Year: 1860

THE SWIMMING SCHOOL AT PARis.


As many parents arc wishing to know how
girls can be taught to use their limbs in the
water, it may be interesting to them to hear
how tho art is taught ut Paris. Tho water
is that of the Seine. This is the least agree
able circumstance in tho case, as tho water
Of tho Seine IN quito rs uniragrant in tile
summer months as that Of the Thames
Whether it is purified on entering the baths,
do not know. Let us hope that it is
The bath is moorcd in the river, and the
space occupied by water is 100 feet in length !,
u course long enough to afford room for all
the exercises connected with swimming. "A
wooden platform, three or four feet under
water, reaches to about the middle OF the
width OF the bath and this is for tho use OF
children, and mere bathcrs who do not swim.
The other half is of u considerable depth in
the middle, admitting ofpractice in genuine
diving. The dress is excellent for tho pur-
pose. II is made f light woollen fabric,
which does not absorb much water. Tho
trowsers are loose, and fastened at the ankles.
The upper dress, also loose, extends to the
knee, and is belted round the waist, and
closed at the neck.


II is Just rs decent dress us English ladies
used to wear when Bath was called The
Bath" and when wiggcd gentlemen and
powdered ladies used to wade about in full
Trim, and chat in the water. The first stop
in the process of teaching is to make the pu-
pills understand how to keep ON the surface
people know that to spread out the limbs is
to float. and to double ones self up is to sink;
but it is not every body who knows that the
quickest way of going to the bottom is to
raise the arms above the head. This is pre-
cisely what women do when they fall out Of
a boat, or find themselves overheard in ship
wreck. Up go their arms in their terror I;
and down thcy 70 to the bottom like shot.
This il the action used by divers, who want
20 reach that point by the shortest way
From the ceilings of the Paris bath hangs u
ropc, which travels along on sort Of crane.
Where this rope touches the water n broad
belt is attached to it. The belt is fastened
easily about the pupils waist, supporting her
in the water, and leaving her at liberty to
learn the action Of the limbs in swimming
She is made perfect in these, and must then
try her powers without support. To render
her safe and preclude fear, the instructor :,
(who is master and not u mistrers.) walks
along the edge, just before her, holding n
pole within her reach, which she can grasp
in an instant, If fatigued or alarmed. 1t
does not follow that VIC must have swimming
masters masters here.


The art is taught all along tho rivers of
Germany, and invariably by women in the
women's baths. In that case tho drcss is
less elaborate and there rs more freedom and
simplicity in the practice. 1t Isl rcnarka-
bic sight when the master II followed by ten
or twelve pupils, his pole reminding one OF
the magnet which brings swans or fishes to
the bread in the basin OF water, in the old
fashioned toy which astonishes children.
The second pupil has a hand on the shouul-
der of the first, and swims with the other
three limbs the third on tho shoulder OF the
second, and no on, looking like shoal OF
mcrmaids. When 10 thoroughly ut ease as
TO amuse themselves for long time in tho
water, the ladies sometimes get hungry; and
then Is seen another remarkable sight, not