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Swimming Lessons

Jean you were never out of the water when we were younger, I used to think you had gills under your arms
 
Pat I have only recently stopped going to the baths but swim in the pool at the van. Always have it to myself in the week but it's b....y cold when you first get in. I do something that I told the children never to do swim alone. You should always have someone close by incase you are unwell. Should practice what I preached. Jean.
 
We had just six lessons, which I hated, either at Sparkhill or Moseley Road, I can't remember which. If you couldn't swim after six lessons, you never went again and I was so pleased about that!

Although I've lived on Crete for several years (and before that in Bournemouth for 40 years), I hate sandy beaches, deep water, and I rarely paddle - in fact not at all last year. I much prefer to be up in the mountains!

Maurice
 
hi used to go from loxton st school to woodcock st baths once a week,not many of us had our own swiming trunks,and we used to use the ones the bath supplied,one piece of clothe and you had to tie them up at the sides,belive me there was a lot of trunks floating in the water,good days used to love going swiming kind regards john
 
I HATED swimming lessons, still avoid the sea and pools. Fact is, I was never taught how to---properly, I taught myself--sort of. When I first went to a school that provided this service--ie 1953, at Uplands rd school Smethwick, I was 11yrs old. The baths were a short coach ride away at Warley. Having consistently provided an excuse note from my mother for several months, I was forced to attend. I'll never forget it. The whistle was blown, 'Everyone into the poole'. Not realising that there were different depths, I held my nose and followed my pal into the middle section. When I relised I could'nt get my head upright or feel the bottom of the pool---PANIC!!-With my mouth briefly breaking the surface-screeching and gasping for air, I heard the instructor blow his whistle and everyone got out onto the side--except yours truly of course. He instructed someone to jump in and held my head up, steadily calming down, as my feet slowly sank and reached the bottom----just ! A tough lesson, and not one I wanted to experience again. I can breast stroke if I have to--but ONLY if I have to. I could never get the breathing right. If I can't see that my mouth and nose are above water, I won't breath. ---golightly.
 
it all about salt water v Tap water.
The sea is more denser than tap water.
In fact it gets worse the higher the Temperature.
You virtually just float in the sea and propulsion is
easier. In the Swimming baths you sink so more skill
in floatation techniques are required. Once floatation
is mastered then stokes and kicks can be introduced.
It would have been easier to start in Sea water for
all of us. Those hours we spent on the side bars.
Here a scientists view
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Question: Why do you float better in salt water then you would in a pool?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Answer: Let’s consider Archimedes' Principle. The principle states that the buoyant force (the force that helps you to float) is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. It means that in order for you to float in water, your body will have to move out of the way a certain volume of water. Another consideration is that the water has to have a mass per volume ratio higher than your body; in other words, the water has to be denser than your body. The denser the water, the more you will float.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The next part of the answer deals with the difference between the density of water in a swimming pool and in salt water.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One difference that most of us have experienced (or heard of) is the distinct salty taste of the ocean water. The ocean is salty because there are a lot of chemicals dissolved in it. Most of these chemicals come from the erosion of the Earth’s crust. The total salt content, also called salinity, of the ocean water varies from region to region. It is affected by several factors such as rain, snowfall, ocean currents and melting of ice. A good estimate of the salinity of the ocean is 36,000 parts per million (ppm).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The salinity in the swimming pool comes from the bromine and chlorine compounds which are generally added to the swimming pool to control the levels of bacteria and viruses. These chemicals are used to minimize the spread of diseases between swimming pool users. In a swimming pool the salinity is about 8,000 ppm. The salinity of the ocean is 4.5 times higher than the swimming pool![/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This is important information when we consider floatation because the salinity will influence the density. If you were to measure the weight of one glass of ocean water and compare it with the weight of one glass of swimming pool water you would see that the ocean water is the heaviest one. Since density is determined by the ratio between mass and volume, the salty ocean water is denser than the swimming pool water.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]So, now it is simple to conclude that the saltier the water, the easier it will be for you to float.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mike Jenks
[/FONT]
 
