The Calumet news., 1910-05-19
CORSAN SCORfSOlD METHODS
OF TEACHING SWIMMING ART
Instructor Who is Coming to Lo-
cal y. M. c. A. Writes to
News of Work
USES The AUSTRALIAN CRAWL

c. II. Corsan, international swim
ming instructor, who win be at the
Calumet Y. NJ c. A. from May 80 10
June a, inclusive, for the purpose OF
giving instruction in swimming, sends
the following to The News:
Every man, woman, and child in
Australia can swim, but we Americans
are like the Indians We have succeeded
are very poor swimmers indeed, and
drown at the first opportunity we get.
There's a reason as a well known ad-
Vertisement would say. In fact. there
are several reasons. First, that our
climate only permits OF from one 10
three months swimming. The Ojibway
Indians north of the height of land,
cannot swim, and drown if they upset
their canoes, but. fortunately. they are
the best canoeists In the world. and
rarely upset. But when they do. that
is the end OF the Indian Dr. Grenfell
told me that only one fisherman on
the whole coast of Labrador could swim
and that hundreds of them drown be-
to their boat. Funds have been pro-
vided for the erection of natatorium
where the natives can be taught to
swim durin9 the winter months.
In Toronto there were no means
whereby a woman could learn TO swim.
as all the public and seml-public swim |
ming pools were for men only. SO the
n.r ral
together $4,000, and built a nice |
swimming pool next To the Y w. G. A. |
This is a very great source Of delight |
TO them, and many are the spectacular |
contests held there. and on these occa-
sions the best people in the city gather
10 see the events which generally con-
sst of a race four lengths, four lengths |
on back neat and fancy diving from |
the spring boards, ornamental and |
fancy swimming. water polo (soccer
rules). fewest number of strokes the |
length of the pool, life saving race.
and team relay races. The contests
between the Y. w. c. a. girls and the
University Of Toronto girls was so
spirited that II did more to educate
years hard work of enthusiastic swim
mers ACCOMPLISHED. Hundreds Of girls
have learned TO swim in this one pool.
and the result is that when canoes up
Sc. the man does not not swim to
shore and leave the girl To drown as
previously happened, not once. but
many times.
THE second reason why the general
public of this country cannot swim Is
that city councils and public school
boards with few exceptions are COM
posed of that spirit Of selfshness that
does not permit of the spirit of duty
10 reveal spark of life.
THE third reason is that when
natatorium is built, IL is built so fault
lily that there is not room for specta-
tors To look on. the consequence is
that there is no gate and it does
not pay Thus a return of money is
not in sight, and the thing is dropped
like hot coal from the hand would be,
quickly. This is the American spirit
as distinguished from the rraternai
spirit OF the English, Scotch, Swiss
and New Zealander.
THE fourth reason is that nearly all
swimming instructors insist upon
teaching the breast stroke To their pu-
pills. This stroke is a stupid combina-
ton Of errors that mystfies the pupils.
and so greatly retards their learning
the true art Of swimming that the IN
structor can keep one individual learn
ing all summer, and when he or she
has learned the stroke they are ever
spoiled for speedy and graceful swim
ming.
1T is, indeed, a very stupid person
who cannot be taught the simple Aus
traiian crawl stroke in from one to
three lessons. At the Brookline muni-
cipal baths taught in one week scores
of gray-haired ladies In n single les
son. They were so many, and ] was
so busy. that / did not have time to
keep track Of their exact number. But
anyone who will visit Boston, can call
there and inquire
Last week at Grand Rapids, 200
boys who could not swim a stroke were
taught In two lessons 20 swim 80 feet,
the length OF the Press pool. These
boys swan with a grace that would
put 20 shame the old time side or
breast stroke swimmers.
"Of all the mentioned reasons why the
art Of swimming Is so little known in