It was Summer, 1959 ...
..... my mother and Mrs. Lamb signed their daughters up for lessons at the high school's pool. I can still visualize the tired red kickboards, the acrid smell of chlorine. Four weeks later, in order to graduate, we had to jump off the lower diving board and swim to the side. Nervous. I remember looking up to the observation balcony (pictured upper left) to see my mother nodding. "Yes, you can do it." And I did!
A few summers later, my best friend and I'd walk there for fun swims. A dime allowed us one hour's pool time! And if we were really really lucky, a certain upperclassman would be manning the desk. Handing me a wire basket for my clothes, he'd smile his movie-star smile and I'd feel my knees grow rubbery.
This is also the place I was sure I'd drown. Something to do with a Girl Scout merit badge. Fully clothed -- shoes, too -- we had to jump in the deep end (10 feet!), disrobe and tread water for 30 minutes ... no touching the sides or one another. No-one was more surprised than me when I did it!
My senior year the pool stopped being fun. In what can only be described as the Cruelest Twist of Fate in the history of ever, I was assigned "1st period: Swimming."
Remember, this was 1968. Swim caps were still a thing. Hand-held hair dryers hadn't been invented. The creepy hallway to the girl's locker room seemed to get creepier with every step. Then, an announcement: Senior pictures would be taken the following week. Could it get any worse?
For the life of me, I can't recall if I asked to be excused ... or simply dog-paddled my way through class, desperate to keep my head above water.
I took lessons at a local camp. It was through the Red Cross and we had to do the same thing as you to pass at the end. My mom just recently found and gave me the patch I earned for doing it. What I remember is that it was an outside pool, in the mountains (so it was COLD) and the class was at the dreadful time of 6:30 in the morning! Who does that? Who plans classes that early in the summer? Oh, and we had to wait every single time while the instructor fished frogs, toads, and snakes out of the water. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteOh, yuck! Pretty sure I'd have said "No thank you" to the patch.
DeleteIt is good to reminisce every now and then, Mevely. I hated swimming lessons. We had to go by school bus every week to the local swimming pool.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
One of my classmates posted this picture on our hometown FB page -- resulting in several people sharing their own memories.
DeleteWhat mostly great memories and I love the photo! I don't remember learning to swim but my mother used to swear I could swim before I could walk.
ReplyDeleteThat's the best time to learn! My g'daughter's all grown now, but I still remember her 7 y/o blood-curdling screams.
DeleteThanks for sharing these memories - I always enjoy hearing them. Your senior photo is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteI learned to swim when I was six. A neighbor lady taught me and, astonishingly, I caught on quickly. My father was a good swimmer. My Mom never learned to swim. Whenever she got in the water, she'd sink like an anchor.
That's frightening! All I'm able to do (semi-successfully) is the side stroke.
DeleteFun post. My cousin Kenneth taught me to swin. Those were the days.
ReplyDelete... We thought they'd never end. 🙂
DeleteFirst of all, your picture is great! Not sure how you did it with swimming in first period, but you managed somehow! Oh, I remember the Girl Scout thing of swimming with clothes on and taking them off and treading water. Yes, I earned that badge too! And canoeing too...had to swamp the canoe and somehow get it back to shore without drowning. I don't know where the alligators were, but somehow I survived that too. in a Florida lake! We used to have a summer recreation program through our school, and we could go swimming in pools and springs, etc. and someone taught us how to swim I guess because I learned. I don't remember specific lessons. I just always remember enjoying swimming! Thank you for this walk down memory lane. Yes, I remember no blow dryers...had to use juice cans to get my nice smooth flipped hairdo! LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! 😲 on the canoe challenge! I think I'd have been more concerned about the alligators than drowning. (JK)
DeleteMy mom put all of us in swimming lessons (summer, outside pool) because she was so afraid of the water! I got all the way through and qualified as a life guard. Among other trials, we had to dive into 12 feet of water and bring up a 10 pound weight. I did it but couldn't imagine trying to pull a body up like that. Yes... I remember! Everyone needs to at least know how to float and tread water. Important to not be afraid. My mom never got over her fear, but love boating.
