New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-24
LEARNING TO SWIM.
POPULAR BRANCH OF THE VACATION
SCHOOLS-WOMEN TAKE ADVAN-
TAGE OF THE BATHS.

Water is not unknown quantity to the foreign
tenement house population Many Of the
good swimmers and the children take to the
briny deep OF the swimming pools like veritable
ducks. An extremely stout woman in the free
swimming bath at the foot of Corlears-st. threw
her wet arms about Miss Grace Blankley. one of
the swimming teachers. yesterday. and exclaimed:
II just love you I should never have known
how 10 swim if it hadn't been for you I learned
by looking q you and the children"
Numbers of the women learn in the way,
and il is not unusual TO a mimic practice group
Of women Of all ages and sizes opposite the teacher
and her pupils. There IS a good deal of rivalry
among the children to who shall become the
best swimmer Teacher, did you say that Tessie
Devine the best swimmer in the class?" asked
q black eyed little girl.
4 can swim Just well Tillie Levy, can't I.
teacher?'' was heard the other side. In the
mean time one girl. who had conquered the breast
stroke. was trying 10 dive. she had seen her
teacher do from the step, and another was at
tempting eomersaults IN the water. Both struck
the water like pieces Of lead. after each effort, but
It was evident that peace would never be restored
10 their minds until the feat was accomplished
Others were swimming back and forth. enjoying the
newly acquired art, while advanced ones were
practising side strokes, swimming on the back and
floating Rescues were being made at one SIDE,
and land drill going on on the platform Two
or three raw recruits were hanging from the little
belts and sliding 70 and fro on the trolley whlle
another class Of six practising arm ana leg
motions on the big beit " Women ba'lIeiS "''N
coming and going constantly.
In the baby tank" which is parhtoned on
from the big pool. beginners. little children ana
some women were accustoning themselves to the
water The door of this section is two feet higher
than that Of the larger one Three swimming les
sons are given each week to both boys and girls
The former have the baths on Tuesdays, Thurs
DAYS and Saturdays. and the latter on Mondays,
TYedDesdavs and FRIDAYS. Eleven OF the free
Swimming baths are employed. and only those
which are at a safe distance from the sewers
because Of the large numbers in attendance Two
teachers are employed in each of seven or the
swimming schools which are branches OF the va
cation Schools under the School Board. lnstruc-
ton Is given in classes OF six each lesson occupy
ing twenty minutes. The first years course re-
quires the attainment Of the plain breast stroke
only About three thousand children learned 10
swim in these schools last summer and four nun
and fifty of these received 100 per cent IN e-
animation at the end Of the season one OF ne ne
most ambitious students completed not only tHs
fuu course which includes side stroke. swimming
on the back. floating and life saving put acquired
diving which is required of teachers. Having
passed the requisite examination of the Board OF
Fduca ton she is Instructor this year at W est
Fffty-frst-st. Swimming School. This young wor1lI
al IS member of the junior class of the Norma
College From eighty 70 a hundred and fifty girls
are present al each OF the sessions Of the schools
and z larger number Of boys.