Swimming Lessons - 1953

All this talk of swimming lessons in Massachussetts (sp) has caused me to reflect on the terrors of learning to swim. During long Summer days in the 1950's my Uncle Wiley would pick me up and I would be with he and Douglas while our Mothers worked. Well Douglas had a school teacher at Highland Park Elementary that had a swimming pool built on a lot on Highland Drive between the Villa Theater and 3300 South (East side of street). It's sole purpose was to give swimming lessons. There was the pool, a fence, a changing area and a slab of concrete where we would gather while waiting for the class in front of us to finish. Now that the stage is set now let me add my 8 year old impressions to the summer of horrors.

The teachers name was Mr. Bergerman or something German like that. Douglas had already warned me about how tough he was on kids. Since it was still a little close to the end of World War II the whole scene to me was reminiscent to concentration camps and gas chambers. We waited outside the fence with only our towels, then we proceeded in line through the gates to the concrete pad where there was this 14 year old Nazi who was supposed to be giving us warm up exercises but delighted in punching us with one nuckle to see how we would bruise. But the big fear was the water. When it was our groups turn we were marched from behind the screen to see the water. All this thing needed to be a burning caldron was heat. We were petrified!

We had to dive into the pool, one at a time, and, keeping our heads down and our arms straight kick to the far side of the pool. It was probably no more than 12 feet and the dive/belly flop took us 6-8 feet but to my terror stricken mind I was sure we were traversing Jordanelle Reserovoir on one breath. The only thing that made me do it was the family motto "It is better to die than to look bad".

Then the big test was learning to breath, use your arms and coordinate with your feet. I did pretty well after I figured out that chewing gum while coordinating the above was above my skill level. Douglas, although 3 months younger, was always more athletic and did fine except that he always had to have nose plugs and wouldn't open his eyes.

The final test was swimming the length of the pool, probably 30 feet, in a straight line, taking at least 5 breaths and using your arms and legs to propel you. Wow that was alot to remember and the worst part was everyone else was watching, the parents, my fellow swimmers, Mr. Bergerman and the Nazi. I knew I had to make it because there was no way I was comming back next year.

My next adventure with swimming was Granite High. Added to the above they made you do it all naked. Yes that's right absolutely bare. For roll call we would all stand against the inside wall of the pool with the coach on the far side. He could not see the prismatic glass window above him or the staircase leading to the girls gym. But we could see the form of the girls standing in line for their turn to peak through the wire mesh that had been punched out by the pencils of these feminine peeping toms. We, in the 1960's were all very complacent toward what the Granite School District could insist you do so we went along.