ReplyDeleteA TEN POUND weight? I'm seriously impressed! Obviously, life guards do more than sit and look pretty. (*wink*)
DeleteI used to love being in the water. I didn't have lessons until a lot later but had a blast anyway.
ReplyDeleteThat's the way it should be!
DeleteLoved this Myra!! I can't imagine having to disrobe in the pool and then thread water! WTG for achieving that and your swim test :)
ReplyDeleteWorse luck to get swimming first period! Our high school didn't get a swimming pool until 1974 and I graduated 1975 so yours was "ahead of the time?"
My mom signed my brother and me up for swimming lessons through the local public pool. I remember using those kicking boards. I think we only took lessons for a year or two. My mom just wanted to make sure we wouldn't drown lol :) We spent many summer days at the public pool. I remember my mom giving us a quarter each and that took care of our admission, a locker, and a snack! Those were the days!
betty
Thanks, Betty! I think that pool was originally build in 1950 ... ours was/is a government town, so $ flowed freely. Sadly, it's since been demolished and new aquatic center built.
DeleteI was born into this world fearful of water, all water, all boats, canoes anything that floated.
ReplyDeleteMy sons born in 1965 and 1967 learned at age 8 because I was so afraid for them, we could not enjoy feeding ducks in a pond or on the beach. My friend Madeline was a member at a pool owned by the Catholic schoos and I took them there.
My mother and my dad could swim and so did my baby brother. I still can't really swim, but the day we moved in this house in 1989. The Pool is 9 feet deep and only the first 4 feet can a person stand and that is chest deep. the person who built it was a diver, it came with a diving board. Bob said you have to learn to swim because if you are home alone and fall in you have to be able to get yourself out.I could dog paddle but when I knew the water was over my head I would panic and sink.
It took about a week of moving through the water and back, on my back and dog paddling, within touching distance of the wall at all times.
about six weeks after we moved in, I went across the middle of the pool and back several times and was able to float or tread water in the deep part. I looked up to heaven and said Mother can you see me in the deep end? I still do not like water. Bob is a water rat. our pool is not a normal pool. it twice the gallons of a home pool and 18 wide and 30 feet long, it takes up almost our whole back yard. but now unless i knock myself unconscious I could get out if I fell in
I read all 13 of the comments so far and all 14 of you can swim. Daddy tried to teach me but i screamed like a banshee every time he took me in water. I love your photo and in 1968 I had a 4 year old and a 2 year old and my hair was even higher than yours...
Sandra, I had no idea! All this time I presumed you and Bob were both 'water rats.' What you said about asking your mother if she could see you? Tears!
DeleteWhat amazing swimming memories you have, Myra! I don't remember when I learned to swim exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was at the Olympic-sized pool on Emory University's campus where my dad taught. Later, we had next door neighbors who had a pool, and were so generous in sharing it with folks on the street. Lots of fun in the sun memories there!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
How cool, your neighbors allowing others to enjoy their pool! When I lived in Arizona, everyone was very proprietary and kept gates locked - probably for insurance purposes.
DeleteLoved your story today. Mom and Dad bought us an above ground pool when I was in the 6th or 7th grade and I learned to swim in it.
ReplyDeleteI've never been in one of those -- but they look fun!
DeleteI am still anervous swimmer. I never made the dive at the YWCA. My friend Lynette, a champion swimmer, toosed me into twelve feet of water because she said, I'd come up. NOPE! She came and retrived me. I am still friends with her today. My mother chuckled, having been tossed in the river to learn. W H A T ???!!! I love your stories though. You are a brave heart. I did learn to water ski but with a lifevest on, I felt safe. Plus I could not disappoint my cousin Cec"s! She was a champion water skier and could water ski with one ski too and do tricks! I remember praying a lot that day she tossed me in the water and said you have to stand by yourself before lunch. I was so grateful I could do it on my own!
ReplyDelete