The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-10

properly and keep their heads above water.
I am certain half dozen lessons will
be all shall need young married woman
informed me one day. I have been accus-
toned to boats nearly all my life, she went
on breezily, and am not the least bit
afraid of the water
Il know looked skeptical, but all l said
was, Perhaps, madam, you are right
"As a proof OF how little she feared the
water, her teacher was almost choked
black in the face by her at the first lesson,
and about all she had learned at the end
OF the sixth trial was not to seize him in
! drowning grasp every time her feet left
the bottom of the tank.
"No teacher on earth can teach novice
how to swim with all his clothes and shoes
on or how to undress in the water, any
more than a musician could teach classical
composition to piano pupil who has never
learned to finger the keys. have heard OF
cases in which men and boys have learned
to swim all OF sudden by being showed
into deep water, and it is true, Ibelieve, that
Russian soldiers deficient in the art are
deliberately knocked from a bridge or
something of that sort into the water and
expected to make for the shore unaided;
but such heroic measures can't be resorted
to with paying pupils.
"As rule until man or q woman can
swim fairly we'll in bathing suit 1t is
wasting time to ask either to enter the
water weighted with boots or shoes and
lot OF dry goods
.The situation OF New York, surrounded
as 1t Is by water, and the fact that New
Workers are keen about taking boat trips
~ oi<v1k
months out OF every year naturally lead
foreigners to conclude that swimming
teachers here have cinch and that people
OF means would just as soon think OF getting
along without three meals day as without
knowing how to conduct themselves In the
water In case OF accident. But that is where
they make a big mistake.
-The swimming schools OF Greater New
York may be counted on the fingers Of one
hand. Indeed don't believe there are so
many, and the rank and Ale OF New Workers
don't care a rap whether they can swim
or not.
and after all excessive fear. not knowing
how to breathe properly and keeping too
near the boat are the causes Of as many
drownings as not knowing how to swim.
This Is proved by the long list Of deaths by
drowning Of persons who could swim or
thought they could swim.
conscientious teachers always warn q
pupil that II his boat Is capsized or he
tumbles overheard he should Immediately
try to put several feet between him and
the boat and take pains to breathe regularly.
Otherwise ten chances to one he will be
smoked under the boat or he will sink to
rise no more.
sWhen In great peril the first instinct Of
persons who can't swim Is to hold their
breath as long as possible, not knowing
probably, that regular breathing will keep
ones head above the water for a long time
Another teacher said:
THAT Swedish professor Is pretty nearly
right But the American teachers are not
to blame for 1t.
For the last two years or more l have
urged my pupils to learn to swim with
| weights in their shoes and to take of the
| shoes while swimming in deep water.
have given free examples OF how to do 1t,
| going 90 far even as to offer to provide
| old clothes and shoes and boots In which
pupils might make the attempt. Few Of
NV pupils. however. have taken kindly to
| the idea.
"'At a pinch guess could manage to
swim in my clothes without any rehearsals
one man informed me not long ago, and
his friend added:
"Why, almost any chump who can
swim at all knows how to peel of his coat
| and boots in the water and both believed
| what they said.
| Il will wager dollars to doughnuts,
though, that were either of them caught
in tight place he would have all he could
do to keep his head from going under.
let alone doing any undressing: for con-
slider the men very indifferent swimmers.
Il was encouraged yesterday by young