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M Am riM E ADMINISTRATOR(Continued from Page 1)
defend the "back door” of New York City, and named in honor of one of the great military leaders of the American Revolution.
To be "confined” for eight months of the year to this delightful place, and then for three months to sail on a European cruise, visiting four or five ports abroad to become acquainted with the history and culture of these countries—then to find at the end of four years a rewarding and remunerative career — what a pleasant prospect for any young mani
It is small wonder that this Maritime College attracts the finest type of young men, who make outstanding and distinguished alumni.
Among these, 1 think, for example, of Arthur M. Tode, Honorary President and guiding spirit of the Propeller Club of the United States, who received from the Secretary of the Navy a Distinguished Public Service Award as "one of die country’s foremost advocates of an adequate American Merchant Marine and Navy."
I think of Commodore John W. Anderson, master of the SS UNITED STATES. I think of Vice Admiral George Wauchope, Executive Vice President of Farrell Lines, Inc. I tiiink of Capt. Felix Rlesenberg, famous shipmaster and author.
I think especially of your dis- dgnuished President, Vice Admiral Moore. Admiral Moore’s career in the Coast Guard, before he became President of this College in 1959, covered every conceivable duty, from watching Icebergs and seals to Hollywood movies. His service at the Coast Guard Academy as head of the Department of Seamshlp and as Commander of the Academy training ship, his admlnstratlve positions at various shore bases, and his Important contributions as advisor in many international conferences, have given him a splendid background for his work here at the New York Maritime College, which is attested to by the signs of progressive leadership evident on all sides.
With such traditions and leadership, It is no wonder that the Privateers of Fort Schuyler are formidable rivals of the King Pointers. Compared to the nearly ninety years this school has been In existence, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, celebrating this year the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Cadet Corp, is a Johnny-come-lately.
But that is not said that thev do not expect to beat you in the next lifeboat race I
There is no doubt that the U.S. Merchant Marine owes much of the continuity and strength of Its maritime tradition to the state maritime academies. Back in Colonial days the young seaman learned his trade by becoming an apprentice. He went to sea as a cabin-boy and learned his lessons with the aid of the bosun’s fist. But a smart and lively lad had the opportunity to rise fast in his profession. If he were a shrewd trader, he could parlay his small share the cargo into a tidy profit, which he could dien invest in caimlly chosen foreign goods for roMle at an even better profit b a ^ home. It was not unusual for ft Ifttl become a ship- m asti»Jtt the time he was twenty, and a n h and powerful tra d ^ before it was forty. Such men as Ellas Derby of Salem and Donald .McKay Bostcm made their own wat to prominence in the U.S, Merchant Marhie without help of formal training.
But with the advent of steam and the regular packet services, seamen lost their status as merchant traders and became mere transporters of other people’s goods. The crews were often foreigners and conditions often so bad that bright young American lads preferred to seek their futures to the West rather than in the rigors of seafaring.
The serious slump in American shipping after the Civil War led
ports.Much of the impetus resulting’
in this act came from public- spirited New York marine men and their association, who had obtained from the New York State Legislature in 1873 an act d i r^ t - ing New York City to provide a nautical school "befitting the greatest port in the world.’* New York was the only State to take immediate advantage of the federal Act by acquiring from the Navy the famous old USS CT. MARY’S. Already 30 years old when she became the first New York School sh4>, she served in that capacity for another 34 years.
A comparison of the curriculum taught on board the STT. MARY’S with the present curriculum of the New York Maritime College is a measure of the growth of maritime education. In 1875, 169 pupils were taught arithmetic, English grammar, geograjAy, reading and spelling. In 1963, the New York Maritime College offers to 600 students, four degree majors — Bachelor of Science In Marine Transportation or Oceanography and Meteorology fo»- deck officers, and Bachelor of Marine Engineering and Bachelor of S c ie n c e (Nuclear) for engineers. Coiu^es offered include such weighty subjects as meteorology, oceanography, admiralty law, economics, physics, thermodynamics, naval archltecmre and nuclear energy. Graduates receive not only a college degree but a license as a fully qualified third mate or third assistant engineer and are eligible for commissions in the U, S, Naval Reserve. And the STT, MARY’S has given way to EMPIRE STATE IV, a modem steam turbine ship carrying extensive electronic ^ds to navigation, engineering instrumentation, and oceanographic equipment.
