One thing that was held dear by many Clayton students for several decades was the aquatics programs offered at the old CHS Natatorium.

Swimming Coach and Water-Polo Coach, Wally Lundt, remembers the days before CHS had the Center of Clayton.
“There was a full aquatics program, where we did not share the pool with anybody,” Lundt said. “Every fourth grade came for eight swimming classes. Sixth graders came for canoeing classes, and freshman took a swimming class for a whole quarter where they perfected the crawl, back, breast, and side strokes. Sophomores took a quarter of life-saving skills. Juniors could elect to take a scuba diving class, life-guard training, or have water games, such as water-basketball or water-polo.”
Former CHS student, swimmer, and water-polo player, Rick Bliss recalls the popularity of the scuba-diving class while at CHS and how people had great enjoyment in taking the scuba-diving class.
Although Clayton school district gave these opportunities to Clayton students for many years, many of these former classes are now virtually non-existent after CHS lost its own pool.
Now third graders come to the Center of Clayton to get a few days of swimming instruction. To graduate, CHS students must have the ability to swim 25 yards. Freshmen must prove that they can swim the set yardage. If they lack this swimming capability, they then take a class to gain swimming instruction. When CHS had its own pool, Clayton students were required to be able to swim 200 yards to graduate.
Lundt feels that as result of discontinuing the Clayton aquatics program, Clayton students do not have the same swimming skills as prior CHS students had.
“Clayton students are not drown-proof,” Lundt said.
Senior Charlie Beard, who has been on the swimming team and water-polo team for all four years, considers swimming an important skill.
“Swimming is an important way to use your body,” Beard said. “It is a low-impact way to become stronger. You are able to work all the parts of the body in swimming. As the joke goes, once the global warming melts the polar ice caps, and the ocean water levels rise, swimmers will rule the world.”
Beard feels that although it would be nice for CHS to have their own pool-house, there are several benefits to sharing the pool with the Clayton of Center.
“We have a full-time maintenance staff, and it is cool to interact with the community, such as the swimming regulars, some of which were former swimmers for CHS,” Beard said. “The hot-tub and towel service are luxuries which comes with the Center of Clayton.”
Athletic Director Bob Bone understands there are sometimes difficulties that arise with CHS sharing the pools with Center of Clayton, but feels that overall, the current situation is positive.
“In joint use, there are challenges, as it is not the same as having your own facilities,” Bone said. “In the shared use though, we are not the only ones responsible for maintenance of the pools.”
Although CHS has the rights to use the pools throughout the school day, there is currently no aquatics class offered to CHS students. CHS students can use the pools throughout the school day, until 6pm.
“The pool (CHS Natatorium) facilitated greatly a team and participation in sports,” said Bliss. “In the couple of schools that did not have their own pool, it was more disruptive to their swimming.”
Many students do indeed remember the days when CHS had their own swimming house and offered several aquatics programs.
“Hundreds of Clayton alumni have told me how much the aquatics program meant to them, although they never were on the water-polo or swimming team,” Lundt said. “As Socrates once said, a man is not educated if he cannot read, write, or swim.”