Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-08
IN THE WOMAN'S WORLD
Famous Woman Swimmer, Here .
From Coast, Talks on Sea-Sport
Mrs. John Desch, Winner of
Bay Cities Carnival, Here
for a Visit

Il would not give up my swimming
for anything" said Mrs. John Desch OF
San Francisco to a Star-Bulletin re-
porter yesterday afternoon. AT one
time | was a sufferer from colds and
my friends advised me to give up my
pet diversion, but / would not listen to
them and since have found that swim
ming not only. cured my colds, but |
am much better physically MR..
Desch Is well known in Honolulu, as
she was formerly Miss Terie Dickson
OF this city. She also has a sister and
brother here who know something
about the art or swimming. Her SIS
tel Mrs. Paul was we'll known here as
a long distance swimmer, but since
her marriage has almost entirely Civ
en- up her practicing; and her trother
Mr.. Callie Dickson is one Of the prom
iRent members of the Myrtle Boat
Club, and is an enthusiast and aquatic
sForts. AS yet Mrs. Desch has not
visited Waikiki but she promises her
self good swim today and another
on Sunday. When asked IL there were
any swimming clubs in San Francisco
for girls she replied in the negative,
for said she, ''the girls are not willing
to stick to tt and become DISCOURAGED
II they cannot swim right away sTAis
lady has known how TO swim since.
she was seven years old but It is only
within the last few years that she has
come to the front She says that 1t
took her two years to perfect her
STOKE but the result of her work Is
worth It. 81
Mrs. Desch does mott or practical
~ all OF her swimming In the Lurline
Baths, for the sea water is. far too
cold for most people, In reply to the
question as to whether she had had
sny teacher she said. mo, just pick
ed 1t up myself, and whenever ! met
any one who had a particularly good
stroke, I would ask them about 1t, and
then practice IL myself
was very anxious to hear about
the time she SWAN the Golden Gate,
but although she had confessed that
sheowas accustomed TO talking to the
papers, she was really very modest
ab06t this wonderful feat It seems
that Il had always been her ambition
to do this, but the fears of her frienos
prevented her from trying 1t; they
claimed that the water was too cold,
and feared she would not lie able to
stand the strain. But after Walter
Pomeroy made" the gate she decided
that she too would try it. She con-
fessed that tlis wktsr was Aiafh 10
swim on account of being so very cold
through the currents and quite warm
In sAf1e places. The contrast OF the
coldnand the heat was, to say the least
trying. She was very proud to say
though, that the girls who entered the
contest stood the cold far better than
did the men. @ys. ..---
Mrs. Desch was practically alone
when she swan the Golden Gate, for
while all of the contestants were ac-
companied by their trainers, hers, a
man who wished to break the record
made by Walter Pomeroy, left herI
alone, and when. he had almost
reached hts destination, was taken
out of the water with an injured
knee.
."Much depends upon your wind,
AM on taking the stroke at the right
time" said the lady when. asked
what swimming depended upon. At
the present time her forte is the fifty
and hundredlyard dash, but, when she
returns to the coast she expects to
take up the 220 and 440, and later, if
she feels that she can stand it, will
try for the SS-yard, because, said she
there are many girls who try for the
long distance and comparatively few
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