“In addition to the above,” the Editor of the _Journal_ concludes, “Dr. Lieber has a very satisfactory certificate from Major General Pfuel, who invented the new method of teaching to swim and established the Prussian Military Swimming Schools. It may be proper to add that Dr. Lieber is known and approved by Dr. Follen, Professor (!) of civil law in Harvard University and Superintendent of the gymnasium in Boston.” April 13, 1827, in response to an invitation just received, Lieber wrote accepting a position as Follen’s successor at the Boston Gymnasium, and agreeing to establish a swimming school in that city. June 20 of the same year he landed in New York City, and proceeded at once to the scene of his new duties. The _Boston Medical Intelligencer_ of July 3 (Vol. V, p. 118) announces his arrival “to take charge of the gymnasium in Washington Garden and to open a swimming school;” and an advertisement in the same journal, dated July 14, gives notice that “Dr. Lieber’s Swimming School, situate on the north side of the Mill Dam, will be opened for the reception of pupils on Wednesday next, 18th inst....” The swimming school seems to have proved a successful venture from the start, and was still in existence at least as late as the season of 1832. The popularity of the gymnasium, on the other hand, soon waned. From a sketch of the life of William Bentley Fowle contained in Barnard’s _American Journal of Education_ for 1861 (Vol. X, p. 607) we learn that “about four hundred gentlemen attended at the opening term. Mr. Fowle was chosen treasurer, and was in fact the chief executive officer. When Dr. Follen resigned Dr. Lieber was invited over from London; but no talent could keep the gymnasium alive after the novelty had ceased, and some of the gymnasts had been caricatured in the print shops. The institution lingered about two years, when, only about four gymnasts remaining, Mr. Fowle closed its accounts.”[204]