The great ship spreads her wings, outfitting in Boston, 1931 ,for her tour ofAmerican ports on both coasts in the next three years. Strongly built and heavily armed to outfight any frigate afloat, she carried a huge press of canvas, making her also one of the fastest warships of her time.
We have learned, for example, that over half the crew of "patriotic Americans" was foreign-born. Constitution reflected the American melting pot as much as any port town did. And while medical attention on board ship often meant amputation, there is no evidence that a sailor was medically worse off in an American Navy ship than on land. In fact, the records suggest that preventive health care was practiced on Constitution to a higher degree than when a sailor was ashore. What did this cosmopolitan crew symbolize? What about them endures? What message can a "Life at Sea" exhibit carry? We think it can be summed up in one word: pride. When you are the underdog, you must train harder and perform better than your adversary or you cannot win. In every instance, Constitution's crew proved it could match and beat the best. This Daviddefeating-Goliath mentality spawned a national pride in the War of 1812 that was one of the most significant consequences of the war. Jackson at New Orleans, Dolly Madison in Washington and Oliver Hazard Perry on Lake Erie-all represented a spirit of nationalism that overwhelmed the Hartford Convention, the sacking of Washington and a series of military defeats. This spirit of victory carried forward into the strong nationalistic period that followed the war. Command at Sea If the "Building of Old Ironsides" exhibit symbolized technological ingenuity and the "Life at Sea" exhibit symbolized a strong community and national pride, there was still another important story to be told: that of the inordinately capable leaders who were captains of Constitution. Almost every important Naval officer prior to the Civil War served in Constitution. The ''Command at Sea'' exhibit explores how young men were trained for leadership responsibilities in the sailing Navy and how senior officers carried out these duties. Alone, often thousands of miles from help, without means of communication, usually serving as the sole representative of the US Government, the captains of Constitution had responsibilities almost incomprehensible in the modern world. Even astronauts on the moon are not so isolated or so dependent on their own judgments. As our ambassadors in many parts of the world, captains had to make decisions which affected our foreign and military position as no modern field officer would today. The "Command at Sea' exhibit emphasizes the need to train young people for leadership responsibilities and the need for leaders who can make critical decisions. It is no accident that some
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of this nation's most capable leaders served in the sailing Navy. Preservation: An Ongoing Challenge
The ship, her men and her captains-each tells a major story of what Constitution symbolized. Another story we felt we must tell was how Constitution has been preserved from the time of Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem in the 1830s until the present. Old Ironsides floats majestically in Boston harbor today only because time and again the American people demanded she be saved. The story of Constitution's reprieves give great hope for all of us concerned about preserving the best of our historical buildings and artifacts. Every time the wrecking ball threatens, we can point to Old Ironsides and say, "Look what the American people did to save this grand old lady!" A Living Symbol
This leads to the final story the Museum has chosen to tell:
"Constitution, a Living Symbol." Holmes' poem was only one example of how artists, poets and craftsmen have evoked the spirit of this vessel. She has intrigued them since the day she was launched. We want to keep that spirit alive by encouraging present-day artists and artisans. The "living" ingredient in Constitution is not only that she is manned by Navy men today, but that artists, modelmakers, and artisans of all types-young and old-see her as alive on canvas, in their models and other art forms . An exhibit itself takes on this vitality and organic spirit. If indeed Old Ironsides is a living symbol, then the museum which bears its name must also be alive. Exhibits may connote a static display of relics and memorabilia or they may excite the imagination and curiosity of the visitor. We have chosen to make the visitor as much a participant in Constitution's messages as possible. The continuing challenge is to create an atmosphere where lively learning sparks a sense of pride, of understanding, of challenge. USS Constitution is a living symbol not only because of what she did, but also because of what she continues to do today.
NOTE: An authoritative ship's biography is found in TyroneG. Martin 's A Most Fortunate Ship (Chester CT, Globe Pequot Press, 1980, $17.95). An account of theformation of the Museum is given by its founding president, Rear Admira/J. C. Wylie, USN (ret.) in Sea History 17, p19. To join the Museum and be in continuing touch with this ship and her story, apply to USS Constitution Museum, Box 1812, Boston MA 02129.
SEA HISTORY, SUMMER 1982