Everything very true Mike. The warmer the water the thinner the molecules and buoyancy is more difficult. Colder water is better for flotation but cramp then becomes a problem. Women are lucky as they carry more fat and have natural buoyancy aids. Men being more muscular are heavier bigger boned and find flotation more difficult. I used to take adults for lessons once a week and thoroughtly enjoyed it and some of those I taught still keep in touch. I gained a great deal of satisfaction from my job and enjoyed passing on one of my sports on to others. TTFN. Jean.
 
All our family & Kid are swimmers thank goodness they love too surf.
gives you great peace of mind when they are near water.
 
Couldn't keep away from Woodcock St. baths. I loved to swim.

And even when we had been taken from Loxton St. for a lesson in the morning, I'd be in the water again at Woodcock St. - straight after school -before I went home for my tea.

If this meant pulling on trunks still damp from the morning's school session - what the heck! - I was there.

Almost every day, come rain come shine...

Cheers,

pedlarman
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Loved swimming, hated the baths! Sparkhill baths was nicknamed "The Fridge" used to go there from College Rd School. It seemed whenever we went someone was allways hosing the floors of the changing rooms with freezing cold water. Our clothes invariably fell off the silly little bench in the cubicles, so you came out to cold wet clothes to change back in to. Hated it!
 
My first time at West Bromwich Public Baths with HillTop School : ''All of you who can swim, line up on my left'' .....''All of you non-swimmers line up on my right'' .....''All of you who think you might be able to swim a bit, line up in front of me'' shouted Mr. Reynolds. I didn't want to admit that I was a 'non-swimmer' and so joined the middle group....a big, BIG mistake!

I managed to swim/flounder/thrash/walk/gargle my way across the width of the baths, underwater! Having reached the other side I was unable to reach the surface and had to be pulled-up, by a long pole fitted with a loop!

I did however learn a most valuable lesson: it is far better to admit to 'not knowing' than to suffer the ridicule of public exposure!
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I remember one day a class came into Wyndley and I usually took the more advanced swimmers in the deep end never the less I always tested them first as children especially boys tend to make out they are better than they are. I was asked to assess the not too sure children and I asked a little girl if she could swim and she said she didn't know. I took her to the shallow end and got her to climb in backwards down the steps. She immediately panicked and went under as she tried to get back to the steps. I leaned and helped her back up the steps and sat her on the bench. Whe I asked her why she said she didn't know whether or not she could swim her answer was I didn't know the answer miss because I have never tried. She had never been to a swimming pool in her life. She and the other children had been asked at school if anyone had never been swimming and because she would have been the only one not to have she didn't put her hand up. I could write a book about my time teaching school children at Wyndley. TTFN. Jean.
 
I thought some of you might like to see this photo of my aunts picture and swimming medals. I took the copies at my cousins house yesterday.

My Dad's sister Gwendolene Jennings was born 1906 in Aston. She was a school girl swimming champion. The photo was taken when she was fourteen for a newspaper. I was amazed at all her medals.
 
Wendy what a lovely photo of your aunt. My friend Jackie Jennings was also backcrawl champion of Birmingham. I have lots of the same medals as your aunt and they have not changed to this day and the lads have quite a few too. I have a photo my dad took somewhere with my cups and medals must sort it. Would be funny if Jackie was on your aunts family tree as she came from Aston too. Oh forgot to say i gave some away to boys I went out with. Silly me. Jean.
 
Lovely Jean you did do well. I couldn't believe it when my cousin told me my aunt trained by swimming across Powell's Pool in Sutton Park! Her daughter has the press photo(rescued from the garden shed)which is very large but I would love to see it.
 
johnO---This business of--not owning up to ignorance, goes right through every situation in life. I bet that in every case, (especially at school), us BRAVE 'UNs, wern't alone by any means. That chinese proverb by their philosopher, Confusious?---'He who asks question, is fool for a day, he who dosen't ask question, is fool for life'---sums it up exactly.---golightly.
 
