frivolties or. the beach are not in evidence The swimming pool which is largo enough for a class of forty or fifty. has great rope stretched across its length half way be- tween it's white tiled sides This rope doe s its duty finely~'for those who are In the primary stages of swimming. There comes a time when 1t is scorned. and 1t droops, taking on such hopeless air of dejection that you would not think 1t very Safe thing I found myself watching this rope last Friday morning. I learned that It was the test of the fearless swimmers Those who were quite sure Of their ac- complishments steered clear Of 1t, put the more timorous ones gave 1t very af- feetionate farewell as they swan into deeper water. Presently they came wig orously back. reached up vaguely ana grasped at the proverbial straw. It was very fascinating. The water was veri- table blue, the sunlight filtered through the windows and there was biue-srey mist over everything.
 young girl who did away with the tallacy about reluctant feet, was running along the ''board walk as she laughing ly called it. In moment she had dived with the abandon of veteran. twenty feet away she arose serenely. Thefe were a number who dived beautifully and swam the length and breadth of the pool again and again. From the ceiling hofizontai bars and rings are suspended ana these constitute the gymnasium features. A number of young women were waiting TOT the rings and bars to be pushed toward them To and fro they would swing TOT d moment ten feet above the surface or tba water Another moment, and it was all over You could breathe easily. for far out across the water these reckless crea lures were swimming ashoreward
 fayorite amusement at the natitorium this season. on ladies' day is placing hoop wrapped in the national colors, through which the expert divers go With out so much as a jostle.
 A gaily colored hoop apparently anchor- ed on the water and presently vefftabie sea nymph poISing her head above water just as far as possible from the place she went under.
 The swimming classes have been great success this season. There are a number of young women who are regard . ed as excelling in the graceful and beau tif,I art of swimming. Among them are: Miss Juliette Whelan, Miss Mittie Sher- rod. Miss Annie Roberts and Miss Annie Earle They dive charmingly and are per- fectly fearless in regard to gymnasium feats Miss Elizabeth Shelley. Miss Ada Rowron. Miss Elizabeth Sowell, Miss Ja- nie McLester. Miss Lucille Smith, Miss Katherine Conner, Miss Alice Falion. Miss Kathleen Clisby Miss Belle Dangaix are aneng those who swim wonderfully well.
 The classes are composed of a number of the married women here, among whom are Mrs. Robert Jemison, Mrs. Bowron, Mrs. David Roberts, Mrs. Going, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. T. c. Thompson, Mrs. Dearborn and Mrs. Addison G. Smith.
 The classes also include Mrs. Klein. Mrs. Well, Miss Hattie Lazarus, Miss Efnmie Eubank, Miss Mary Miller, Miss Bavelle Conner Miss Berry, Miss Bessie Days, Miss O'Neil Miss Houseman. Miss Allen, Mrs Bates. Miss Meyer and others. The manager of the natatorium intends hav- ing a little later, "Children's Day" The water will be at low ebb and there will be A light luncheon served