Summer was a time for swimming lessons when I was growing up. There weren't many indoor pools when I was a kid. And just as few outdoor pools. Most larger towns had a community swimming pool so small towns bussed their children to the bigger town for swimming lessons. Mine were held early in the morning so they didn't interfere with the open swimming times.
Beginning the week after school was out, I got on a bus early in the morning in State Center and rode for 30 minutes to the Marshalltown pool that was located in Riverside park. It was very cool out and I remember shivering most of the lesson time in the cold water. It was the first time I'd ever been in a pool.
I was fearful of the deep water and of jumping in. I was a slow learner because of my fear. I never had the chance to go swimming. We lived in the country so swimming lessons were my only contact with water until I was old enough to go to church camp. Sometimes the camp was near a lake or had a pool.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand," (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).
Eventually, the new high school, built in State Center around 1970, had an indoor pool. Lessons were offered there as part of PE class in the high school during the school year and during the summer for younger kids.
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