The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-05
Volunteer Crew at Savin Hill
Beach, Dorchester, Mass.
YOUNG AID PLUoKY SWIMMERS.
Some Have Figured In Heroic Res
cues and All Will BE Trained by
Experienced Instructor to Aid In
Water Emergencies-All the Grew
Are Very Enthusiastic

protection of batherS and swimmers
who visit there during the summer
months, says the Boston Herald.
For the past three years there has
been a volunteer crew of life savers
stationed at the pretty beach at the
head Of Dorchester bay, but made up
of e The crew was very enthusiasts
tic for two years, but last season it
seemed to lose interest in the work and
early this season disbanded.
The heroic rescue on June 10 by Miss
Agnes L. Kersey Of a boy named Ed
ward Gillis, together with her previous
rescue and the saving of life by other
young ladies at the Savin Hill beach,
suggested the organization Of a girls
crew Of life savers, and a few days
ago the corps was instituted, with Miss
Agnes L. Kersey as captain.
1t is the first organization Of its kind
ever formed in the world, and the
young ladies comprising the crew are
being roundly congratulated for taking
the initiative in such a humane cause,
and in Worcester and one or two other
places the formation Of other crews of
young women is now in progress.
The Ladies' Volunteer Life Saving
corps Of Savin Hill beach, which is the
name adopted by the plucky young
women, will engage in regular boat
drills. and rescue work and will be
trained tt the work of restoring the
apparently drowned and otherwise fit
ted for the duties they may be called
upon to perform.
Such experienced instructors as Peter
S. McNally, James G. Hurley, Thomas
p. Delahunt, John w. Glenister, Wal
ker A.. Smith and M. j. Leary will de-
vote much time to fitting the crew for
all kinds Of emergencies. 1t is conf
IDENTIFY expected that it will give a good
account of itself during the season.
The people of Dorchester are deeply
interested in the corps and have prom
mote it's efficiency. The young women
of the crew are very enthusiastic. They
are above ordinary intelligence and
have a full understanding of the dan
gers they may be called upon to meet.
Following are brief sketches of the life
savers:
Miss Agnes l.. Kersey, captain, is
nineteen years old, has saved several
from drowning by swimming out to
them and towing to safety. She was
born in Milton, where she at present re-
sides. Miss Kersey is of very rugged
constitution and delights in all kinds
of athletics. She learned to swim three
years ago under the instruction of
Peter s. McNally and Walker A. Smith
and is very proficient in the art, swim
ming all styles and performing most
difficult feats with ase and grace.
She never seems to tire in the water,
and the distances she swims would
make many strong male swimmers
tired to even think Of them.
Miss Kersey's girl friends call her
1.-THE amphib," for she spends almost
at much time In the water as out of it.
In the summer of 1902 she rescued a
t~en-year-old girl at Savin Hill who had
got beyond her depth, and last summer
she assisted several to the shore who
had become exhausted. Miss Kersey
comes Of a swimming family, having
two brothers and two sisters who are
experts. During the summer months
she lives with her sister, Mrs. Thomas
Delahunt, at Dorchester, a short dis
lance from Savin Hill beach.
Miss Mary D. Kersey, a sister Of
Agnes, is a member of the crew. She
Is a capital swimmer, strong and
plucky. She Is fearless in the water.
She says she would swim daily
throughout the winter but for the fear
that she might be regarded as of un-
sound mind. A year ago Mary rescued
a woman and a child who were thrown
OverboarD from a catboat in an upset
and swan with both for fifty yards un-
til assistance arrived.
A charming young woman is Miss
Georgina Milne, seventeen years old,
born in Roxbury Of Scotch parentage,
a graduate of the Edward Everett
Grammar school, Dorchester, and the
girls high. She lives at Dorchester
and is very athletic, can run like q
frightened deer and can swim untiring-
~. She learned to swim at Savin Hill
beach about four years ago. Two lit
tie girls owe their lives to Georgina's
presence of mind and bravery. She
rescued them at Savin Hill beach last
summer, both rescues being made on
the same day. Miss Milne is a clever
oarswoman, a good %canoeist, can sail a
catboat and is an enthusiastic baseball
fan.
Margaret Mills, eighteen years old,
whose home is in Dorchester, is tall,
wiry and strong. She has been able
to swim since she was thirteen years
old and is thoroughly familiar with the
waters Of Dorchester bay. She is
plucky and will render good service
mhop rou11irod Mics Mills 40 iu%oroct-