When the Dancing days were over, Swimming became the center of my life. It was a happy day when I learned they had a Swimming Pool at the High School. You will remember we moved next door to Huntington Park High School when I was 8 or 9 years old. It was in the early part of 1938. Ralph was a Senior at the time. Made it easy on him, but a longer walk for Ronald and I.
The Pool was indoors. That ment the Students at the High School could swim anytime of the year. The Pool was open to the public during the Summers or by special arrangements on Saturday. Night time swimming was for Night School classes.
During the Summer their were different times for patrons to use the pool. Nine was for beginner swimmers. Classes were held for all ages. The pool was cleared for regular swimmers such as:
girls only, boys only. These schedules helped keep the roudy boys from splashing the girls for fun. In the afternoon there was swimming for everyone and then again in the evening. The Life Guards had plenty of time to rest in between each session. There was a snack bar where tickets were purchased for each session. Oh, and the price of the ticket furnished one towel. It was nice because they were always warm.
I loved the water. It made me feel free. I couldn't float all that well, but once I learned to swim, I didn't want to float anyway. There were Red Cross and YMCA classes to take to advance my skills. I always signed up for them, and earned everything I could. There were distance swims and finally Junior Life Guard and finally Senior Life Guard.
I can't remember how I was recruited to be one of the Guards my first Summer, but it was pretty exciting for me. I remember I had a Yellow Jantzen Swim Suit. I always seem to have a great tan, so in an indoor pool, I stood out - small that I was. Every Life Guard has a whistle and of course a towel around their neck. That was more for helping struggling swimmers to reach the side of the pool safely. Saved getting wet a good many times I can tell you.
Where the patrons entered the pool area there was a pipe safety guard we sat on to keep an eye on the swimmers. You had to be alert. There were usually four of us on duty when the pool was being used. One stationed at the diving boards, on each side of the pool and at the shallow end.
We would work on Saturday afternoons or evenings if the Pool was rented.
The Mormon Church rented the pool on occasion. I was not a member at the time and was always on my personal guard when they were there. My only information about the Church at that time was they had a lot of wives and wore "funny underwear". Don't ask me how I came by that information. Probably from one of the other Guards. I stayed clear of all the young men. I certainly wasn't interested in becoming another bride for any of them. Not that any of them seemed interested in me anyway, but a girl just couldn't be too careful.
It was while I was guarding I had my first experience with Swim Finns. What a thrill that was.
I borrowed the finns and when I got in the water, I could go sooooo much faster. I never bought a pair for myself ever. I guess it was my same old problem - small feet. When I wore Chloe's I
always wore blisters on the top and sides of my feet from having to belt them up so tight. They were still too big, but they worked.
Brings back some great memories. Of course swimming in a Chlorine Pool bleached us out, so when we were off, we went to the beach to renew our suntan. Guess that wasn't such a great idea. The results of all that tanning is what has caused me to loose the pigmentation in my skin now that I am older. It is also the reason I have had a number of skin cancers removed. We didn't have sun screen back in those days. In fact one way we got such dark tans was we rubbed down with baby oil tinted with iodine. Couldn't have been more dangerous for us, but back then
who knew? Live and learn I guess.
I taught both swimming and diving during that time, and then again during the Winter Night School. There were many happy hours spent at the good old HPHS indoor swimming pool.
written this 12th day of June 2009
by: Eileen Rosenberg
No comments:
Post a Comment