Certainly was the case for me growing up. Lessons paid for by the state (I presume) at the age of 11 or 12, carried out at Guildford Crescent-Great Fun-Pupils were put into three categories, the sinkers (like Me) Medium and those who were good swimmers. Retrieving a brick in your pyjamas etc.
I wonder why there isn't such an importance in being able to swim anymore? It certainly seems that way. Maybe it's because kids don't do some of the crazy stuff that we did, like swimming in rivers, lakes etc, or even playing near them. Not being able to swim had a bit of a stigma attached to it, i can remember being taunted and teased because i couldn't swim, and it meant that you couldn't join in with trips to Empire etc. Learning to swim was an imperative skill needed if you wanted to crack on with your mates during the holidays and weekends.
I was talking to someone the other day about those public address adverts aimed at kids. Remember Charlie the Cat directing that kid away from wrong un's, Poor old Jimmy climbing an electrical pylon to retrieve his frisby. Those messages were great, and they stuck with me, although we still took plenty of risks. They were saying that if you do something daft, them you might pay the price, which seems a bit harsh when it comes to Nonces in parks and the massive hole in the fence jimmy walked through in order to retrieve his frisby! Times have changed!
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