JOTTINGS. —Affirmative.—

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 73

JOTTINGS. —Affirmative. —

— I once heard a minister give the following definition of religion:—"Rshgion is nothing more nor le^s tuan a habit, which, if not practised in our youthful days, very seldom averts itself later iv life." And is this not the,case wiih swimming?—(Seobie.) —If we dS not get the chaneft to learn to swim in our young days, there is very se'dom a desire to learn as we grow older.—(Seobie.) — Besides, ths thought of taking part m something outside of the usual routine work ■will urge children to work harder of their own accord; this will not be the effect as they grow older.—(Seobie.) — How few victims by drowning would the death roil account for if every child passing through our schools were made to undergo a course in swimming, the same as he or she does iv reading, writing, etc.—(Seobie.) — Swimming classes would be a good substitute for cookery classes.—(Ned.) — "What exercise is there more refreshing, more invigorating, and bettor for one's health than swimming?—(Awkward Ned). — Many of the schools in Christchurch have a bath attached To them,—(Ned.) — After the holidays were over the pupils •who had been taught swimming asked if the classes would re-commence. There was no grumbling when the answer was in the affirmative. They were not only willing, but really anxious for the classes to be taken on again. —(Awkward Ned.)

— I may mention that Seobie gained the Junior Championship of Otago for swimming * couple of years back.— (Awkward Ned.) —In this enlightened age of the present century the world's first consideration is the preservation of human life, and the means and motives whereby accidents may be reduced in number. — (Cornish.) — In fact, it was ths mual remark of the beys^ after a dip, '"Just dug up, as good as new," showing their appreciation of an immersion. — (Cornish.)

— It is my firm belief that both the aa-t of swimming and resuscitation should be a3 familiar to us as A B C when entering on the stem battle of life. — (Cornish.) — Ons life is worth rnuiiy arduous practices — (Cornish ) — Our physical education is not complete if we are not able to swim, a.nd what time is more suited for learning than during cur school days? — (Aroha.) —It is very absurd to live a.ll the days of our life at the mercy of an element by which •we axe completely and wholly surrounded. — (Aroha.) —To say that in shipwreck persons have no better chance of saving their lives if they can swim is about as rational as to say that in a ballcoa accident they would have no better clxance of saving their lives if they could fly. — (Aroha.) — Every boy, as well as every girl, should learn to swim, as he never knows when hs ■will be in circumstances that his own or another's life may depend upon his being a good swimmer. — (C. C. M.) — Swimming is Tecommended by doctors as being: baaeficial to the health, snd that which improves our health ousht to be freely taken advantage of. — "(C. C M.) — Negative. — — One has only to see exposed harbours like Wellington Harbour, for instance, to be able to appreciate the gisissiness of our harbour. — (Harry.) — A "very gallant rescue in some fantas-tically-named harbour might win for you a beaming bride, such as always takes place in those novelettes 15 for Is; but in actual life it is more likely to win for you a very bad cold — nothing eke. — (Harry.) —Tf a chap wishes to learn swimming, let him wait till his working days arrive, and if he is an early bird he can take a brisk morning's walk to tho baths a^d return before breakfast time. — (Harry.) '— I will leave you to picture tc yourselves ■the txaminaiion 1 the stout old professor — no, I mean inspector — standing beside the St. Clair baths watching the comic antics of his pupils. The pupils probably would not care a button, foi what would that old fossil on the bank likely know about.* swimming? — IHarry.) — After all is st^H. and done, swimming is only a hobby, a recreation, a, physical exercise, so that there ought not to be the same urgent necessity of making it a compulsory subject as in the case of English, arithmetic, etc., by means of which we have to earn our daily bread, with perhaps a little butter to spread on top. — (Han?.) — Why should the pupils have to practise swimming under the supervision of the teachers, when there are public bathing places in nearly every city in the colony for the school children to patrooiise after school hours and eaijoy themselves to their hearts' content?— (Go Hon.)

—It very often happens that when the persons who can swim are wanted for a rescue they are not to be found. — (Gc Hon.)

— Fancy a teacher having to take a crowd of children down to Morgan's or to St. Clair end superintend their swimming! Teachers have quite enough to do already. — (Areta.)

-—The children would soon get tired. 01 itheir swimming lessons, and say, "Oh, bother that swimming!" And if their mothers want iheni to go on a, message — that is, if the Bwimming lessons were not carried an in school hours — they would probably make the excuse, "Can't go; I've got to go to swimpiing." — (Areta.) — Swimming lessons are all very well in.

town schools, where the children are near the bat'is, but I sm afraid it would not answer in many country .schools. — (Anthea.) On dit- — — That Awkward Ned informed us that he had been nearly di owned three times. Evidently he is more reckless on the water than he is on his road-racer. "Why this thusnees'/ as T. 1. C. queries. — That a certain prominent member acknowledges his indebtedness to Qur.go for hi:> correctious. I aa glad my notes can be usaful as weil as entertaining. — That Tomahawk's favourite expression for inquiring the time is, "How's the eueiny '"' Harry usually asks Go Hon in French, '"'Quetie heure est-il?" and tho ethers tpke it to be some cabalistic message of Quago. — That Ned went rather beyond bounds when he declared that no one ought to rapeik on tho debate last evening unless he or she knew how to swim. Stick to the debate, my ic.nirade! You corrected Seobie at last dpbate over practically what I am correcting you now (vide last debate notes) — That T. D. A., in an impromptu speech the other evening, took the two sides in a debate in default of any other volunteers. "Trust a girl for speaking," cynically observed the "'original" member. — That we wish to know why the prolonged applausa when Ned .sensationally remarked, "I have been nearly drowned three limes." Will members plcr.se enlighten? --That "C.-B." in the Old Country stands for Campball-Banneiman, the great statesman, and in the club for Cherry Blossom. QUACO.