COMMUNITY EFFORT

Evening Star, Issue 22805, 13 November 1937, Page 11

COMMUNITY EFFORT

) :— 4- | “LEARN TO SWIM WEEK" BEGINS ON MONDAY , - - ■ I •. ), It Las been said that recreation is ) concerned with the art of living well, I and although most of our time and ) effort is spent in earning or in qualifying for earning a living, it is true that 1 man works only to live and lives not only to work. _ . In an article on ‘ National Fitness in an English paper recently, a writer had some very interesting remarks on the meaning of recreation: “ All the toil, the sweat, and the struggle are no doubt necessary to gain a sufficiency ot the goods of the world. But indispensable though these goods are they are not the end of human endeavour. The end is a life of health, of joy, of culture, and refinement, and of service to others. Recreation, properly understood, is on one side the art of living well, and on the other a study of the methods by which a man can Jive well. Thus understood, recreation is no redundant appendix to the life of work; it is the real aim and object of that life.” How true are these remarks when applied to swimming. No sport is more peculiarly adapted for health-giving purposes, especially in regard to men, women, boys, and girls, who lead normal and more or less inactive lives. With the increased amount of leisure now available to the community, more and more people make for the beaches over the week-ends, and this, of course, is to lie encouraged. _ Most of these holidaymakers find their way into the water, but unfortunately a big proportion are unable to swim, or if they can swim many of them do not swim well. It is an accepted fact that many of the largo number of drowing fatalities that are recorded in a year in New Zealand would not take place if the victims had only learnt to swim when the opportunity came their way. How

often, too, have' non-swimmers endan-" gered-the lives of would-be rescuers? , There are then several aspects: to belooked at when the utilitarian value of, swimming is stressed. It is an aid to health and physical ■ fitness,- and as such should be taken up-by all who would lead normal, happy lives. On the other hand, it should be looked upon as a necessity for every normal persbn, physically able, to Jearhlo. swim as .a means or safeguarding life- should the emergency ever occur. For the youth of the community competitive swimming has a' big appeal, but there is ,no section which cannot learn to,swim and to swim reasonably well. Many lack the necessary confidence to make the first plunge, arid it is for such as these primarily that the Otago Swimming Centre many years, ago introduced its annual “ Learn to Swim Week.” The movement has grown. This year, for the first time,-a. National “Learn to Swim Week” has been introduced by the National Committee of Swimming and Life' Saving, Wellington, of which , the secretary, Mr N. A. Ingram, has done exceptional work. His organisation has greatly assisted the centres in carrying on the work,and while Dunedin’s campaign is a little earlier-than is the case in some of the northern centres it is all part of the. New Zealand effort. The co-operation of the City Council has always > been forthcoming in Dunedin. Grants have been made to cover expenses, and this year the most for-' ward move to' date has taken place. The City Council is granting free admission to 'the Baths during the week to learners who also receive the benefit of free instruction from the 60 instructors who have voluntarily undertaken the work during the week. These instructors are coming ; from the ranks of the local clubs where they have had valuable experience in the tuition of youthful learners, and others, and steps are being taken by the centre and the Baths staff to ensure that the control of the crowds leaves nothing to be desired.' Only those with tickets, specially issued by the Otago Centre, will' be given the benefit of the free admission, and these will be issued to the learners after the classes have been formed on Monday,.

..The firstaession willbe held on Mona ‘day morning, and* there will be. classes • lathe early-morning- daily,. Lunch-hour, sessions, from 12 to 1.30,, should prova very popular with business people, and there will be'ladies’ classes every after* noon from 1.30 to 3. An-after-work class will be held from 4.30 to 6, and the main session will be in the evening from .7 to, 8.30. The effort will be continued from Monday until Saturday. Every branch of swimming instruction will be : carried and coaches will- be available; for tuition ■ in breasfi stroke, 1 crawl, and back-stroke, and there will be classes every night for those'who wish to acquire the, art ofl. diving. Life-saving, classes and instruction in resuscitation will also be held.i .The campaign will be officially -Opened . by the mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox)at 7.4$ on Monday evening.