OCR Text |
Show THE DROWNING ACCIDENTS Ono of the most pathetic aspects of tho summer season Is tho great number of drowning accidents that fill tho papers as soon as warm water Is found In r vers, lakes and ocean. Tho pross-of tho country Is nnnunlly full of protest against tho execssos of football, In which a scoro or two of students havo commonly lost their lives. Thoro aro thousnnds on thousands thous-ands of drowning nccldonts ovory year which oxclto comparatively Uttlo attontlon. Unfortunately teaching children to swim does not assure safety. Many young people, tho moraont thoy attain at-tain confidence, nro ambltjous for long d'stanco records. Thoy aro not satisfied to remain near shore, mingling ming-ling with tholr mates in gentle feats of diving nnd swimming under water. Thoy must try long distances where few of their comrades can follow them and where an attack of cramp may send them quickly to tho bottom. Supervision of swimmers by life guards Is not always a complete pro-, tectlou. If a hundred swimmers aro bobh'ng around in the wnter it Is easy for ono to disappear without attracting attract-ing any notice Probably tho majority of accidents occur where young boys go in bathing bath-ing without supHrvIslon whlto they are learning to swim. Tho fearsome mother who would not lot her daugh- ter go Into tho water until sho learn-. learn-. cd how to swim has always been held I up to rldlculo. Thero is a general feeling that young peoplo havo to tako tho r chances, and so thoy aro turned loose In tho nearest water holo. It Is a matter of slight expense whorover there is a swimming placo, to provide somo athletic young fellow as an Instructor. To bo suro thero Is tho boy who always runs away to tho bole In defiance of his parents, detected only by tho guilty sign of his wet nnd dripping hair. Still, If ho was told that under a swlmm'ng instructor ho would learn this manly art In a moro correct and scientific way, tho Idea ought to appeal to tho boy mind , |