Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-01
$50 BOYS ENROLL
FOR SWIM COURSE
Classes Get First Instruction
Under Star Auspices at
..y. 4. ''Y" Today. !. :. Il.

The intensive course OF free swimming
lessons offered to Washington boys by
the Y. M. c. A. under auspices Of The
Star opened this morning in the pool
Of the boys department Of the institu-
ton, 1872 G street, with a series of
splashes mingled with squeals Of de-
light as one large class after another
took to the water.
The enrolment had mounted to I'M
anticipated numbers this morning,
forcing James c. Ingram to arrange
for additions. classes and extra SWIM
ming coaches. with line Of late appli-
cantS still waiting at his desk to regis
ter. The number Of boys between the
ages Of 10 and Is who had enrolled this
morning was computed at $50. Mr.
Ingram announced then that no more
applicants could be placed in the
classes.
AS it was, classes of maximum size
were litsed for each hour of the day
from 8 am. to 9 pm. These will be
continued through the week, the boys
being given elementary instruction de-
signed to prepare them to become &C
complished swimmers with additional
practice later.
AuStTucUUus
James Carberry, swimming instructor
Of the boys department of the Y. M. c.
A., is in immediate charge of the in
Struction course, special swimming ex-
pertS provided through arrangement of
Commodore Wilbur T. Loiigiellow of the
Red Cross being assigned to various
classes TO give the boys individual and
group instruction in the essentials of
the aquatic sport.
The special instructors include George
Palmer. c. W. Wannan, Vincent Gomez,
Capt. Gus Braun, r. H. Mitchell, J. J.
Hengstler. Mars DeGast, Melville Leech,
Robert Morgan and Robert Burns.
The first days lesson was devoted to
They were taught that swimming is
done lin the water" rather than on the
water. and were put through exercises
CT holding their breath while under
water, to disped fears they might have
had Of being underwater To-
morrow's LESSONS will be designed
to teach the boys to float face
down in the water while making wind
mill strokes with the arms and holding
their breath. Later the "f1Iitter" leg
stroke will be added and the boys taught
how TO raise the head for needed BREATH
ing during swimming. 1t is hoped the
MAJORITY OF TIE Glasses Will learn 10
swim from IS to so feet by the end of
the week.
While there was much fun attached
to the initial lessons today, the instruc-
tors keep the boys more or less strictly
to business as they were put through
the exercises. The groups in the classes
were restricted to the shallow end Of the
pool. while one or more guards kept
watchful eyes on all to see that none Of
the youngsters became frightened and
tried to drink the pool dry"
Buttons to Be Awarded.
The boys, however. non-swimmers as
they are. took to the water in real
American boy fashion and had glori-
Gus splash while going through the sys-
tematic course of exercises.
The learn o-swim' campaign Of the
Y. NJ. C. A. and The Star Is being
staged as means of minimizing the
number Of water accidents in Greater
Washington which each year takes a
toll of lives here.
Red Cross beginners buttons will be
awarded to all those who are able to
swim so feet by the end of the week