The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
GREATSVIMMERS, THESE GIRLS
THEY BEGIN AS RABIES AND SOME
BECOME CHAMPIONS.
Aquatic Exploits OF the Young women or
Bath Beach--A Lesson for y Beginner
why Some women Can't Swim Well
An Exhibition ON the Float.

An ExniDNa0m on inc Fi0a''
"Yes, sir, right along this shore from
here to Fort Hamilton lis the greatest place
in the world for developing strong swim
mers. Why, even the babies swim.
II have studied this subject and know
what I'm talking about when / say that
you won't find anywhere else in this country
a strip Of beach of like length that has pro-
duced SO many experts In the water, espe-
cially women experts"
1t was one OF the many aquatic authori-
ties Of Bath Beach who spoke.
"The reasons are plain enough" he
went on. There is a big and prosperous
population down here all the year round,
and from May until October the centre Of
things is on the water
-@The girls don't have much to do but
amuse themselves. About the time they
begin to learn to walk they begin to paddle.
and from this 1t is only step to swimming.
This is why almost all the champion
women swimmers of this part Of the country
have lived at Bath Beach or Fort Hamilton.
| There Ia one of them down here In front Of
us now.
"See her? She's teaching that little
girl her first strokes. She's never been
beaten by woman, and stands ready to
swim against any inthe world"
The Bath Beacher pointed to finely
formed, auburn haired young woman waist
deep in the water in front Of the pavilion.
A move down to the sand brought the
sound OF her voice across the little ripping
| waves.
Now, Minnie, don't hold your head so
| high. What if you do get it under? II
won't hurt you Now swim toward me.
That's right; come on. But keep your
fingers together and your chin down more.
That's better: but. oh, dear, don't swim
80 fast. You're not in a race. Take 1t
easy; there's no hurry. Spread your legs
out more-away out"
The little girl swan few jerky strokes
and then, to keep her head from going
under, scrambled, painting, to her feet
THAT was pretty good, but you are out
of breath, aren't you, Minnie? Try to
breathe more deeply and slowly. Every
time you reach out your arms take long
breath and don't take another till you be-
gin the next stroke. Now, again"
In few minutes the lesson was over
and the young woman stood on the beach.
Isn't the little girl rather young to be
learning to swim?'
Young? Why, no: she's at least o.
4You wouldn't say was young for swim
ming, them"
"Of course not. 1 learned when l was
8 and won my first medal when l was s..
The younger one learns the better. but any
fairly healthy woman under so can learn.
She makes u mistake II she thinks she's
too old
| you see, swimming ia not at all violent
exercise, if you go about 1t in the right way.
Most women can float on their backs with
out any effort, and only slight motions Of
| the arms and legs are needed for the
leisurely breast stroke.
! "Yes, of course, the point is to make
the right motions, and because the right
muscles aren't developed in the average
| woman she finds the movements strange
| at first. She's very likely to try to swim
by bending just her knees She fnds this
won't do, and then she says, oh. dear. l
can never learn to swim! My head goes
down and my feet come up
aOf course her feet are apt 70 come up
unless she spreads them as wide apart az
| possible when she begins the stroke and
then brings them together with motion
something like that Of pair Of scissors
closing, except that there is little cork
screw twist about it. The muscles OF her
lower back and sides are the ones that are
chiefly called into play.
And then she must remember TO breathe
deeply Full lungs will keep the whole
body afioat. The proper way Is to inhale
when you are reaching out your arms anu
drawing up your legs for the st stroke t1s ana e;
finished and the body is moving along
under its momentum. Swimming is mainly
| a matter Of balance, with the chest as what
might be called the pivot,
| What keeps a good many women from
over amounting to anything IN the water
is vanity. There are usually men ABOUT
YOU know, and great many OF the girls,
| some of them girls who are pretty well
along don't like to come out with the
water tricklirR down their faces and their
hair hanging in wet strings
| "Eyen when wearing an oil skin or rubber
cap, the majority try to be very carelu u
the ones that don't learn to swim.
| "They think it detracts from their looks,
| and for the time being, perhaps, IL does.
salt water and the sun will give light hair
| sort Of bleached out appearance IL 10
| a very good plan to wash II with soap III
| fresh water after the swim.
| "If this Is done my experience mas peen
that swimming doesn't hurt the hair bit.
| What If IL does have two or three colors?
You might almost say that this is the fashion
| at the seashore, now that go many women
| are GOOD swimmers A month after you
have stopped going into the water 1t looks
as fine al ever. And think of the fun you We
| had!
Speaking OF fun" added the auburn
| haired pirl. with a smile, II think / will 80
out to the float now for my own fun.
The float was hundred yards on shore,
| bobbing In very deep water The girl
| gained it rapidly and joined group of
| Friends big girls and small girls, couple
! Of matrons, and a number OF bronzed
| young men. The time was mid-afternoon,
| when the star swimmers OF Bath Beach
| gather daily on this float.
"Give me back, Harry, want to make
| dive cried one young woman.
On the edge of the float Harry took
| stand with bent back, and one or the
| girls, beginning with little run, rose lightly
in the air, cleared the back without touch
| ing il, and disappeared head-foremost In
| the water.
@Jobn, you stand behind Harry. A
| little higher. That's right" A second girl
| repeated the performance OF the first
| except that she scared over two backs.
On the float stood a young man with
folded arms Suddenly he plunged In
! and struck out Justify. The girls watched
| him for few strokes then one exclaimed:
ASee II YOU can catch him. Alice
Instantly there was a swish OF bathing
| skirt, and two feet disappeared beneath
! the waves. Alice's head came up at once,
| and. swimming on her side, wit the long,
| easy swing of the English racing stroke,
| she started in pursuit.
The young man saw her coming, ana