Bernie's Chapter
One Chance to Learn to Swim
told by Bernard James Guild
Bernard recalls his father putting muslin water-wings on him and throwing him into the Rock River to teach him to swim. He sank, feared he would die, and cried after his father grabbed him when he emerged. His father carried him out and concluded that he would never learn to swim. Bernard says he never did, and that the swimming requirement later ended his advancement toward Explorer Scout despite his love of Scouting and more than twenty merit badges.
In the family's own words
This is a dumb remembrance, but it shows Daddy at his best. He wanted me to learn to swim, so he took me to a weedy bank of the Rock River, put a little pair of muslin water-wings on me, and threw me in. I went right to the bottom where I was sure I would die. When I emerged, he grabbed me and I started to cry, which made him very upset. He carried me out of the water because I wouldn’t let go of him and he said, “Well, son, I guess you’ll never learn to swim.” I never have. You got one chance on that kind of stuff with Daddy. Too many other things to do and other kids to attend to. Swimming, being a prerequisite, ended my advancement to becoming an Explorer Scout even though I had earned over twenty merit badges and loved Scouting.
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Bernie's Chapter, told by Bernard James GuildRelated stories
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