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

II would not give up my swimming
for anything" said Mrs. John Deseh 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 nay
pet diversion, but | would not listen to
them and since have fond that swim
ming not only cured my colds, but |
am much better physically. Mrs,
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 CT 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 brother
MIR. Caliie Dickson is one of the prom
inent members of the Myrtle Boat
Club. and is an enthusiast and aquatic
SPORTS. AS yet Mrs. Desch has not
visited Waikiki but she promises her
self a good swim today and another
on Sunday. When asked if there were
any swimming clubs in San Francicco
for girls she replied In the negative.
for said she, the girls are not willing
to stick toFit, and become discouraged
II they cannot swim right away" THIS
lady has known how to swim since
she was seven years old but it is only
within the last few years that she has
ecme to the front. She says that It.
took her two, years to perfect her
stroke but the result OF her work is
worth 1t. e.
F. Mrs. Desch does mott or practical
ly 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
any teacher che said. "No, just pick
ed II MP myself, and whenever / met
any one who had a particularly good
stroke, ! would ask them about 1t, and
then practice 1t myself - T..
! was very anxious to hear about
the time she swan the Golden Gate,
but although she had confessed that
she was accustomed to talking to the
papers, she was really very modest
about this wonderful feat. 1t seems
that Ii had always been her ambition
to do this, but the fears of her frienGs
prevented her from trying it; they
claimed that the water was too cold.
and feared she would not he able to
stand the strain. But after Walter
PomerAx made the gate she decided
that she too would try it. She con-
fessed that the water was hard to
swim on account of being so very cold
through the currents and quite warm
in some places. The contrast Of the
cold and 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.
Mrs. Desch was practically alone
when she swan the Golden Gate, for
while all Of the contestants were &C
companied by" their trainers, hers, a
man who wished to break the record
made by Walter Pomeroy. left her
alone, and when he had almost
reached his destination, was taken
out Of the water with an injured
knee.
Much depends upon your wind
and 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 hundred-yard dash, but when she
returns to the coast she expects toI
take up the 220 and 44O, 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