Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-29
POPULAR
SPORT IN WILMINGTON
Attendance at All Public Pools
Far in Excess of Figures for
Any Previous Summer.

Never before in the twenty-three
years of the existence of public swim
ming pools in this city assthere been
such a popular demand for the use of
these places as during the present hot
spell and the records for attendance
at all the pools have been shattered,
according to Park Superintendent Ed
ward II. Mack. He says the total
the entire period they have been in
use is 100000. but this summer. due
to the extremely long and excessively
hot weather, larger numbers than ever
bsfore are resorting TO them for relief
"In June of last year the attendance
was 25,000," stated Mr.. Mack. For
the same month this year the figures
of attendance are 3s.565. an increase
OF more than one-half. Attendance for
July last year was 10000. This large
number is being exceeded this month
Figures are not available for the at.
tendance TO date this month. but
when complied they will be greatly
IN excess of last years mark. for it
can easily be seen that this July is
running far ahead. Last August the
attendance was $4,000.
Probably the greatest summer for
attendance at the pools, prior to this
year, was in 1901, which. l remem-
Der, was a very hot period. Then
there was but one pool. the number
having been increased from time TO
time until now we have four, which
have been in operation for several
years"
Mr.. Mack called special attention
TO the excellent record for safety that
has always been maintained at the
city swimming pools.
Never in the twenty-three years
has there been a drowning" he said
Il can recall only one instance. sew
eral years ago, where there was any
danger to a swimmer. This is due
10 the fine work Of the attendants in
charge at the pools"
. Brandywine pool at the foot of
Adams street is leading all others in
attendance. The record there for one
day is : 1.100 persons. Women and
girls appear TO have taken up swim
ming more generally this summer
than ever before and great numbers
OF them are to be found in all the city
pools on the days set aside for their
exclusive use. Expert instructors are
teaching large classes of them to swim.
Street shower bass,s operated at the
various fire houses are becoming more
and more popular and wneneves they
are placed in operation hundreds of
children congregate under the cooling
sprays. They always desert the pub
lie Fairgrounds and anything else they
may be engaged in at the time the
street showers are turned on and these
have been proving so beneficial that it
is believed efforts will be made to have.
more Of them installed in different
sections of the city.
Another popular place for residents
of this city who seek relief from the
dnteQse heat Is Beaver Valley Camp
six miles from Wilmington along the
Concord pike which is conducted by
the Community Service. Neighbor-
hood groups are taking turns each
week in sending parties there for a
weeks outing. These groups are made
up mostly of women and children
but many men have been spending the
week lend there. Each Thursday parties
OF children are taken there in trucks
Ir the days outing.
A mixed group from various sec
tons of the city is occupying the
camp this week. The schedule, sas far
as completedsfor the remainder of the
summer is: August Ii, Madison
Neighborhood Association; August
s-14, Coyne Neighborhood Association:
August 1921, Stapler Neighborhood
August 22-2S. Neighbor-
hood House; August 29-September q,
Pine Neighborhood Association; over
Labor Day. Hadley Neighborhood AS
sociation.
The Y, NJ. c. A. swimming pool is
always in demand but more so than
ever this summer. Men and boys dis
port themselves in the water there
every day and night and the atlen-
dance this year has been greater than
ever before.