New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-30
CROWD SWIMMING TANKS
Boys Find Many Places Where
instruction Is Free.

! James Whtcomb Riley used to say that
probably "rhe Old Swimming Hole" had
done more than anything else he had writ
ten 20 cndcar himself to the boys OF the
country. and though il IS a far cry from
the days when the lads OF the Hoosler
poets careless. happy boyhood used to 80
| in stark" to the great swimming tanks OF
to-day the spirit is the same.
do YOU know how 10 SWIM rs the lead
ing query Of the summer boy, who always
1 is willing TO show the non-swimmer where
| he may learn, practically al no cost al all.
The latter nowadays may go to the SWIM
ming tank of the Central Y. NJ. {. A. at
| Bond and Fulton streets, 10 any OF the
| branches of the association, or 10 the mu-
ncipal bath buildings in the borough.
! One Of the largest Of the swimming tanks
| is In the bath building I'm President street,
where one may get as good an idea OF the
! multiplicity OF nationallties in the city as
NAV be obtained by a rarnble through the
! picturesque East Side. Here hundreds of
bows daily take a bath. In the broiing
DAYS of the recent hot wave the place was
| overcrowded Here practically all races,
shown by color OF skin or hair. by accent,
! by the hundred and one little things which
! betray ones nationality. are represented.
/ Instructor Guillott handles them all with
| the assurance that his every nod Will be
obeyed He has found that boys who like
ANYTHING. who are ambitious TO learn a
! certain thing. are mighty loyal to their
teacher and have the obedience of the
trained soldier.
| Every boy must take a shower bath be-
fore he enters the tank. Most Of the boys
shy at the shower, but they know that 10
take the plunge in the tank they must sub
nit TO Il. Worst Of all. to some OF the
bows. they also must scrub themselves well
with soap and coarse towel before they
enter the pool.
IT'S a crime, that's what Il IS" said one
little stranger to soap and towel He was
ONLY one of two hundred lads-AmeTicans
ard Italians. Irish and Germans Syrians
and Greeks Russians and Hebrews and a
score Of other nationalities all talking al
once. a concrete reminder Of the scene at
the Tower Of Babel. Mr.. Guillott lets them
talk and shout to their hearts content a
safety valve, he calls It.
Droves of the boys poise themselves on
the edges Of the tank. Beginners 90 into
the water with a splash; others run along
the springboards and. agile and clean cut,
take a long dive. leaving only ripple on
the surface Of the water. Then there is al
ways the irrepressible element Of boyish
fun BOYS scramblIng diligently up the
slippery sides Of the tank are reaching for
the edge when companions pull them back
into the water by the ankles
| In the tank itself the boys. resembling
a shoal of large fishes, disport themselves,
sometimes with suggestion Of rouShness,
which at once draws 4 stern command
from Mr. Instructor. lie takes the lads,
group by group, and instructs them how 20
use their arms and legs. how to dive
properly. to swim strongly and gracefully,
! how TO breathe deeply, how TO float, 10
| swim overland, how to 90 all the things
/ a swimmer should know. The dull or timid
/ boy IS taken into the tank by the instruc-
| tor. who SEXES the lads arms and legs and
puts him through the motions Of swim
ming
Mr. Guillott often is amused at the antics
Of the boys. Mischievous ones frequently
mimic his talks and gestures behind his
back, but he says he Is too Old to mind
that.
Il remember how did that 10 my own
school teachers he says, philosophically,
and even IS tempted 10 quote the thread
bare Boys viii be boys"
In the very hot days it was hard to get
the little "barbarians" out OF the water
to give a chance to other lads waiting in
/ line. Many tried to hide In their lockers
or kept under water as long as they could,
/ but the awful" Waterman, keen Of eye
| au6 as stern as any man can be with boys,
never relaxes his ALLIANCE. With many a
| sronl at their hard luck the swimmers
finally got into their clothes again. pro-
ceeding which greatly delighted the wait
! ing line.
! Mr. Gullott and the swimming instruct
| ors Of the Young Mems Christian AsSocia-
! ton believe that the teaching OF swim
/ ming ought To he and indeed, soon Will
! be Incorporated IN the public school courses,
| They are OF the opinion, apart rom lie
/ fact that swimming long has been REGARDED
/ as one of the best Of exercises, bringing
all the muscles OF tie body into action,
| that many lives could be saved every year
! II the Young were systematically taught