732 PARKS 



needed. Life guards should be excellent swimmers, who have passed such 

 tests as those issued by the American Red Cross, and who are capable of 

 rescuing struggling bathers without difficulty. They should be on duty when- 

 ever the pool is opened to bathers. 



Shower bath supervision. A bath in warm water with the use of soap 

 should be required of every one entering a pool. Many pools are built in 

 such a way that entrance is through a shower room past an inspecting 

 attendant, who permits only those who have bathed and who are free from 

 surface signs of disease to enter the water. Some indoor pools may be 

 entered only by a passageway under a row of showers, graduated in tem- 

 perature down to a cold spray at the end just before the plunge. In men's 

 showers, where a common shower bathroom is used, it is relatively easy to 

 make sure that cleansing baths are taken. In women's bathhouses, where 

 the individual shower and dressing compartment is the rule, it is difficult 

 for a matron to secure any approach to this type of supervision. 



Workers in charge of giving out suits and supplies. Bathhouse manage- 

 ment requires the provision of workers for the collection of fees and the 

 distribution and collection of bathing suits, towels and locker keys. Exits 

 should be arranged from locker rooms in a way which makes possible the 

 collection of towel, suit and key by the attendant who distributes them. 

 A locker room attendant for women and one for men should suffice. From 

 four to six workers, one swimming pool authority has suggested, will usually 

 be needed in connection with the swimming pool, depending on the size of 

 the pool and number of patrons.. The length of the working day may make 

 another shift necessary. 



Dressing accommodations. On entering the bathhouse the bather pro- 

 cures a ticket, which is surrendered for a basket or locker key, or which 

 may be collected at the entrance of the pool. Following this there is usually 

 a counter provided where patrons may check their valuables. Then comes 

 the problem of the care of clothing. There are two general methods in use. 

 By the first, the patron receives a basket, retires to a dressing room, where 

 he puts on his bathing suit, placing his street clothes in the basket, which 

 is turned over to the attendant for safe keeping. The second method pro- 

 vides for each bather to receive a key to a locker in a dressing room, the 

 bather retaining the key while he is in the water. The dressing room may 

 be a large room for a number of people or an individual dressing room for 

 those wishing to pay extra for privacy. 



Where patrons are regular in attendance, as at clubs, the individual 

 locker with key or combination locker is most useful. In public locker 

 rooms where each person is assigned a locker for every visit, the provision 

 of suitable means of safeguarding the personal belongings becomes more 



