NMHS MISSION:
The Maritime Education Initiative Looks at Work in the Field Wisconsin Fourth Graders "Adopt-a-Ship" Far from oceans and years past the tall sailing ships that estab li shed this country's reputation for commercial prowess , school children reach out to the sea and the lands beyond, writing to and learning from the captains and crews aboard American merchant marine vessels. The Propeller Club, led by Amelia Hansen of the Women's Propeller Club, initiated the Adopt-a-Ship program in 1936, forging ties between classes and merchant mariners with the intent of teaching students of the need for an adequate merchant marine. Betty Coerber 's fourth grade class at the Evans School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has been following their ships since 1974. When school begins, the class is given the itinerary for their vessel. Ms. Coerber writes: "The shipmates' (as the students are referred to) excitement and enthusiasm remind one of Christmas Eve. They can't wait to begin their letters to the captain , hi s officers and crew. After introducing themselves, the shipmates ask questions about the cargo and the ports of call on the ship 's itinerary. This leads to an integration of social studies, hi story , geography, mathematics, lang uage, economics, art, literature, music and culture of our neighbors around the world." Throughout the year, they correspond with the crew, receiving individuali zed answers to their specific questions. The culmination of the year is the Captain's Day Program when the captain joins the students for a day offestivities. The class is shown the applications of what they learned through hi s letters and they present awards to the captain for hi s contribution to their education. The relationship turns school projects into adventures and brings out the skills of each student. In one case, recalls Ms. Coerber, a four-page personal repl y from a ship 's third officer turned an unenthusiastic potential drop-out into an Honor Society member. Students with artistic ability formed the "Ocean Breezes Card Company," designing greeting cards for all occasions to be sent with their letters. As partofthecuniculum, students prepare travelogues and videos and present programs for the school and the community. Most recently, Ms . Coerber's students have become aware of the disintegration of America's merchant fleet and, with Captain J. D. Smith of the SS Eliza-
8
beth Lykes, have helped form "Save Our Ships," a national non-profit effort to educate the public about the need for a merchant marine fleet. While the Adopt-a-Ship program currently has a waiting li st of 200 classes, other possibilities for correspondence with a vessel do ex ist. Ms. Coerber suggested spreadi ng the word about "Save
Our Ships" and encouraging school s to educate their communities about the merchant marine. Her class has also begun a pilot program with a barge company operating on the Mississippi River system . Teachers along the coasts or on other river systems could contact local commercial vessels to initiate simil ar programs. JMA
Against the backdrop of a mural showing the Elizabeth Lyke' s route.Shipmate Meaghan Harvey presents awards of appreciation to Lt. Cmdr. Douglas C. Lloyd (Marad), left, and Capt. J. D. Smith , Master, SS Eli zabeth Lykes.
Shipmates study the memorablia Captains RobinsonandSrnithsentfrorn ports of call on Elizabeth Lykes' s itinerary.
In Essex, Massachusetts, History Surrounds Students Among those who have called and written stores and marinas, visit the Historical in response to word about the Maritime Society or the Shipbuilding Museum and Education Initiative are teachers from share a wonderful sense of place, livelischools and museums, asking for infor- hood and avocation with their neighbors. mation on how they can incorporate MEI We hope, as a result, they' ll take better into their programs or telling us about care of their natural resources as they projects they have already done. become the planners and developers of In Essex, Massachusetts, a town with a their town ." (Essex Historical Society & wooden sh ipbuilding history that dates Shipbuilding Museum , Box 277, Essex back 300 years and accounts for some MA 01929) 6,000 vessels, the Essex Shipbuilding Museum has incorporated maritime education in the local elementary school curricul a. Grades two through six have maritime units which many teachers choose to include every year. Once a year, volunteers present a morninglong series of workshops for every student in the school, geared to different age groups. "Prior to these efforts," says museum administrator Diana Stockton, "the classrooms in Essex offered the same fare as those in every other Massachusetts town. Now, at some point in their classroom education, Essex children have a chance to take a walking Students gather for a round of sea shanties by tour of the town and learn the history of Essex musician Daisy Nell as part of the Essex the sites of the restaurants, antique Port program. SEA HISTORY 64, WINTER 1992-93