In the span of ninety years, the New York Maritime School has seen many ups and downs In the American Merchant Marine. Established when U.S, leadership of the clipper ship days was being lost to the relentless encroachments of steam propluslon and the ascendancy of the British mercantUe marine, the students at the New York Nautical Academy saw the American Merchant Marine dwindle to almost nothing ‘ before World War 1.
Trade caused by lack of our own ships, saw the frenzied but almost futile building of a wartime fleet. They followed the steady decline again of merchant shipping to a dangerous level of obsolescence and inadequacy, until the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 finally gave new impetus to plans for rebuilding our fleet.
This was just in time fbr good start to be made before the outbreak of World War II once again made insatiable demands on U.S, merchant ships. Yet despite all pious hopes to the contrary, the U.S, merchant fleet has steadily lost ground to its foreign competitors In the share of U.S. cargo carried, untU today that share is no greater than it was just before World War L
The New York State Nautical School and ater the Academy itself suffered similar crises when economy - minded legislatures threatened to abolish it altogether.It was saved by the dedicated work of dlls very Alumni Association. It was the Alumni, too, who worked zealously to acquire a permanent shore - based home, culminating at last in 1938 in the acquisition of this site at F ort Schuyler,
This Ac adOTy, together with die former Pennsylvania Maritime Academy, established in 1887, the Massachusetts Academy, in 1891, the California Academy In 1929, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, turned out thousands of young officers for service In World War D, This crash program would not have been possible without the solid foundation laid many years before by
23 May I
Congress .to recognize the need for training officers for the American Merchant Marine. In 1874 the first federal encouragement was given to the establishment of maritime schools with an authorization to the Navy to furnish a suitable vessel to any State school established at certain coastal
_rU RTH O LE -loselv exam ined into ways anfl* carrying on. In thesuch “ e M ari- means'^ of meeting tht^e so- t ^ g and perpetual*
By its oranis of a ciologlcal consequences of ship- don, the U.S, uovemmau
college in the SUte u t capable men who Schools. AlthoughCoagrgslaitvof New York in 1949, New Y o tk suited with authorized thehas again led ^ ^ management experts and suitable school ships atifull recognition to representatives of tail naval officers as Tiiri-ijinJistatus of the merchant marine with the a n i e ^ ^ and ln .s t r . . r r ^ r '^ ^ nm rer ° k S % c S has kept in management. Recently, 1 a t t e n ^ en a and Instructor
te^hing latest a m atin g in California, c ^ e d schools. it_ w « not un tU D li^issliuthe lead In teaching a p,.dfiral Mediation and Con- some small financial a
navigational Pf«=®dur^“ '" S ,? r io n £ ^ r a 7 w h l c h the lead- was given to the Sute .S i^ ion’ 113^0^^ computers and ers of labor unions and the heads and not until 1940S m i i ’ Advanced tectaiques r e - of steamship lines met In serious r^ u la to ry ^ th o rltyoulred of the modem m ariner, consultation looking toward a joint federal grants was gha to a
is coivtns th c D ro b le m o f government agency coae«,.jBut the change in technology is effort at solving the problem of government a g ^ y ewetned imnortant than the require- men versus machines. I came wholly with the
S l ^ t s ^ T ^ h i r a - S -^^ S M arinV-the U.S.theses have not changed. These that a s ta r t had truly been made, mission.are the physical and mental cour- Our research and development A M ^ltim e Ac^my «« es- age to meet the hazards of the program, then, extends beyond new ^ l l s h ^ at Castlne, Maine, sea, the ability to make quick ship concepts and the development 1941. And iMi vear an Aetdemy and correct decisions in times of equipment for the ships. It ex— was established by leiias, tStue of emergency; most of all thedar— tends to the means by which such not withtmt maritime daiStiiiQ, ing, the imagination, the patience, improvements may be fitted into for the Texas Navy (of fair-mindedness, and integrity r e - our social pattern. I, hy the way, am an bonorny ,
In regard to our research ef- >\dmlral) was no mirage durln ; forts on the part of the ships them- the Mexican war. selves, we are sometimes met Today, however, Inortfertoke^ with criticism . And we do not In the forefront of tbt.- tiddly take It amiss that some of our developing technology tff marine, efforts will resu lt in failure. That architecture and operatoi, a*] is a built-in hazard of any re - Government must, in a tt l ia to
