VALUE OF SWIMMING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20894, 25 November 1937, Page 8

VALUE OF SWIMMING

ACTIVITIES AT BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL A hope that by the end of the present year every boy in the school would be able to swim, was expressed by the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Timaru High Schools (Mr H. H. Fraser), at last night’s meeting. There was more enthusiasm generally throughout the Dominion in the “Learn to Swim Week,” and in his opinion record figures would be established this year. The rector (Mr A. G. Tait) reported that an intensive campaign was commenced this term to ascertain the number of boys who could swim reasonably well and also those who could not swim sufficiently or were not adequately familiar with swimming to ensure their being capable of looking after themselves if in difficulties in the water. Every boy in the school was required to swim at least the

length of the school baths, and those who were not capable of swimming this distance—2s yards—had been taken in hand by the staff and are now being taught how to swim. At the same time certificates were to be issued for various distances the average swimmer could make it his goal to swim, so that encouragement to improve their familiarity with the water could go hand in hand with their knowledge of what to do if any of them should at any time get into difficulties. Coincident with the operation of this scheme a notice appeared in the Education Gazette with a suggestion of a “Learn to Swim” week, sponsored by the National Committee of Swimming

and Life-Saving, continued Mr Tait. Thus the School, realising the great necessity that all its pupils should know how to take care of themselves when bathing during the holidays and at other times, anticipated the recommendation from the Education Department. The school also intended to inaugurate classes in Life Saving and this should act as a still farther incentive to the boys. The teachers in the Preparatory School were also making adequate steps to teach the younger boys how to swim and the swimming classes held in the afternoons under direct supervision are very popular