YOUTH DROWNS WHILE TAKING AFTER-HOUR SWIM IN BLAIR POOL

Neal Caldwell Drowned Late Tuesday Evening Could Not Swim

DIVED FROM BOARD INTO DEEP WATER

A sixteen year old Blair youth drowned Tuesday evening in the Blair swimming pool while sneaking a dip with several companions after the pool had closed for the day.

The drowned youth is Neal Caldwell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Caldwell of 228 east Lincoln Street. He was the only child of the Caldwells. Reliable sources have revealed that young Caldwell, accompanied by three other youths, went to the pool about 10:00 p.m. Caldwell and Gordon McDonald, 15, had donned their swimming trunks in their car which was parked on the south side of the park. Two other youths, Ralph Hineline of DeSoto and William Cowan of 216 east Lincoln Street, were also in the party but were not swimming.

The pool had closed for the night and the boys climbed the fence to gain access to the water.

Young Caldwell could not swim, but was reported to have climbed upon the diving board and jumped into the deep water at the center of the pool. When he failed to come up the other boys became panic stricken and their calls for help attracted young Leo Jones, an apprentice in The Enterprise plant, who lives at the west edge of the park.

Leo attempted to find Sheriff Rudy Fick who lives just north of the park, but discovered he was not at home. He then called Floyd Appleby who lives at the south edge of the park. By that time word had reached Chief of Police, Percy Blair, and Night Patrolman, Leonard Holl, and Pool Lifeguard Raymond Thompson, who arrived on the scene. The body was pulled from the pool and Chief Blair and Thompson attempted artificial respiration, but abandoned their efforts after about 20 minutes of work. The youth had been in the pool about 25 minutes before he was removed from the water.

Dr. C. D. Howard and Deputy Sheriff Claude Clements were called later, and Caldwell’s death was pronounced accidental drowning.

Neal was born on a farm near Blair, and had lived in this vicinity all of his life. He had attended Blair schools. During his early high school days he worked for a time as an apprentice in The Enterprise plant.

Only a few months ago he narrowly escaped death in a truck crash in South Dakota while riding as a passenger. The crash killed a University of South Dakota student.

Caldwell’s body was taken to the Campbell Mortuary.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #111072890