The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-01


 (A6acLevy. the famous Long Island x .ehealth farmer" has been engaged sfor eight cen years in the training of tathletes and the building up of run Edown people, and is a recognized au- k4hority on all subjects connected with <1&1hc exercise. )a
 Tn the recent Empress of Ireland fdisaster little girl who had been Taught to swim was able to support herseIf on the water until help ar #r1ved, while scores of strong men, aTfSO had neglected to master the art ko1 swimming, went down to death
 There Is a lesson in this incident k.vhch should result in worldwide revavaE of interest in swimming
 The dihaculties in the way of learn kzngzto swim are mainly psychological #To master the art at least to the. #Do1n& where one may remain in the szvater- a considerable length of time rvifhout danger of drowning, is about #the easiest thing in the world for the HpeEson of ordinary physical strength kZt Is fear of the water that makes it AnidRrult
 FvoIutfonists hold that our onces- eHorgs were once fish Whether or not kezazB iis@ true, there are millions of peo- kpleato take to the water as naturally, fandk Aresa as much at homo in it, as if Hx were their natural element Among the HaWax1ans and the sEouxh Sea Islanders the children HRearza to swim almost as soon as they fare abIesto walk They need no in sfruct1on. but go into the water. pad #hey aRe ok In these countries, #vzhare so many people spend a large Mproporf1on of their time in the water, death by drowning Is practically un- nowu-
 Anerdcan and European youngsters Fare apparently somewhat further re- unowed from their 6sh-hke ancestors, but with a little instruction most of Eheu1 can be.taught 10 swim in a few essons
 You remember the advice given by NEae mother to her daughter. who had Ezsked for ~pernafssdon to go out to BpVII11-ssYes, my sdarIingN Ndarters hang eour ca0theg- on a hickory limb, but don't go near the water"
 There arestEo extremes to be avoid k@d by those who set about the task &1f learning to swim. One was ex- pressed sby this excess of caution on EEae part of a fond mother, and the *blher extreme is, of course, a too kereat dzrlngfon the part of the novice Man boasts of his reason and in He1Iecf, but usually his mentality ism t znuca in ey1oAezee when he makes n1s ms &z1rEt 4i11na1ded attempt to swim He kxnay have been taught all the move zznents and strokes, and Theoretically, abe an expert swimmer but in the mo Ement of need all his knowledge de- sserts him, and he founders helpless
 It Is this fear of the water that snakes it desirable that those who are try1ng to learn to swim should enlist *fhe assistance of an expert instructor, dence.
 Those whose muscles and lungs are tsundey eIoped should spend few Eweeks in gymnastic exercises and
 
 S9he water Thus fortified. they will @be far better prepared to master eBV1nnning with neatness and dispatch.
 Considered as a sport swimming is Excellent, and as hea4thful form of @exerctse tt has few superiors- It Ecoraes about as near as any form of Physical activity to bringing all the muscles of the body into play
 One branch of swimming that is of Hbeu neglected, even by those proficient an the art, is swimming on theback- It as not only highly desirable as helping to bring unused muscles into activ- 4dty. but its. utihtY iss often greater Athan the more usual Swimming meth Aods-
 Those who have an ambition to Eehine as long distance swim mers, or rTho go into the water alone, should Aby all means learn to swim on the back When exhausted, or attacked Eby cramps, the ability to turn over Rand rest comfortably on the back may koften be the means of saving life
 As a. matter of fact, it is easier foI krnost people to learn to swim on the 1back than with the face downward 3f they have the assistance of an in 3structor or of a friend who knows #9aow to swim The reason for thi: Is that in back swimming the mouth 6and nose are always above the sur. k1ace of the water Learning tt breathe properly is the most difficult part of mastering the breast stroke
  Band mouth under the surface yer! $earIy in the attempt, and this oftel arouses in him a frenzy of fear
 One may begin to learn the bacI fstroke while stretched safely on a be- For couch, or on the floor Lie fiat ol fhe back, with the arms parallel t. Beach other, stretched back above tn head, and the hands touching eacl other, fingers closed and palm up EWard, while the legs, close together zre also extended fully, with toe zslant1ng downward Having assum ed this position, you are ready t Gtzxt the stroke First turn tn @Da1mS of the hands outward, so tha fhe backs of the hands touch eac Bother Bring them downward, eve EvEith the body, in a. wide curve to tn ndegs- Keep the arms straight and q 5r1ct crook the elbow. As the hand touch the thighs, the legs, Whic ahave been left straight, get into ac %fdon- With heels together, bend tn Sknees outward and upward, and the kick out smartly with the feet Wid apart- As the concluding leg move ment. bring the legs quickly togeth CT Simultaneously with the le stroke the hands, backs up, ar 9sbrought back in wide sweep Of tn arms to the starting point Hand and legs should reach the original pc sition at exactly the same time
 When you go into the water tn ibest plan is to begin by learning float on the back. Have the teache or companion hold you at first. Lt - this assistance be gradually with sararrn and Nnu will srnra diScove