LIFE-SAVING TRAINING

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1932, Page 14

LIFE-SAVING TRAINING

GROWTH AT THE SCHOOL COMPETITION SUCCESS The better swimmers of the school began to interest themselves in life--savino- in 1913, and during the first term S Mr. Lints trained a squad of boys for the Bronze Medallion test, all nine boys qualifying for the medallion. Regular classes in swimming and'life-, saving were held during the first term* of the year 1916, with the result that the standard of swimming noticeably proved. A large number of boys competed for the certificates awarded by the New Zealand Amateur swimming Association, one boy gaining the teach-- ~ er’s and honorary instructor’s certificate, nine the bronze medallion, 19 the certificate of merit, six the certificate of proficiency, and four the elementary certificate.

By the end of the following year life-saving instruction had become a re-, cognised feature of the school activities, A long distance swimming championship , held during the year was won by C. McKay, who swam three miles 446 yards. The school entered teams next year, in the life-saving competitions of the North Taranaki Head Centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society, and .filled second and third places to the girls’, team from Chetwodb School. Failure to win first place was attributed to oyer: eagerness. J '/. • ’ - ’’

With the arrival of Mr. F. J. Eggle-, ton life-saving classes were constantly . held in 1922, and at the end of the year school had gained two honorary ?• instructor’s certificates, one teacher’s certificate, two bronze medallions, ten proficiency and 18 elementary certificates, while 40 boys gained long distance swimming certificates. There was a noticeable progress .in swimming and life-saving in the following year. Six boys gained honorary instructor’s certificates, seven ' gained teacher’s certificates, 33 gained bronze medallions, 92 were granted certificates’ of merit, 104 were awarded certificates of proficiency and 184 gained elementary certificates. In addition -to this . three boys were appointed examiners to ; the North Taranaki Head Centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society, ahd H. Hawkins won the Flannagan Cup competition for long distance swimming. , The Grey Challenge Cup was won by the school A team in 1924 in a contest with five other teams. The : successful team was H. Hawkins, P. Sladden, W. Penman and T. Revell. In the same year school swimmers filled second; third and fifth places in the Flannagan Cup long distance race. •• : The full school life left no time for life-saving classes in 1926 and 1927, but next year a large class was formed and two boys gained honorary instructor’s certificates, 33 gained bronze medallions, 31 gained proficiency certificates and 35 elementary certificates. During the. year 150 swimming certificates were gained, the distances ranging from’ 50 yards to five miles. The school distance record of 4J miles was broken by K. Staunton, who swam five miles. In the Taranaki championships Staunton came second-, in the 440 yards intermediate championship and also won the Flannagan Cup open race of two .miles.

Notable success attended the life- a . saving work at the school in the year 1930. Altogether about 150 boys receiving instruction, in life-saving were successful in passing the tests. Ten qualified for the award of merit, the second highest of life-saving awards'. Sixteen surf medallions, the first obtained at the school, were awarded, the conditions requiring a 400 yards swim through the surf. Four honorary instructor’s awards, 33 bronze medallions, 43 proficiency and 43 elementary certificates made up the total of awards. In the Taranaki Junior Pennant Competition of the Taranaki Centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society school entered two teams, the A team winning the competition and the B team coming sixth. The winning team was: L. G. Maunder, J. Elmes. This year a high school boy, Millar, won the Flannagan Cup swim, and also gained the high honour of fastest time for the race. The successes in swimming and lifesaving have been very , largely due to the interest an*d careful organisation of Mr. F. J. Eggleton.