In a quest for recognition and historical accuracy, Laurel Seymour reached out to KUT’s ATXplained project with a compelling story about her grandmother, Binnie Seymour, whom she believes is Austin’s first female lifeguard.
“I know Binnie Seymour was the first lady lifeguard in Austin, Texas,” Laurel stated. “But can you provide us some proof?”
Binnie Seymour, born in 1940 and the second of four children, grew up adventuring through the picturesque waters of Westlake Hills, where her father attempted to catch minnows.
Reflecting on her formative years, Binnie described herself and her siblings as “river rats,” often exploring the various creeks and rivers around Texas.
In the mid-1950s, when she was 14 years old, Binnie secured a job at Deep Eddy Pool’s locker room, earning 50 cents an hour for managing the swimmers’ clothes.
A couple of weeks into her job, Binnie’s employers presented her with an opportunity: if she could pass the lifeguard test, she could become a lifeguard herself.
She described the test as a challenging simulation, where she had to save university football players pretending to drown.
Despite her petite stature of just 120 pounds, Binnie managed to successfully complete the test, pulling the athletes to safety and earning her lifeguard badge along with a boost in pay to 90 cents an hour.
Her boss later informed her, “You are the first lady lifeguard in Austin, Texas,” a title she accepted without skepticism or doubt.
However, this notable milestone in Austin’s history seems to have gone underreported at the time, with Binnie recalling no newspaper coverage or photographs documenting her achievement.
At 86 years old, Binnie lamented the lack of living witnesses who could corroborate her story, casting a shadow of doubt over her place in history.
As lifeguards are becoming increasingly scarce in today’s world, historical records remind us of how women have consistently broken barriers.
During the world wars, women stepped into various alternative roles traditionally held by men, including positions as lifeguards.
Articles from as early as March 1943 in the Austin American reported on the shift towards hiring women for lifeguard positions: “Habitues of Austin’s several municipal swimming pools may as well get ready to have their safety in the water watched over this summer by women lifeguards,” warned an assistant city recreation director.
The article named two women who had already signed up for lifeguarding that summer: Dorothy Kerbow and Jean Parker.
Kerbow was assigned to Westenfield Pool, a location still in operation, but little is known about Parker.
KUT News, in its research, located Dorothy Kerbow and her family, finding that she was born in San Marcos in 1918 and had a very active childhood swimming in the local rivers.
Kerbow’s son, Dave, recounted his mother’s journey into lifeguarding, noting that she took the opportunity to earn extra cash during a time when the city was looking for women to fill that role.
With a strong-willed personality, Kerbow easily passed the lifeguard test and spent nearly a decade working at various city pools.
After years in the public pool system, Kerbow transitioned into a career with the post office, eventually becoming a postmaster in Wimberley.
Dave fondly remembered his mother’s dedication to swimming, even in her later years when she lived in a house with a pool.
Dorothy Kerbow passed away in 2013 at the age of 94, leaving a legacy that contributes to the ongoing narrative of women in leadership roles.
Despite the findings that Binnie Seymour is not, in fact, the first female lifeguard in Austin, her reaction was gracious and accepting.
Laurel reflected on this revelation, admitting, “I guess I lose a little bit of a bragging right” upon learning about Dorothy Kerbow’s earlier contributions.
Binnie expressed interest in Kerbow’s story, recalling that she was acquainted with the Kerbow family, having attended Austin High School with Dorothy’s oldest child, Karen.
Through this shared history, the legacy of both women transcends mere titles; they exemplify the spirit of determination and capability during a transformative period for women in the workforce.
While Binnie may not be able to claim the title she once thought she deserved, her experiences as a lifeguard nonetheless led her to a significant personal milestone: a blossoming romance.
During her early years spent in the water, Binnie met Billy, a young man skilled in swimming, and he quickly became her boyfriend.
As they both pursued jobs at Deep Eddy Pool, Binnie became a lifeguard not only to watch over the swimming patrons but also to keep an eye on Billy.
Binnie’s teenage crush blossomed into a lifelong love story, culminating in their marriage in 1958.
For the past seven decades, Binnie and Billy have continued to share a love not just for each other but also for the elements of water that brought them together in the first place.
In the end, the stories of Binnie Seymour and Dorothy Kerbow intertwine and reflect a broader narrative of women’s contributions that have shaped the lifeguard profession and the communities they serve.
image source from：https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-06-05/atxplained-austin-tx-first-female-lifeguard-history
