How to teach kids to row

I was overcome by a wave of weapons-grade nostalgia watching this clip from the British Pathe archive. These prewar kids just got stuck in, both boys and girls, despite having to row lumpy great hire boats instead of proper educational shells and without the benefit of 'personal flotation devices' or the oversight of highly trained busybodies in overpowered ribs. There was, however, a safety skiff being gently sculled by a teacher.