New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
Women to the Rescue
No Longer Will They Have to Run for q NAN
When Ba thing Accidents Occur.

never let 90 n YOU allow Nobrsei 10 SlhN
with him lie will loosen his grasp 81 once
then YOU can get hold OF his hair or his
bathing suit and pull him in. But oil
course. the best way is 20 avoid giving him
n chance TO clutch YOU. All professional
ufeSavers use the strange hold, that IT,
they get i'm back Of the sinking man. throw
cue arm around his neck and then swim
toward shore Shoulr the rescued man
struggle. the arm is frightened around the
throat. thus shutting or the wind. Other
methods are TO place the hand under the
drowning persons chin and Tow him IN. or
10 crasp the hair or the back Of tho bath
Ing suit
The women i'm these classes wear men :
bathing suits no skirts or stockings being
allowed. This sensible costume, no doubt
accounts IN part for the rapidly with
which the two hundred have learned not
only 90 swim but to rescue those who
cannot
The women who are competent TO save
lie are not confined TO the swimming pool
Of Columbia University, however, for down
al Sheepshead Bay, on Long Island, is a
duly organized National Women's Life
saving League. which has headquarters IN
a houseboat The purpose Of the organiza-
ton is 10 teach women who can swim
how 10 approach drowning person. bring
him ashore and apply the various methods
Of resuscitation. Too often. as every one
knows. a good swimmer loses his own life
in "a well meant effort 10 save another's
simply because he does not know how 10
manage the frenzied creature who cings
to him and drags both down.
The women liresavers in the houseboat
have practical lessons every day under the
direction OF Mrs. Margaret Opper. one OF
the women most active in organizing the
National Womens LifesavinC League aud
commodore and chaperon of the Water
Witch An experienced swimmer goes out
from the house boat and signals that she is
drowning Then the learner plunges into
the water and reaches her The drown
ing one initiates all the freuZied actions
OF persons who feel themselves drowning
and tries 90 clutch the rescuer. She. how
ever. has been taught how TO keep free OF
clinginE arms. and in due time The victim
is tOwed safely 10 the hOuse5oat or 70 the
life5uoy
Then the ~escuer learns how TO pump
the water out of the victim and 10 give
her such medicines and restoratives as are
necessary. The houseboat is recognized as
a suo-staton by the United States Volun-
teer Llfesaving Corps which maintains
station about half a mile distant, and has
presented 20 the houseboat an outfit Of the
medicines used in resuscitatiOn work.
Another thing that the ufesavers learn is
how 90 throw out the lifeline and the life
buoy for often IL is possible 10 throw a
line 10 a drowning person and this will
reach him much more quickly than the
! fastest swimmer could. The learners on
the houseboat find this the most difficult
part OF their work 1t is not easy even
for man" 20 throw a limp line so as 20
hit "a given spot on the water. and for
woman. with her proverbial lack Of skill AT
hitting anything the task is doubly DIM
cult Practice makes perfect. however. and
after q time the novice is really able 20
hit her mark Then the assistant goes out
and browns for her benefit. while the life
saver practises throwing the line 90 her.
4 Most of the twenty VINO formed the origl-
nal colony on the houseb0at are now eX-
perts in all the details Of lifesaving But
their time is occupied in teaching the Wis
ftors who come 20 them-young women
who can swim but cannot rescue. This
houseboat is the first OF its kind, but the
association plans 90 have q series Of such
stations in all the popular bathing beaches.
so that hereafter when there is an accident
the women near by need not run for help
until they find a man. but can plunge right
into the water and do the saving them
selves without wasting precious time.