Evening journal., 1915-07-15

panying touselled head that was
stuck out of the bath house door.
Good land, Jane, you're always los
ing something. never saw your
equal for that. For the goodness
sakesiH exclaimed one patient crea-
ture, a large. imposing blonde, who
stood already dressed waiting for her
tardy friend. A wild scramble ensued
wherein all within a radius OF ten
feet helped .ook for the lost barette.
II was finally found in a dark corner
where it had fallen and was handed
TO the owner.
No. gentle reader, this is not a
scene in a hair dressers establish
ment. neither is It one that was enact
ed during a camping trip. Instead,
It was merely enc of many scenes
that are enacted in the Drandywine
swimming pool where hundreds Of
women and girls throughout the city
&c two days every week to take
cool, refreshing plunge.
It was a lively place and the pool
both in and around it was crowded
with a vivacious and attractive lot
Of girls and wcmen when a repre-
sentative of THE EVENING JOUR-
NAL arrived there the other evening
tc watch the aquatic pleasures of a
portion Of the feminine population Of
Wilmington There we're about 100
girls in the pool when the writer ar
rived upon the animated scene, it be-
ing literally alive With so many bob
bing heads on each of which were
gaily colored caps.
It was indeed a cnlorful scene that
one witnessed at the Brandywine
pool the other night with the girls in
their dark bathing suits and vivid
caps. their fair arms cleaning through
the dark green of the water on which
myriad of electric lights fiickered
and shone N intermittent brilliance
and over all, the dark GOODNESS of
the trees as they arched high above
the pool, through which one glimpsed
every now and then a twinkling star.
While the majority of persons who
60 TO this pool 60 for the pleasure
Of a good swim. a great mahy also go
to watch their friends enjoy the
aquatic sport. a cheerful and happy
line Of devoted friends. q know
they we're devoted because didn't
many of them actually offer to
hold towels. stray hair pins, combs,
jewelry, etc, etc, which certainly is
sufficient proof of any ones devOtion.) )
Well line of these faithful ones stood
around the edge of the pool and there
by added much color to the already
lively and animated scene By their
sprishtly conversation to those in the
pool an incidentally. to each other.
and by the splotches OF color made
by their dresses and sport coats on
which the electric lights shed a soft
and radiant glow
But let US leave the girls in the
pool a minute while we try to find out
something about the pool itself. In
the first place the pool is nifty by 100
feet and it is equipped with a shower
hath and 70 bath houses. The pool
has been in existence for sixteen
years and is capably presided over by
Mrs Charles Lockwood who has beer
in charge ever since il started. II is
open on every Tuesday, Wednesday
Friday and Saturday for men and
boys while on Mondays and Thursdays
the girls and women are allowed tc
take dips there. Every Monday az
ternoon and Thursday evening II is
free but on Monday mornings and
evenings, and on Thursday mornine
and afternf on one pays the munih.
cent sum of ten cents for admission
The men and boys also have their free
and pay days. The pool varies in
depths from two to FIVE and g halt
feet and the water is let in fresh
three times a week. As q rule tn,
pool opens in June and remains open
until some time in September, al
though the schedule depends great
deal upon the weather. Like the
other swimming pools in the city II
is conducted under the direction oil
he Park Commission.
Tany. Willing Teachers.
While there are no swimming in.
structors at the pool, nevertheless
those who are not proficient swim
mers go boldly in and are Willingly
helped by the others who know some
thing of the aquatic sport. Water
wings are used a great deal and so al
he girls and women VINO cannot a.
yet swim are rapidly learning how
And it IS great sport You don't know
how TO SWIM Well for the goodness
sake, get busy and learn There i
no better place in the city to learI
han in the Brandywine pool.
Swimming parties are becoming
quite the thing these days. A crowl
Of girls gets together: one suggest
they go over to the pool ana take
swim and it isn't long before partie
of from four TO ten girls and womel
have their bathing suits on and ar
enjoying the GOODNESS or a delightful
dip. And they have the fun
All the various strokes known Z
'swiminology" are tried with the re
suit that many e the fair swimmer
are now proficient in the art TIL
crawl, the side stroke, the breas
stroke and floating all come in 70
their share Of attention and the rival
ry in the manner Of doing the variou
strokes is at times very keen.
Girls Are Expert Divers.
Diving also is a favorite pastim
and some of the girls are sDlendi
divers. One girl stood on the ston
coping around the pool the other nigl
ready TO dive. her cleaning arm
Placed high above her crimson head
she stood so poised for a momer
tnen gracefully dived her 1.-the bod
cutting the water like the sharp nos
Of a boat.
Some dive. Eloise," called one {
her chums from the "bank" wber
she was sitting, feet dangling owe
kloise, in the meantime had come II
shaking the water from her. the whit
OF her teeth showing in a straigl
line as she laughed from the shee
pleasure and keen exhilaratinn nf