Swimming – 1900-1920 Era
Places to
swim
Now – Red
Cross and private swim lessons; city swimming pools; splash parks; sand
pits, Platte River
Then –
Rivers
Loup River, Beaver Creek, Wood River, Platte River
July 1903 – Man at Ravenna swimming in Loup at mouth of Beaver Creek got a
cramp when going from the
warmer Loup water into the colder Beaver Creek water. Almost drown before
being saved.
July 1916 – A party was held on the Loup with fishing and swimming
Mill ponds
Ravenna, White Bridge Park, Glenwood
July 4,
1905 – Ravenna’s celebration included activities “At the mill pond” where
there were ‘tub races and
swimming races followed by foot races…”
May
1909 – Nelson Park opened at Glenwood on the Wood River 4 miles north of
Kearney. Opening to include
concert, tents, boats, swimming, steam launch [?], light refreshment.
Lakes
Formed by the Kearney canal
Echo Lake, by Industrial school, Kearney Lake
August 3, 1913 – Swimming in the Industrial school lake has been a delight
during the past few weeks.
June
26, 1918 – The lake at the foot of the hill has been filled from the canal
and is known as the ’old swimming
hole.’ All the boys enjoy the cool water for an hour each evening.
Drownings
Were not unusual – [no lifeguards, no swimming lessons]
One
drowning reported in the lake at the Industrial School
May
1913 – A Normal School boy drown in the Wood River
Some Incidents
Related to Swimming Back Then
Getting a snack
August 1907 – A number
of boys were swimming [in the north channel of the Platte].
When they got tired of playing in the water, they got out and pulled up some
celery plants [for a snack].
Caught by the owner, each fined $10 and costs.
With payment of 50 cents each, judge suspended rest of fine and costs on
promise of better behavior in
the future.
A danger of swimming
Aug 1909 – Roscoe Brownfield was laid up for a few days as the result of
poisoning.
He was in swimming and the poison is supposed to be from ivy.
Swimming attire
June
1913 – Boys were swimming in Kearney Lake around the power house without
bathing suits.
Signs were to be posted that they could be fined
Earliest Mention of a Girl
Swimming
August 28, 1912 – Local Lady Makes a Long Swim – Thought to be a Record for
a Learner in Aquatic Sports [a
girl taking swimming lessons]
One evening Agnes Frank, “one of this summer’s debutantes in the art of
swimming” [one of a class of
girls taking swimming lessons], made what is thought to be a record for
learners when she swam across
Lake Kearney from the boat houses to the western shore and made the return
trip without taking any
material rest between trips.
Her friends are pleased with her feat and all believe she will be successful
in making the trip from the ice
house chutes across the lake lengthwise which she intends to attempt this
evening.
Constructed swimming pools
Kearney Military Academy
August
31, 1911 – A cement swimming pool 25’ x 50’ was being constructed
Indoor? Outdoor?
August
23, 1913 – The KMA swimming pool was in the north dormitory, known as Lewis
Hall
September 14, 1918 – The boys at the school had torn down some of the
superstructure of the swimming pool
building, leaving only the part necessary to actually cover the pool.
Normal School
June 7,
1916 – Contracts to be let for the construction of a gymnasium at the Normal
School.
Two floors with a pool and men’s and women’s showers and lockers on the
first floor
Double gym with sliding doors so it can be used as one room on second floor
Each side large enough to play base ball or basket ball with seating around
it
A large kitchen was to be built at the rear so the area can be used for
banquets.
Third floor for indoor track and banquets and festive occasions
June 18, 1918 – [The building was completed]
“…swimming pool ‘simply overflowing with girls,’ the magnificent normal
gymnasium started on its career
of usefulness at the beginning of the summer term.”
4th of July
A
typical Fourth of July celebration in Kearney during the early years of the
twentieth century included a parade,
oratory and band concerts on the high school lawn [no fireworks]
And also
August 16, 1909 - Owners of automobiles were
warned, under threat of arrest, to have lights on the rear of their
machines.
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