The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
SWIMMERS LEARN no RESCUE.
Dr. MeyIan's Gaass IN Columbia Tani6,s lhs VA
Hig Improvement.

hb Ahph ONCino4hs
DR.. George L.. Meylan. head Of the de-
! partment Of physical education at Columbia
University. has just made public a number
OF statistics which he has collected from
the various classes showing the develop
ment ii is possible for a man to attain by
devoting two hours a week to consistent
training. DR.. Meylan points to the life
saving class. In this class at it's formation
six months ago we're twenty men, none Of
them having extra ordinary ability in the
swimming line. and some Of them being
poor swimmers. At the end OF the six
months there is not one OF them who has
not proved his ability to rescue a drowning
man under difficult circumstances.
The man who was TO be examined was
placed at m end Of the pool dressed in
coat, shirt, trousers, shoes and stockings.
Tn man to be rescued went 100 feet away
to the other end Of the pool and threw him.
self into the water. When the drowning
man cried out his rescuer had to shed his
coat n shoes, swim to the man and then.
despite his struggles. seize him and drag
him fifty feet to the edge Of the pool. The
time OF each OF the escuers in accomplish
ing the feat was taken. and varied from
two to -four minutes.
Besides this the rescuer was examined
on special phases of saving. The first
thing he was expected to know was the
correct way 10 approach a person struggling
IN the water so as not TO get within his
grasp. Having once seized the man, he
was expected to know the best way 10 tow
hin TO the shore. IL the victim was strug-
Cling the rescuer was taught 10 give him
the strangle hold and squeeze until the
struggling stopped. Other methods OF
towing taught were by the back, face,
arms and back OF the clothing.
Another thing on which the test was
based was ability to swim under water for
a considerable distance in case the drowning
person succeeded in pulling the rescuer
down. h last part OF the examination
was D test of the knowledge which the
students had OF the restorative methods to
be used On an unconscious person who had
been pulled from the water. OF the twenty
men who took the course all were able
TO pass the examination at the end.
DR.. Meylan anticipates making this course
a part of the required gymnasium work at
Columbia as soon in the future as il prac-
ticable. This will mean that every man
who is graduated from Columbia in future
will have TO take an examination in rescue
work and either pass that or some other
examination in some form Of physical
education before he can get his degree.
One thing brought out in the purse
DIR. Meylan is giving is the great variation
that Is found in the ability OF men when it
comes TO learning to swim. At the begin.
ming OF the freshman year rs per cent. OF
the class of 1910 could swim more han 100
feet, while at the end Of the year 9j per cent.
had the same ability.
The trouble that II has cost the various
men to get this ability has been greatly
varied and one case has been found where
il seemed almost impossible for the man
to learn to swim at all. Before coming
10 Columbia this man had had three instruc-
In swimming and had devoted a great
lea OF attention TO the effort TO learn. Since
arriving al the university he has worked
under the direction OF another
for a year n now is able to go
only about twelve feel and tina with an
amount OF splRshing and needless
effort The other members OF the class
who did not pass the examination by swim
ming a hundred feet were prevented from
learning by some physical disability.
Manifest Improvement by the various
classes has been shown In high jumping. |
other phases Of gymnasium work the
Improvement was as great or greater.
DIR. Meylnn has found a large improve
In the matter OF personal carriage.
The general mark Of the class OF 1909 when
u entered college was 81 per cont. There
has been such an Improvement under the
prescribed courses In physical education,
that when the class was looked
over at the end Of " years lts general
average was rs per cent