Swimming Scientifically Taught | Page 2

The Dolphin Dive 101 The Australian Splash 102 The Neck Dive 104 Swimming Like a Dog 106 Correct Position for Long Plunge in Water 108 Swimming Backward on Chest 110 The Washing Tub 112 The Propeller 113 The Torpedo 115 The Catherine Wheel 117 Rolling 119 Swimming Like a Porpoise 122 The Pendulum 125 Forward Somersault 127 Double Somersault 130 One Leg Out of Water 131 Over and Under 137 Monte Cristo Sack Trick 142 Water Polo 161 Water Polo--Diagram 177 The Best Method of Saving Life 184 Sylvester's Method--Figure 1 191 Sylvester's Method--Figure 2 192 Sylvester's Method--Figure 3 193 Tail-piece 195



PART I
INTRODUCTION
THE IMPORTANCE OF SWIMMING
That all persons ought to know how to safeguard themselves when in deep water is becoming more and more recognized as time passes. While swimming is probably the oldest pastime known to man, and has had, and still has, its votaries in every country, civilized or uncivilized, it is curious that this most useful science should have been so much neglected.
For an adult person to be unable to swim points to something like criminal negligence; every man, woman and child should learn. A person who can not swim may not only become a danger to himself, but to some one, and perhaps to several, of his fellow beings. Children as early as the age of four may acquire the art; none are too young, none too old. Doctors recommend swimming as the best all-around exercise. It is especially beneficial to nervous people. Swimming reduces corpulency, improves the figure, expands the lungs, improves the circulation of the blood, builds up general health, increases vitality, gives self-confidence in case of danger, and exercises all the muscles in the body at one time. As an aid to development of the muscular system, it excels other sports. Every muscle is brought into play.
In other important ways it is a useful, and even a necessary accomplishment; no one knows when he may be called upon for a practical test of its merits. The Slocum steamboat catastrophe in the East River, New York, several years ago, gave a melancholy example of what better knowledge of swimming might have done to save the lives of passengers. That awful tragedy, which plunged an entire city into mourning, was too appalling to have its details revived here, but, regardless of the fact that the life-preservers on board were found unfit for use, the loss of life would have been made much smaller had the unfortunate passengers known how to keep their heads above water until help arrived. Millions of people are transported yearly by river craft, and just for lack of knowledge of how to swim a repetition of the Slocum disaster might occur any summer.
Only about 20 per cent. of the entire population of the United States know how to swim. A visit to any of the beaches along the Atlantic coast will convince any one of this fact. There is no excuse for this ignorance, especially in a city like New York, with miles of water front and fine beaches at its very door; nor is there excuse in other places where an ocean, lakes and rivers afford opportunities for swimming.
Swimming is a tonic alike for muscle and brain. The smallest child and the weakest woman can enjoy it equally with the strongest man. When slaves of the desk and counting-house are looking forward for an all too brief vacation and seek the mountains or seashore to store up energy for another year's work, they should know how to swim. Poor, indeed, is the region which can not boast of a piece of water in which to take an invigorating plunge.
The importance of being able to swim was very generally recognized in ancient times, notably by the Romans. Roman youth, as early as the Republican era, when trained to bear arms, were made to include in their exercises bathing and swimming in the Tiber, where competitions were frequent. Cassius in his youth became renowned as a swimmer. Shakespeare, in a familiar passage, describes a race between him and Julius C?sar, Cassius being made the speaker:
"I was born free as C?sar; so were you: We both have fed as well, and we can both Endure the winter's cold as well as he. For once, upon a raw and gusty day, The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores, C?sar said to me, 'Dar'st thou, Cassius, now, Leap in with me into this angry flood And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word, Accoutred as I was, I plunged in, And bade him follow; so, indeed he did. The torrent roared; and we did buffet it With lusty sinews; throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy; But ere we could arrive the point propos'd, C?sar cried, 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink.'