The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-02-18
Sporting News
URGES SWIM RACES
FOR SCHOOLGIRLS
.Oficial of w. S. \. Advocates Competi-
ton Such as That Arranged
for Boys.

NEW YORK. Feb. 1S.-Women proml-
nent in the field of aquatics are advocat-
ing the universal introduction OF water
sports as a standard feature of scholaS-
tie athletics for girls, claiming that COM
Detition provides the strongest incentive 10
develop the degree or swimming pro,
ficiency necessary for self-protectlon ana
lifcsaving.
The views of the group in question were
evnrossed recently by Miss Charlotte
FDstcin. manager Of the team OF the New
York WGmen's Sports association, the
worlds leading organization OF ltS klhd.
She said: ~ great many Of us who are
closely connected with swimming and
have followed its development In this
country believe that educators could rem
der great service to school girls, ana
humanity at large, by encouraging water
sports.
The policy at present is to promote
only mass athletics in schools TOR girls
ON the plea that competition restricts ac-
tivities to a select few and does not bene-
fit the majority. In theory no better pol
icy could be devised but where swimming
is concerned, at least, it Is our obSerVa-
ton that this theory fails to work out
effectively in practice.
Bear in mind that swimming IS not
merely an attractive sport and a splendid
form of exercise. 1t is the one means oil
guarding against drowning and protecting
others. which places it in class by 1t
self an essential in the physical educd-
ton of every girl But for this very rea-
son ordinary ability is of little value; eX-
pert workmanship is necessary.
Now all that is done for school girls
Mt present. speaking generally, is to give
them rudimentary instruction IN SWIM
ming. Absolutely no inducement Is
offered them to preserve and acquire pro
fciency. As a result most OF them learn
to paddle a few yards more or less aWk-
wardly and go no further. They would
be helpless if thrown by accident INTO the
water far from shore, let alone confronted
with the task of trying to rescue someone
Take. on the other hand, the school
bows of New York alone. | have it on the
best authority that more than 1900 en-
gagged in water sports under the super
vision of the 2. s. \. L. last season,
without counting the many others who
trained for or made private school teams.
Due chiefly to the incentive of competl-
ton these boys undertook to practice and
perfect their swimming until they gained
mastery In the old days, when schools
afforded instruction and no racing the
boys who became expert swimmers were
the exception And, let it be added, you
can teach an experienced swimmer the
art of life saving in 4 few minutes, but all
the teaching in the world will not enable
a poor swimmer to perform n rescue.
THAT is why we would like To see
girls given the same advantages extended
to boys. The lack of competition handI'
caps them. There is nothing to encour'
age them to improve. If all schools for
girls were to introduce water sports, feat
uring class, interclaSs and open scholastic
swimming meets a very large number Of
the students would profit by the innoya
ton and be urged to gain skill"