pauleckler writes,

I'm a 1969 graduate from University Missouri at Rolla, now Missouri Science & Technology (MS&T). In 1964 as a freshman we had to swim the length of the pool. Its an engineering school. Their justification was that many engineers work near water. Being able to swim can save your life.

There is a racial aspect to this. Because of segregation in days gone by, many minorities do not learn to swim. They were not welcome in many pools. That is changing.

It is sad when people who fall in the water panic and drown. Learning to swim saves lives.

I presume that those who flunk the test had to take swimming lessons to at least learn to dog paddle, float, or tread water.

I think this training is well worth the cost.

</snip>

I agree.

If you read the comments to that WSJ article, there's one from a New Zealand guy saying that everyone learns to swim in New Zealand. They even toss the disabled kids in the pool and let the able-bodied kids practice saving them.

intercst