The Washington herald., 1915-02-08
Miss Mehrtens, Honored by
A. A. u, Tells How to In
struct Girls to Swim.
ANACCOMPLISHED ARTIST


appointed Miss Katherine F. Mehrtens
official Handicapped of the women swim
mers, Frederick W. Ruben, president of
the Metropolitan Association, conferred
an honor on a waterwoman who for the
past eleven years has given her services
free, which means all her time and
thought to swimming instruction and a
! better condition among the young and
old Of her sex. Thousands of girls who
during the past ten years have come
under her care and have reaped the ben
efits Of her teaching are today singing
the praises Of this remarkable woman.
Miss Mehrtens is president of the Ma
! tional Womens Life-Saving League,
which has its headquarters at 25 Clinton
street, Brooklyn, the former home of
the Crescent A. c., where there are ex-
cellent facilities for swimming instruc-
ton.
When we visited the home of the league
last evening it was with the impression
that Miss Mehrtens was the captain or
leader Of squad OF women life-savers,
the kind that patrol the beaches in the
summer and plunge into the surf to make
rescues.
''Oh, yes" said Miss Mehrtens in an
Ewer 10 our query. we save lives, but
not in the way you believed. We teach
girls how to swim. And when they are
good swimmers they are taught life saw
ing from drowning and first aid to the
injured. But this doesn't mean that we
establish stations along the water. Our
members, however, are always ready to
take part in rescue work should they be
on hand.
And still more" continued Miss
Mehrtens. isn't swimming the most
healthful exercise a girl or woman
can indulge in? 1t develops every
muscle of the body; gives them health
and strength. and it teaches them how
TO breathe properly. And what is more
invigorating than a plunge in cool
water? It's a tonic for the nerves and
the tired body. We are now we'll ad-
vanced in our work and with the prop
er aid we'll teach every girl how to
swim.
This league has no restrictions. Any
woman of good moral character. six
teen years of age or over is entitled
to membership" said Miss Mehrtens in
discussing the scope Of the organiza-
tiOn. But we teach girls younger than
sixteen years of age. In this work we
have the support of many school teach
ers, particularly of the high schools.
who send their pupils to us. These
teachers are members and first class
waterwomem. The working girl is just
as welcome as the schoolgirl. And it's
really wonderful. and a great incentive
fo~ greater effort on % part, to see
how much good the league is doing
among the working classes. Swimming
instills fresh confidence. the kind that
up!ifts and they become healthy; II
really opens a new life to the girls"
At what age should a child be
taught swimming?'
That is rather a hard question to
answer responded Miss Mehrtens, after
a bit Of thought. 1T would all depend
on the size OF the girl. and you must
not forget to say we only teach girls.
Children can be taken in hand at the
age Of ten years. Still We are now
planning to give instruction every Sat
urday morning to girls between the
ages Of eight and nine years We take
them into the tank TO give them con-
fidenCo and teach them not to fear the
water. You must remember il takes
more time to teach a girl The average
younEster Of ten is very daring. and
he'd jump off dock on a dare.
"Our course of instruction is Very
thorough. After ten lessons, which will
take about ten weeks the girl knows
how TO keep afloat and swim across the
tank They also have the confidence.
Then they are shifted to a higher class.
where they swim greater distances, but
they are never out of the care of our
women.
Good swimmers rarely get into diff
crlties." said Miss Mehrtens That is
why I advocate teaching girls to swim
at an early age The more she knows |
the better she realizes the dangers. !
There have been many cases Of drown
ing due to overConfidence. Just because !
you know how to keep affoat doesn't
indicate skill. No learners should so
into deep water until they are strong
swimmers. And IL a learner does ven
ture into dep water there should al
ways he A strong swimmer near by"
For the advanced classes the league |
gives instruction in life saving. Here
is taught the rescue and release holds. |
The girls are shown how to break the
hold Of a drowning person and also how
to tow in a swimmer in trouble.
1T is our aim to teach all women,
concluded Miss Mehrtens. IT mothers
knew how to swim the children would
rarely get into trouble
Miss Mehrtens is disinterested finan-
cially in swimming. or as an instructor.
She knows the sport and also knows all
the women who compete. and is the only
person who is best fitted to arrange
handicaps.
The league is self-supporting and is
maintained by the iniatiOn fee of 81 and
annual dues of 80 cents.
Every active member is honor bound
to teach swimming whenever called upon
to do so for the benefit of furthering
the work of the league.
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