Further to 'swimming experiences'. When my family moved us all down to a small West Country seaside town in early 1955, we all kind-of learned to swim in the local outdoor pool. Luckily, that summer was blazing hot, (down there at least ) so being out doors swimming etc, virtually every day, was fantastic. As we did'nt get ANY schooling that year (I won't go into that ) you can imagine what fun it was for us. The only fly in the ointment was being chased by the school board man several times a week, ( he never did find out where we lived--too quick on our bikes). Now to the main point. A pretty girl from Wolverhampton was on holiday with her family, in a nearby caravan site. I first spotted her in the Pool, tootling about, and sun bathing. This being my first crush, and only 13, I was quite brave and chatted her up, --sort of. Being male, I started to show off with my newly aquired swimming --skills? She joined in and we had fun, but, I then got too conpetitive by racing her up the baths. Conclusion ?---I thought she had an 'outboard' on her back. It turns out that she was only the West Midlands area junior champion. I thought her all-in-one shiny Black swimsuit looked a bit special. I gave her a birthday card for her 14th, a kiss, and a bar of chocolate. On parting for home, and having exchanged addresses and promisses to write, she said in her broad lilting accent--'downt yo go losing your accent will yo? ' Orlright me owld cock said oi' ( no I did'nt)--not surprisingly, I never heard from her---perhaps it was because we moved to Bristol 2 weeks later--AND, back to school ! A fantastic year for us kids----it started with 6ft snow drifts--while living in the Aldridge area, and then a wonderful summer swimming, beachcombing, cycling down country lanes, in the West Country. We thought this was how it would always be.----golightly.
 
I went to St James Junior School Shirley and Sharmans Cross Senior school Solihull and dont think we had swimmimg lessons, mind you this was 1937 to 1944 and there was a war on most of the time. I taught myself when I was 19 in the RAF abroad in Africa. Eric
 
Having free pass we used to go swimming every day in the holidays at Monument Rd,i became a very good swimmer and in the catholic schools gala at Woodcock St baths when i was 15 i won three medals in one night individual, relay, and diving then went on to have county trials i also won medals at Harborne Baths i can swim all strokes crawl,butterfly,back stroke,and breast stroke all at a good pace

Mossy
 
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I hated it .....i wasnt very tall and even the shallow end covered me .then some idiot pushed me in the deep end ..i couldnt swim and how i got to the side ill never know ..put me off for life .although its something i always regret not learning to do .i made sure all my kids learned and my grandchildren too......
 
JUST GETTING THE XMAS DEC'S OUT OF THE LOFT & CAME A CROSS THESE TWO, HAPPY MEMORIES OF VICTORIA ROAD BATHS.
THEY WERE ISSUED FORM UPPER THOMAS STREET SCHOOL, SPORTS TEACHER Mr Millner.
 
These are two of mine from the 50's while at UPPER THOMAS STREET SCHOOL ,Sports Teacher Mr Millner the best sports teacher any one could have.
 
The Baron said:
These are two of mine from the 50's while at UPPER THOMAS STREET SCHOOL ,Sports Teacher Mr Millner the best sports teacher any one could have.
Click to expand...
Keith just noticed I missed this post and I knew Mr Millner feom Aston swimming club. A lovely man who gave up so much of his free time to promote the sport. Jean.
 
I hated school swimming lessons. Did just enough at Police College to get my Life Saving certificate but still disliked it .At the age of 44 I met my mrs who loved swimming. She taught me how to swim properly and now I love it.Being the shape I am its wise to be careful getting into the pool in case I cause a tidal wave. If I lie on the beach I run the risk of Greenpeace dragging me into the sea where I am declared a danger to shipping.
 
I enjoyed every minute of it, 5 schoolmates and myself use to go to Edington Baths at least 4 days a week inthe last two years at scchool
 
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