Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-29
COMPLETE PLANS
FOR WATER SPORTS
Lessons in Swimming and Life
Saving to Begin
June.

Completed rlana fer the swimming
and life saving campaign ef the Red
Cross To be inaugurated in this city
next month and which may continue
part of the summer If the interest con
tiuuea wer" announced last night at
meeting Of committees uf the Red rross
ltfe saving campaign ~ headquarters.
al Delaware avenue Upwards Of two
score of organizations were represented
and the interest displayed by the rep-
r.aeutatives. indicates that the effort
80 prevent ioHa Of llfe from drowning
by preliminary training IN swimming
and ufe saving is going - be big
success
Tho need for such a campaign waE
shown hy atl tiaiirs which IL I. Reed.
secretary of tho Delaware Safety Coun
81. At whopa inatiEatinn tho present
city wide movement ia prevent many
prrHunH from drowning as possible WINS
started. presented 10 the meeting. Mr..
ltoed stated that Ia the past I've years
there had hccn ~ fatalities and that
of this number los were in Wilmington
and rural New Castle. the remaining
- being divided among the other two
counties Isetween May and October
were the danger months and white
persons were IN most cases the victims.
William y Foster. chairman u the
life saving campaign. explained some
of the details that have been arranged.
The week Of May so viii b. given over
to teaching the boys of the public
schools how to swim At least 100 IN
structors will be needed for this week
and also for the general swimming ard
life saving week on June 1870 On the
latter week both swimming and life
saving viii BE- taught. and All of the
city pools viii be open then While
the instruction on the week of May 30
il for boys only above T. years Of age.
the instruction in June will be for both
sexes above the age limit.
Adults Greatest Victims.
one of the statistics announced was
that the greatest number Of victims of
drowning accidents were among adults,
and while these being free agents can
not be ordered what TO do and what
not 10 do. the only means To help them
is by suggestion and by having the
boys and girls take swimming lessons
10 prevent them suffering when they
become adults.
Captain Fred Mills. director of the
Atlantic division of the Red Cross Life
Saving Corps. addressed the meeting.
telling what was essential to a swim
rner and life saver. Captain Mills
directed three classes in life saving
yesterday and will continue the work
today and tomorrow He Will return
10 this city later and continue the in
struction. so that the life saving stu
dents may receive at least six lessons
prior To taking charge of classes in
swimming.
The chief essential he explained was
10 have the will and the courage to
teach and that without a love of swim
ming ii would not prove much of n
| success for any one.
Mr.. Foster told Of the plans that had
been made to safeguard the students.
| There will be a policeman at all pools
during the instruction periods. SO that
! there may be no apprehension on the
! part of parents concerning their chill
/ dren
The greatest need Just now is that
! Of volunteer instructors. Upwards of
/ 100 schools. churches. social and bust
rcss organizations have pledged their
! co-opcration and it is from these that
/ the instructors are to be obtained. There
! viii be several paid instructors TO help
Int not enough Through Supcrinten-
! dent Of Schools Clifford j. Scott, a
schedule has been arranged during the
last week Of the school term To have
Tho students 20 to the nearest pool for
) twenty minute lesson. They will be
ia charge Of a monitor. who will see
mat they get to the pool, take the
i lesson and return to their lessons il
4 the shortest possible time.
Many other details were discussed
and other plans will be announced by
/ Chairman Foster from time TO time
/ The dates Of the succeeding lessons in
life saving for those who began the
course this week will be announced
when the instructors are prepared {
! continue them.