The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
Miss Agnes Beckwith
StartedModern School
of Women Swimmers
When She Swan Five
Miles Between London
Bridge and Greenwich
in 1S76--Some Re-
markable Feats
~fss
LOUI s E
DE BUS.

Another Boston girl with an enViaole
record is Elsie Akroyd. At the age OF
l6 she went to England and took part
In the Derby of the Thames, a fifteen
mile free for all contest which ranks
as championship. A large field
which included T. II. Battersby. the
worlds fastest one mile swimmer at the
time, lined up against her, but for
eight miles she worked to the fore and
held the lead. Unfortunately she
forced the pace too strenuously, in her
anxiety to win. and played herself out.
But it is honor enough for any girl
to have outstripped n worlds champion
Tor eight furnishing miles.
Lillian Howard of Brooklyn Is her
aided as likely candidate for the
American supremacy and will shortly
attempt the Battery To Sandy Hook
trip, which will clinCh her right to the
title of champion If she succeeds. As
she has more than once travelled over
twenty miles In fast time her chances
| appear excellent.
The early development Of girl SWIM
| mers is one of the striking features OF
woman's advent in the field Of nata-
| ton. One almost hesitates to believe
the frequently published reports of as
| tonishing performances by mere chill
| their authenticity, for many Of them
are made in competition supervised by
competent authorities and before large
| crowds.
To give a few cases in point. Mar
| garet Mccormick of Flatbush, n child
! of 7, took part not long ago in a three
quarter mile race for women and de-
| feated several full grown opponents,
| her own proud mother included. captur-
ing first place. Josephine Hose st.
Louis, aged 2. tried last season to enter
a two mile contest and although barred
| because young insisted On starting
with the others and beat most OF them
home.
Mary Hannaford of Boston, also aged
| ., has scored in n number of events
ranging in distance from fifty yards to
two miles and made excellent time.
Annabel Hudson on Washington. who
was under 8. was allowed by her par
ents to toe the mark in n 1000 yard
race held in the Tidal Basin and COW
cred about one third the distance before
she could he induced to leave the water.
OF all the infant prodigies ever de-
| veloped in any country, however, Flor
ence Mclaughlin II Philadelphia,
chubby young woman who stands 4
feet inches, weighs siXty-eight
pounds. and admits the ripe age of 9.
is easily the greatest. Early last
August the news was spread broadcast
that she had swum from ConshohoCken
to the Flatrock Dam, in the practically
still waters Of the Schuylkill River, In
three hours. A few read II the per-
Torrance with keen interest, but the
majority were frankly sceptical, believ-
ing such a feat quite beyond so small
a girl.
About one month later, nevertheless.
five and one-half mile race for women
was arranged, and among the first en-
tries came the diminutive Champion.
There were twelve others on the list by
the time the event was run of, and the
general oponion was that Smiling Flor
ence would decline the issue when she
found the fastest swimmers Of her sex
lined up against her.
But nothing Of the kind occurred
Florence set out at good pace, cutting
through the water with a stroke SO
graceful that 1t appeared almost effort
less, and kept ON without pause to the
end OF the course, crossing the flag
posts in the wake Of the winner apd
showing her heels to eight OF her ex-
perienced and mature rivals. The
wise their views.
With so much evidence in hand the
momentous question naturally arises
"Are women then destined TO rob the
sterner sex OF aquatic supremacy"
Probably not in sprinting, ever, fol
bodily conformation and less muscular
power make that unlikely, but in Ions
distance swimming there is "A possibility
Of it. Already they have driven mel
hard In tests Of endurance, notwth
q standing lack OF proper instruction
p fewer facilities for training, and no
: nearly so many opportunities for gain
O ing skill and experience in competition
n Is It not logical TO believe, therefore
: that with most schools now making
g swimming obligatory for girls as wei
/. as boys, with increasing interest II
e water sports leading many youthful
: mernaids into the racing game, ant
7 with pools available to both sexes win
v ter and summer throughout the coun
z try, women will gradually bridge tn
Il short space still marking the superior
lily Of man?