The Sauk Centre herald., 1929-07-18
KIDDIES RECEIVE
VALUABLE TRAINING.
M. S. Clark, Swimming In
structOr, Gives 500 Free
Lessons at Fairy Lake
AM. LEGION SPONSORS
Taught How to Break Holds
of DrOwning-PrOper Re-
suscitatiOn Methods

Nj. S. Clark, of Minneapolis, to
the great regret of the hundreds
of youngsters and some adults,
closed his engagement as swim
ming instructor at Fairy Lake Sat
urday evening.
The gentleman has acted as life
saving guard and general swim
ming instructor at several OF the
Minneapolis beaches. He took ad-
vance swimming and coaching les
sons from Neils Thorpe, swimming
instructor at the University OF
Minnesota, and of VIM. Backrake,
instructor of the Chicago A. c. For
a time Mr.. Clark served as swim
ming coach for the mems and
women's university at Mitchell, S.
D. He is also member of the
American Red Cross Life Saving
Corps.
During the week spent at Fairy
Lake Mr.. Clark gave about 500
free lessons. Only a very small
proportion being adults, and most
of these were women.
In an interview with the Herald
editor Monday Mr.. Clark said the
results with the kiddies was high
ly satisfactory.
It is nightly interesting to watch
this expert deal with the little
tots. He first works carefully to
get their confidence, and he sue
ceedS in every instance.
Robert Swift Post, American Le-
gion of this city, who sponsored Mr..
Clark's Sauk Centre engagement,
the shore of the .a],e and about
dozen kiddies spcnt the entire
week. with the instructor, having
the happiest and Lealthiest week
Of their lives.
In discussing the methods of
instruction Mr.. Clark said that 60
per cent of swimming was conf
dence, 80 per cent relaxation and
only 10 per cent instruction.
In the fall the gentleman will
leave for a round tho world trip
which will tage about eight
months. He will be one Of the in
structors of "tGoaiiHg Univer-
sity." Forty or mere countries will
be visited and he will have an op-
portunity to study swimming meth
DDS in the old world countries.
Fifteen minutes before the stu
dents enter the water Mr.. Clark
devotes to a lecture preparing them
for emergencies; how to break the
strangle holds of the drowning and
the proper method of towing them
to safety. The gentlemen says
swimming is the cleanest sport in
the world as it is the only one
from which one can come clean.
The "old Swimmin' hole" has a
great urge for the youth of the
land. Every child can be taught
to swim and should be; it is very
simple matter once confidence is
gained.
The question of resuscitation of
those who have been in the bottom
of lake or river for a limited
length of time was discussed with
Mr.. Clark. He stated to the Her
aid that if the victim had a norm
al heart he could be brought
back" if intelligent treatment was
applied within a comparatively
short time. Bodies in the water
for % minutes have been recusi-
tated.
The Herald publishes herewith
three illustrations showing the
proper method to be used in re-
cusitation work. These cuts were
used in the Herald two years ago.
Mr.. Clark says the positions of the
body are quite correct except that
the thumbs should be placed par
allel with the body instead of the
position shown in illustration No. 2.
The Parallel position gives more
leverage to the palm of the hands.
The first thing to be done when
a body is removed from the water
is to prop the mouth open and
see that it is thoroughly cleaned
and that the tongue has not fallen
back in the throat. If this condi-
ton exists it should be pulled out.
The United States Public Health
Service, the Bureau of Mines, the
Bureau of Standards, as well as
the Bureau of Medicine and Sur
gerry of the Navy Department and
the office of the Surgeon General
of the War Department have Of
ficially approved the prone pres
sure method of live saving from
drowning, from electric shock, and
other causes. It has also been en-
dorsed by the American Red Cross,
the National Safety Council, the
National Electric Light Associa-
ton, the Bethlehem Steel Co., the
American Gas Association, and the
American Telegraph and Telephone
Co. AS the outdoor season ap-
proaches, with it's inevitale toll of
bathing fatalities and near-fatali-
ties, it does not seem amiss and re-
creation officials, members of ath-
letic and swimming clubs, and 9TH
ers, should familiarize themselves
with the salient points of this
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