European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday june 14, 1980 the stars and stripes Page 3 getting a Start on 96 olympics thousands of babies in the soviet Union arc learning to swim before they learn to walk with some 71 swimming schools for infants in Moscow alone. Lessons begin when babies arc two weeks old and Are Given at first in a Bathtub with the infant supported by a foam plastic helmet. Later the lessons arc continued in a swimming Pool. The soviets claim that studies show that infants who swim arc More Active than their land bound counterparts have better appetites learn to walk ear Lier arc less Likely to gel sick and arc More cheerful. Shown Here clockwise from upper left a pair of 2-week-old water babies display their natural aptitude for swimming a a car old jumps from a three meter diving Board. Diving As Well As swimming is included in the program a pair of cheerful water babies climb a ladder to a diving platform an entire family gels into the act As Mother and dad join the Little ones in a dip und u Joung swimmer takes a drink from a bottle while under water. Us l photos