New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-14
THE "SWIMMIN' HOLE"
Fresh dir Boys Learn Its Joys-A
Fathers Gratitude.

The superintendent at one OF the homes recently
received the following letter from the father Of one
boy who spent happy two weeks there. The cir
cumstances of the father were such that he was
unable TO send the boy away this summer:
No tongue heart can express to you thanks
en- .gi as or my wife can for your kindness
Well may you be worthy Of the reward ~I thst our
dT re Father has In store for you and yours
tor IeLneinoerins His words Suffer little children
My son gained Just twelve pounds while he was
forever So think that he must have been with
say bless them and pTosper ths s for MA" What
cbey nave done In trying this summer to make
wish SbeS S6 more fs express 70 SINGER thanks and
pattern OF US In doing good on this earth
Many OF the Fresh Air homes are provided with
bathing places for the visitors but have reg,-
Jar Ola swtmInin' hole" like the at Ashford
Hill Almost any hot. sunny afternoon will find the
boys vending their way the swimming hole
When the bell rings and the call goes up Bows
SWIM. there is shout and a Wild rush is made
toward the attendant who Is TO take the party.
AFTER the little ones and those unable to walk the
distance have been weeded out the boys start of
1t is beautiful walk of about mile and a half
The path winds deep into the cool woods and out
again In the sunny meadows through fields of gold
enrod waving In The breezes. After about forty
five minutes walk the hole comes into sight 1t is
typical country swimming hole. about forty feet
long and twenty feet wide over the brim hang
alder bushes. and the white trunks of the nearby
birches are reflected in the still water One end -
shallow. while at the other IT Is deep enough for
diving
"Hoorayr' shout the boys as soon as the pond
comes in sight. Last IN gets padded"
IL doesn't take long TO get in. The suspender
over one shoulder which has been doing service all
day IS slipped of. and that is about all there is
to IT, wild scramble and great spIashing fol-
low. TO avoid being the last one in. For some OF
the boys II IL new experience. and they are trnid
but others dive right in squirm about like por-
poises The fsvorite game is Sally on the water"
They ali take hold of hands and dance UP and
down In the water, singing:
sally on water
sally catch ' a bisekbird
Can't catch me.
Then all duck under together
After an hours swim all called out. and the
start hOrneward begins 10 takes a long time to
get started. for the boys 70 linger around the
pond on the way back they loiter along for there
are many things to be done-birds' 10 be ex-
samned beehives TO be stirred up, elder and black
berries be picked and numerous disputes TO arise
and be settled the spot. tbs a tired but happy
and hungry throng that eventually returns for
supper.
is everybody happy?'' asks the superintendent.
Yes. goes up in chorus from three hundred and
fifty voices.
How the swim. boys?'
Fine"
Does any want 10 go homer
No
The party marches out from supper singing:
Take OF your shoes and stockings
Eo and ID let - yGgr feet 20 %, bare; ,,,r
And touch ~ you dare
The following parties were sent out yesterday:
Twenty-fou1 girls to Schenectady. seventy
eight children 70 St Helens Home. four Bng-
hamton and hfty-si Rutland VI. FitV-three
| returned from St Helens and twenty-one from
BelIevule. Penn.