NMHS MISSION:
tional and historical aspects oflifeaboard the Pilgrim (a full size, 1945-built replica of Richard Henry Dana's brig immortali zed in Two Years Before the Mast) , the In stitute was not only able to purchase the vessel and build a new Living History Education Benefits Ships and Ports historic pier at which to moor her, but also operates her profitably. by Daniel T. Stetson During the 1993-94 school year, there Every responsible individual and orga- to be astonishingly effective at energizing were over 250 overnight programs. As nization entrusted with the care of an students' interest in hi story while equip- there are only 180 school days per year, hi storic vessel must continually grapple ping them with essenti al life skills. many teachers and students give up weekwith certain fundame ntal questions: lmportant to the question "How can ends, vacations and other personal days to PHOTO: BOB GRIESER be able to participate. To date, more What is the best use for this vessel today? How can we best preserve than 100,000 students have particiher for tomorrow? How can we pated in the overnight program. The give her meaning for present and program is fully subscribed with a substantial waiting list. future generations? Our few remaining historic vesTo accommodate the demand, sels stand as tribute to the vision of the overnight runs "rain or shine" the designers and craftsmen who seven days a week, attracting the participation of both public and pricreated them and the indomitable spirit of the crews who sailed them. vate schools, as well as scouting They were sailed by ordinary people organizations and ma ny other who, in the improved light and pergroups from all over Southern Calispective of history, lived extraordifornia, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. nary Lives. Endangered, the survival It is so popular that some teachers have been corning for more than ten of the few remaining vessels now The Pilgrim sails once a year. For the rest ofthe year she offers depends on our extraordinary re- shoreside programmingfor school children at Dana Point CA . years! In addition to overnight programs, the brig is also utilized dursourcefulness, our ability to adapt, our ability to integrate them back into the we best preserve hi storic ships?" the ing the day for a number of shorter profabric of American consciousness. There vessels also directly benefit from the e grams ... the Pilgrim is often in use 24 is no single answer. And, clearly, not programs. New revenue sources become hours a day. available through program fees, as well The Orange County Marine Institute every vessel can be saved. Today, quite simply, America is no as added grant opportunities, and tradi- receives no federal, state or county fundlonger the seafaring country we were in tional seafaring ski lls are preserved and ing. OCMI is financially self supporting the past. While we span a continent that passed on. Even though the programs and fundamentally entrepreneurial in nature. All program staffing, overhead, inborders two great oceans, as a nation we surance and the Pilgrim's considerable have lost touch with our waters, our The Pilgrim receives no maintenance and sailing expenses (she vessels, our ancestors and their spirit. government funding. She is Unless we can reverse thi s trend and sails every summer) are paid for by revenues generated by her educational proreconnect these vital links, these ships financially self supporting. wi ll never again have relevance in Revenues generated by educagrams. These funds generally come from America's collective consciousness. It PTAs and other student fund raising activities, not tax dollars. Supplementary is a tremendous challenge, but unless we tional programs cover all proincome and promotional benefits are also are able to develop a stro ng community gram staffing, overhead, and ved from such varied projects as dracapable of direct support and vigorous vessel sailing and maintenance. deri matic plays, symphony concerts, and an lobbying efforts, many more wi ll be lost. annual Tallship Festival celebrating the The Orange County Marine Institute Pilgrim's return home from her summer in Dana Point, California, has developed It demonstrates that this model cruise. Expansion plans are on the drawa unique approach to these challenges . ing board and fund raising is already welJ Establi shed in 1977, OCMI has attained can be adapted to other historic underway to build a new, state of the art, . national recognition as a model of a vessels with similar results. multi-million dollar community-based successful experimental teaching laboratory. Annually, more than 100,000 stu- are conducted pi erside, the ships are marine educational facility . Over time, these programs help to dents from preschool through college being used much as they were originally participate in the Institute's 42 award- intended. In effect, the vessels go through weave the ships back into the essential wi nning programs in mariti me history, daily exercise as the student crews prac- fabric of the community. And in the long tice their newfound seafaring ski ll s. They haul, the very survival of our historic science and environmental studi es. The most successful of the Institute's hoist sails, move cargo, poli sh brass, vessels will depend upon how successofferings are the living history educa- swab the decks with sal twater, and per- fully their guardian organizations can adapt tional programs. Modeled after the con- form numerous other basic maintenance to changing times and continue to maincept pioneered by Dave Netell at the San activities that help to keep up the vessels . tain strong community support. In Dana By develop ing a busi ness and opera- Point, the Pilgrim has become the city's FranciscoMaritimeNationalHistoricPark in the 1970s, these programs have proven tional plan capitalizing on the educa- defactoflagship. She is strongly supported
How an Old Wooden Ship Earns Her Living
SEA HISTORY 72, WINTER 1994-95
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