said; " It’ is by no means enough search program. Certainly, proto- support for maritime traiaing, be that an officer should be a capable tyjje models will be uneconomic, prepared to venture into the ue mariner. He must be that, of jf they were not, we might more known, to engage in rseiach igto course, but also a great deal more, properly leave their development basic ship forms that will liiynw He should be, as well, a gentle- to the private • en terprises that seakeeping and controllaUliiy of man of liberal education, refined could profit from them. But the ships, to investigate thepassMl. manner, punctilious courtesy, and charting of new ways into the un- ties of as yet untried or untMiBd i
known has become an expensive new concepts such as nucleafro> process in this day when even a pulsion, ocean golnghydrofoilaav queen’s jewels would hardly suf- face-effect ships; to sudy te flee to build a completely new type possibilities of integrated trai# of ship, and the consequences of portacion systems and taci a sh illing strike Involve hundreds tional cargo-handling of millions of dollars.
We have one m ajor satisfaction.
quired to be a leader and com' mander of other men.
John Paul Jones, called upon to outline the professional qualifications of a ship’s officer before the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress in 1775,
the necest sense of personal honor. He should be the soul of tact.
A Little Reeirt On ’D’ Deck
Between Sick Bay and the MainDining Salon, aboard the T.S.E.S., however, in our research program, there is a door (near the side That is that we have the coopera-
Research is a vital area ini Maritime Administration's sponsibillties. Certainly be the case If we are to i our merchant ships on a co tive basis. This applies tiA i to the decades ahead, but to : Immediate future. While other i tions are makii^ vast strides 1 ward. In some of the most: portant areas of dev ' we lag behind. Ship automatl for example, is well among the Japanese and odien,'j
with
port on the starboard side) allow- tion of the entire M aritime Industry ing access to a small room; the — ship operators, shipbuilders,Slip’s Library. For many of the and the suppliers - In these fellows that have made previous ventures. But once the prelim inary cruises, it has been a cherished way is charted there are Stillhaven for mental relaxation, many dangers to be overcome inspiritual refreshment and re - following after, even though search. But when did it s ta rt? chances of success are Improved.Where is it now? What of its achieve ultimate success,future? we still need the imagination and
The idea oi a Ship’s Library 4frlng of the seamen of old, com- Whether we like it or net, began with the firs t training ship ®“ ed with the training and technl- are rapidly iqipareachisg tl»although it did not exist as the skills of the well educated when we will be faesel wHcadets know it today. Its purpose academy graduates of today. We fait accompli in foreign ffis then (and now) was to provide' their qualities of mind and matlon.the student with recreational read- *’®**'' character not only in In this area, however, o«b fijrm*ing during the cruise and help *od seamen, but in of research must tie in with at ^him gain an insight into the leaders of our m aritim e field other, for we must study aad material he would be studying — ^ maritime labor move- rive at ways of meetiag theso-,the following semester. In addition bi shifting, shipbuilding, ciologlcal consequences of sK^to general reading m atter essential architecture, marine engine- board automation. It is a badth^jreference books were also “ >‘1 education. We need men for a man to loee his job m 'provided. Difficulty, however, afraid to Cry some- any circumstance — but to liarose from the fact that at the ^ ^ 8 new, who have faith In the It to a piece of machinery, t beginning of each cruise, books American Merchant Marine and length of wire and a vacuum had to be placed on the ship and, ^ mission to support and main- is tragic, upon completion of summer train- nation’s trade and defense. I have said It before and ting, retuimed to the stacks at the need men who build on the repeat, a fair and equitable soi^Fort. As a solution to this problem, of the past with most tion to the sociological aspeCBmoney for the purchase of a *^®uced tools of the present. Involved in automation, is as vital pieiTnanent collection was allotted, faith and belief In the to achieve in advance of the factAnd s h e lv e s f n r th o K/krtWe future of the .American M e r c h a n t th e H^v^Innm Aant nffhecouilh’and shelves for the books were ,donated by the Parents As- .This is
American Merchant as is the development of the equipment itself.
