Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1877 — How Girls “Strike Out” [ARTICLE]

How Girls “Strike Out”

Women are not graceful when clad in oilier old womeu’ajgowns and learning to swim. They lack repose and dignity when they try to “strike out” in the water or on a table. Their action is too abrupt and spasmodic. They kick out with their legs too long after they strike out with their ■arms. Then they kick straight behind like a cow.- That won’t impel the body ahead at all. It only remains in statu quo, or else propels the back awkwardly up out of the water and the head under it. This makes a girl elad 111 un old woman's gown look very ridiculous. Then they nra jealous of the only man in the party dressed in ouy pair of the old woman’s old man's pantaloons, who can go forth in deep water and swim. They are forever wanting him to come back and show them “how to kick'.”' They think that if they could only learn to kick properly in the water, they’d swim right nway. They will not realize that girls must teach their own limbs to do their own kicking in the water—or out. ■'lt is pleasant for a man who is a poor dancer but a good swimmer to attend a lot of gilds In the water who are good dancers but not good swimmers. It’s pleasant to have the table* turned once in a while, and he able to contemplate others' awkwardness. I never could dance well. They say its because 1 don’t put my mind iu my legs. But I can swim. 1 can get my iniud iu my legs in the water. 1 suppose it floats down there. But those girls—to see them kick to no purpose, except to drive their heads under.—Graphic.