Jerome Mueller

MUELLER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 1/25/2017 at 14:41:24

17 February 1955 - The Tipton Advertiser

Tipton Swimming Pool Scene of Student Drowning Last Thursday
Tipton Youth, 12, Drowns in Pool; Services Sunday

Funeral services for Jerome "Jerry" Mueller, 12, who drowned in the new Tipton school swimming pool Thursday afternoon, were held Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Methodist church.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Ransom Mueller of near Tipton, the boy was in a class of about 25 boys under the direction of swimming instructor William Chauncey.

When he did not claim his clothing after the class left the pool, Jerry was reported missing.

Chauncey went immediately to the pool and discovered the boy in nine feet of water. He dove in and brought the boy to the surface.

Chauncey said artificial respiration was started at once by himself and by Mrs. Norman Hamiel, girls swimming instructor.

Dr. O. E. Kruse was called and the Tipton fire department's pull-motor was used without success.

Chauncey was wearing his wristwatch when he dove into the pool and he said it was stopped at 3:19 p.m. Doctors determined the boy was in the water between three and five minutes.

Dr. H. J. Harris, president of the board of education, called that group into special session immediately. The session lasted until 11 p.m. and the group investigated the circumstances and cause of the accident.

No official report was released until after 11 p.m. when Chauncey was absolved from blame by the board.

"It was one of those things that we had guarded against. It just couldn't happen, but it did", school Supt. Ralph Gambach said. "Mr. Chauncey had been in charge of swimming instruction here for the last four summers when about 100 children of school age were transported to the West Liberty pool several times a week without incident. The exact details surrounding the lad's drowning will probably never be known."

The swimming pool was completed last fall and opened about October 1.