sociation. Thus the Ship’s Library ^ regard, I am happy to say,became <» permanent part of the Academies are pro - we have made a start, a small rtraining ships. duclng - the so rt of men who beginning. In keeping with otbat,.
The library was staffed with *4’ alumni of such schools smdies related to die human ele-^cadets qualified to assist their Vr'bo will achieve sue- ment — ways of making shljvshipmates when necessary. Last ^ Merchantyear the library and the shipsaw Dr. Joseph N. Whitten become firm ness, andthe first professional librarian - - A tall order ~ butto make the cruise. His purpose are many merchant marinein so doing was to find out if *7*? who measure iqj,
i iie ii i — w a y s o i iiiaiuui£ board work safer and more ef- flclent, for example — we haVBj
P R E - C R U I S E WEEKattendance at the library warranted 30 MAY, THURSDAY - Decorationa professional librarian on every Commission D,y _ Holiday routine.
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everycruise, to coordinate the library program vrith the school program, and to see what new material might be added to make the cadet’s cruise more pleasant.
Md the War Shipping Admlnlstra- 31 HMY. FRDDAY - Work day.
...... ....... .. ...... graduates are the men who must ^ JCNE, SJJNDAY - Holiday rou-As a result of Dr. Whitten’s heritage , vriNnAV riass Da
observations. Mr. Janis Krastins ® ^of the library staff, assisted by w fight “Cadets Frank Gallo and John Hnno-fr Revolu-Ingram, will be working in the Theirs is the dutylibrary on tills summer’s cruise. - to w ard ca rry forwardBetween ports, Mr. Krastins will tradition." - ^be showing slides on the different i t h a t A d m l r a l Land bi® remainder of the day. places we will visit. Also, S ^ The Navy JUNE. TUESDAY - Graduationre ferring . to the Humanities its very existence to DayReading Program, inexpensive ” '®” ^hant fleet which provided Coast Guard Inspection *U foreign dictionaries, travel-logs *?®b ®bd the ships who fought day. pertaining to the different ports ®ng«gements. The 5 JUNE, WEDNESDAYof call, and some material on “ prlva- g JUNE, SATURDAY- Field Day.
* _your athletic Scrub down the ship all day.rou-
0800 nn-n -toMaintenance payments for I
3rd, and 4tii class cadets on board.
UOO - Knock off work for,
parental and family life ( sur- ....... ... ...... ..........- r -prisingly enough a subject of great 9 JUNE, SUNDAY- Holidayinterest to m an v f i r s t r l a s s m » n \ , th® British Navvmanv tine.interest to many first classmen) o riu sn Navymanywill be included among the 1000 ^ f i ° ^ courage and 10 JUNE, MONDAY
Tum-tohTt;ibrcky™2s;;7“ rrbaS ___that will be on the library shelves. c.„,„ Hi® bracUtlon that tiie 11 JUNE, TUESDAY - SaiUng data-
i>tote Maritime Academies are lOOO.