The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-29

T Cdn.Teo Anybody to Swim i1 Three Lessons
 Says Prof. C. M Davis, Instructor Al East Lake
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

Considering
 That Birmingham is an inland city there are probably as many good swim mers among the women and girls as you'd find anywhere.
 of course
 All men learn how to swim-even If they have 10 practice in the "old swimmin' hole--'
 For women-well, swimming is like edFalr and olives-a cultivated taste.
 Just how necessary it is for women 10 learn to swim may be best illus trated by the story of the girl. Miss Townsend I believe her name was who was on board the i'll fated ..Em- press of Ireland.'
 After being in the water an hour she was picked up by lifeboat.
 She was the only exception to the grim salvage the crew collected.
 Miss Townsend had learned to swim when she was little girl. and her ex- perience supplemented by her pluck. robbed the death toll of the Empress The moral is obvious Learn to swim, and learn now! 'e [" oatS tV yOuIStll anu your companions to whom you are a meance unless you can do your part in case of an accident. swimming is as easy as danoing | and now that the nautical tango" has been introduced at the fashionable seashore resorts maidens and bach elors, spinsters and widow -ettes, hus- bands and wives, grandfathers and grandmothers are all learning to swim as well as to dance. "A macerated maxixe," or a lymph ous limp" that promises to make Nep- tune realm a ballroom floor, will cer- tafnly add to the popularity of both accomplishments. In Birmingham the interest in swim ming has been greatly augmented by Prof c. M. Davis and his efficient work at East Lake. Professor Davis is all-rouEd ath- lete, strong, good supple and splen- dldly equipped for his work and the startling statement that he can teach anybody to swim in three lessons, is ill itself so encouraging a sign that hundreds of people nave gone to him and not one has left dissatisfied.
 Remarkable record-eh? In society," Swimming has become quite a fad and you hear of more swimming par ties and things like that than ever before.
 Professor Davis has really done won ders.
 lie never fails.
 He acconfplishes whatever he sets out to do in the swimming line.N
 He has talent in that direction and the indescribable gift or knack or whatever it is of making people do things.
 He has taught more women to swim this summer than you could shake a stick at.
 And they do it well. too
 He's taught more "mermaids" than | mermen."
 The woods-no, mean the lake, is full of 'em.
 The reason is that women learn to swim so much quicker than men, once they make, up their minds.
 No
 This isn't fairy tale, but real gos- rel truth, for I got the information from Professor Davis himself, and I have no reason to suspect him of be- ing a suffragette or an "anti"
 "Once a woman gets enough confi- 6ence in herself" said Professor Davis yesterday, in firm, incontrovertible masculine tones. as he discussed the question with me-" she can swim al- most immediately" Professor Professor Davis doesn't sit on the edge of the lake, if you please, like so many swimming in- structors you've read about, in a gray bathrobe looking like a Franciscan Friar and giving long distance In- structions; But s