New Britain herald., 1927-07-09

year, also interpretive dancing class es for juniors and seniors. Tennis has been very popular this spring. This last winter. the Y. w. has had i it's own basketball team and has played games with the Bridgeport and Hartford Y. w. C. A., also the i West Hartford High school. 1 In order to l." , the girls in the various activities get better acquaint. ed and feel more interest in the ". w." there is sports club. composed of the girls in the life saving club. the tennis girls and the basketball girls. This club plans an active program for next year with campfire suppers during September and winter sports later.
 The present Ahysical director, Miss Gertrude Fossett, has been at the Y. w. C. A. for about six years. Before coming to New Britain, she was physical director for three years in the Y. w. c. A., Lewiston. Maine. Miss Fossett t"ught two years in pu' lie schools in New York state and in 8 private school in New Jersey She is a graduate of the Boston school of physical education, Boston. Mass.
 Among the new activities of the ". W.. was a weekly play hour, for little girls, Aarted Wednesday of this week. The play hour is un- T ho oF ,,+, heads. The first day brought out GA girls. More than 100 are expect ed next Wednesday afternoon.
 The association is planning to use it's large lawn and gym next sum- mer for playground purposes for younger girls. It is likely the muni- cipal recreation commission will be asked to supply a part time swim ming instructor next summer for the playground group.
 At the Y. M. c. A., while the number of men and boys who have been taught to swim during the past seven years, since Joseph Herg- strom, physical director has been in charge, & larger percentage have become Red Cross life savers. In the period mentioned the "Y" has taught 470 men and boys to swim, of which 32O have been given life saving instruction. Of these a total of e6 have become full fledged life savers. This makes 2,520 who have been taught swimming and 14o who have become life savers.
 Of the 96 Y. NJ. c. A. boys who have become life savers, 10 or 15 have had the opportunity of rescu- ing people from drowning. Chief among these is William Tancred, a former assistant physical director who has a record of saving at least 10 lives as well as having won a large number of medals in swim ming contests.
 The total number of people who have used the Y. NJ. C. A. during the past seven years is placed at 311.800. In the same period 5,5S6 physical training sessions were held for men and boys.
 From the leaders physical train ing corps four members entered the Springfield training college, one New Haven school of gymnastic and physical training and four now are physical directors in Y. M. c. As.
 Many State Championships
 The local association has, through it's athletic teams, won several state championships. winning the state singles hand ball championship in 1925, 1928, 1927, the state hand ball doubles in 1926, the state gymnastic title 1924, for tumbling. horse. par allel bars and high horizontal bar work, the state wrestling title in 1926. and tied for first honors this year.
 This year the local Y. NJ. c. A. team captured the state basketball championship and competed in the national and international tourna- ment at Buffalo. A,
 Tn track the local "Y" team has won second place twice in the state tournament in 1926 and 1927. This year only six points separate the