The Teaching of Aquatic Practices by the National Commission of Physical Education in Montevideo, 1914–1949

The development of aquatic instruction on the beaches and in the pools of Montevideo, Uruguay, between 1914 and 1949 spans from the National Commission of Physical Education’s introduction of aquatic practices – the state institution being responsible for physical education policies – to the start of covered pool construction. The commission’s teaching policies change especially in content and methods of instruction. Initially, instruction occurred in natural settings. Although ‘swimming instruction’ was frequently mentioned, the practices included rowing, water polo, diving, and lifesaving, reflecting a broad conception of swimming. During this period sport grew as a hegemonic practice with the construction of indoor pools, and the transfer of instruction to these facilities gradually diminished open-water practices, narrowing teaching to competitive swimming. The inauguration of the first municipal pool in 1934, the commission’s second Action Plan of 1940 promoting pool-based instruction, and the roofing of the Neptuno Club pool in 1949 consolidated the shift indoors. Minutes, reports, action plans, and periodicals such as Uruguay Sport, Edufísica, and Rush demonstrate that aquatic practices narrowed to the four competitive strokes.