Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-12-10

Or late much interest is aStir in this
country and others in the art of nata-
ton. 1t seems that people have been
brought to a realization of the neces-
sity of swimming through the many.
terrible disasters and continuous
drowning fatalities and it is none too
soon for when we come to view the
awful loss of life the ignorance of this
necessity has caused in the past years
it makes one shudder. 1t is the read
ing of such terrible catastrophies with
the enormous death roll of the recent
Chicago disaster that brings an ac-
acknowledgements from every fair minded
person that every man, woman and
child should be taught to swim. Here
We're 2400 men, women and children
precipitated into a river not a hun
dred yards from shore, through the
capsizing of a steamer and out of this
number S52 were drowned, most of
them women and children. Did it ever
appear to the reader that a large
amount of the responsibility for this
great loss of life should be laid at the
doors of many of the unfortunates who
were drowned and of the parents of the
children who also persisted If they
had learned to swim, if the parents had
seen to it that the child could swim,
before going aboard the fatal boat
venture to say that the death roll would
have been comparatively smaller.
That swimming is a great necessity
to human life cannot be denied for not
only is it a safeguard against such
disasters. it is a healthy clean recrea-
tion and undoubtedly the finest exerA
else for the human body. 1 cannot
think of more eXhilarating recrea-
ton and one which gives the exuber-
ance of spirit, which swimming so COM
Dletely does. There is no other eXer
else that so greatly stimulates the
mental and muscular capacities and
has such a Strengthening and refresh
ing influence over both mind and body.
SWIMMING IN SCHOOLS.
When l say that swimming should be
taught in our schools / am voicing the
opinion of many. There is no other
exercise that will develop cur boys and
girls SO systematic. gracefully and
thorough and one that is loved more
dearly by them. The frequent bathing
makes for cleanliness, which is so i'm
portant to good health. 1t must also
be remembered that a child can learn
much easier than grown person. The
younger the better. 1t is a we'll known
their children into the water before
they can walk and it is a common sight
to see tiny tots two and three years
of age swimming like veterans.
The idea that a child runs the risk
of catching cold while bathing is far
too prevalent among the majority of
people and is causing them to do their
children a great injustice by not allow
ing them to swim. The real cause
generally is too much clothing and If
the parents would not use this cotton
wool method they would find their chill
dren q great deal healthier and not so
susceptible to colds. The South Sea
and Hawaiian Islanders wear as little
as possible and their children run the
beaches naked, consequently colds are
very rare among them and their ply
steal condition is of the best.
You will find in many of our large
cities. both in America and abroad the
early morning swimming club. the
members of which meet every morning
before breakfast, year in and year out,
for their morning dip and even Christ
mas morning with its ice bound ponds
holds no terror for them In fact the
larger majority of these clubs hold
their regular Christmas contest, having
the annual turkeys. geese and ducks to
the victorious members and they never
catch cold. Why? Because they have
hardened themselves to it.
If we try a little more of this with
our boys and girls, substituting a cold
sponge down in place of the morning
swim, if there is no handy pool or
river, and instill into their young minds
the necessity of a cold shower after a
swim, think we will find it will not
only harden them and prevent colds
but will have a strong moral effect
upon them and make them stronger
and healthier men and women
1t is pleasing to note that swimming
has been placed upon the school sched-
ule in many OF our large cities. Port
land. Ore, has recently installed two
swimming tanks in its schools and has
started many of the towns of the
northwest in its footsteps. In Cali
fornia and all through the east, the
schools have their regular swimming
teams and every competition finds them
we'll represented. We are looking for
ward with interest to seeing every
Town in America follow this example.
Here is the chance for those who have
the interest of our future generation at
heart and who wish to do our boys and
girls real good, physically and morally,
20 get in a boost for swimming in our
schools. / maintain that if competent
men can be employed to train football
and baseball teams. which only admit
80 BAYS 4