Evening star., 1928-04-04
BALLOU |NDORSES
SWIMMING DRIVE
Lessons at "Y" Open Next
Monday for Boys Between
Years of 10 and 18.

School authorities have Joined with
police and municipal officials in sup
porting the Learn to Swim" drive 20
begin next Monday under auspices OF
The Star and the Boys Department of
the Y NJ. c. A.
DR.. Frank w Ballou. superintendent
of schools, today voiced high praise of
the campaign in an official statement.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton is doing a good thing in teaching
bows how to swim" DR.. Ballou said, "and
It is deserving Of the cooperation which
The Star is giving 1t, as well as every
other support which might aid In the
promotion OF the project. This move
has my hearty Endorsement. -,
DR.. Ballou is thoroughly familiar with
the annual Learn to Swim" drive. nav
ing actively assisted in inSuring Its sue
cess during past years. Last year hum
dreds OF application cards were dis
tributed to public school children
through the courtesy OF school ofnclals:
and more than 300 boys responded. or
this number 235 passed the required
tests and were awarded Red Cross be-
2inneTS DuLtUliS III tOACiA va eAANA ~~NA>S
to swim at least SO feet.
Between 10 and Is.
In order to give the widest distriou-
ton possible this year, in and out OF
the school system. The Star has lent
its cooperation TO the extent OF pub
fishing the application blanks daily Tor
the week preceding the course. Any
white boy between the ages OF 10 ana
Is years residing in the District OF Co
lumbia or nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia Is eligible TO take the course, free
Of all charge. providing he does not
now know how to swim. This CAM
paign is not for boys who already can
swim as much as so feet, but for those
who cant swim stroke"
The Star and the Y. M. c. A. believe
that boys inability to swim consti-
tutes a serious potential hazard that
should be corrected at the earliest pos
sIble moment. Summer Is almost here
with its call to the cool waters which
beckon to Sweltering victims OF the
heat. Despite the warnings of parents
and officials. boys forget their own in
capacities and swim In unsupervtSed
places. where no one can help them II
they get into trouble.
Way save u LIe
Ability to swim SO feet In such emer-
gencies often would mean the saving OF
a life, or of several lives. The boy thus
fitted not only Is able TO take care of
himself in the water. but is better able
to render assistance to comrades in dis
tress. BY learning to swim boy tends
to make of himself an asset instead OF
liability in times of emergency
Swimming is one of the most health
full of sports. tending TO make strong.
well-developed bodies out Of thin,
Scrawny ones. 1t is an invaluable exer-
ciser for the chest and lungs. as well.
Approximately rs boys already have
enrolled for the course. and each mail
to the boys department Of the Y. M.
G. A. contains large patches OF addition
al applications, 1t was disclosed today
by william w. Wilson. boys physical
director in charge Of arrangements for
the classes.
Leland w. Chandler. associate boys
physical director. who will give the
actual instruction In the boys pool at
1892 @ street. has organized a corps OF
assistants TO help him in managing the
classes. The lifesavers' patrol of the
bows department will aid in this work.
Director Wilson today stressed the
advisability OF mailing In the appliea-
ton coupons early, so that the schedule
OF classes may be mapped out without
delay