NMHSNEWS MARITIME EDUCATION lNITIA TIVE
"New York Is a Capital Ship" Sponsored by Milton Trust "I learned to drive a ship, and I learned to use radar today," high school student Maximo Faujul, Jr., known as Junior, wrote in his journal this summer after a hands-on exercise at the ship's bridge simulator at the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler. What Junior failed to mention is that during this computerized video simulation, he and his fellow stuJunior Faujul operates the bridge simulator dents drove their containership at SUNY Maritim e College , Fort Schuyler. through a pier when they did not slow down soon enough during a docking maneuver. "Everything seems easy, but it's not what you think it is," commented fellow student Ludy D. Munoz, who, as the volunteer captain, was calling the shots on the bridge. "You have to pay close attention ... or you could cause a big disaster." Junior and Ludy were two of 15 New York City junior high and hi gh school students enrolled in "New York Is a Capital Ship," a seven-week program organized by NMHS, through a grant from the David M. Milton Trust, under NMHS's Maritime Education Initiative. Through MEI, chaired by Walter Cronkite, NMHS focuses its educational mission on new and existing programs that introduce students to America's maritime heritage in challenging ways. This summer's pilot program used the resources of NMHS staff, academic advisors, museums , learning centers, and shipping facilities. "The port made New York the world-class city that it is," said NMHS President Peter Stanford. "We developed this program to help young people learn about the city by giving them the opportunity to discover for themselves how important shipping has been, and by involving students in the real story of how , through hard work and enterprise, the modem city grew from its seaport origins." Besides Fort Schuyler, field trips included the South Street Seaport Museum , Pratt Institute 's historic steam plant, the Hudson River Waterfront Museum, the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, Seamen's Church Institute, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of American Financial History , the SeaLand terminal at Port Elizabeth and the World Trade Center, where they met with Director of Port Operations Lillian Barrone.They explored vessels ranging from Indian canoes to South Street's Wavertree and Fort Schuyler' s 565-foot training ship Empire State and crossed New York's harbor in South Street Seaport Museum's historic tugboat, W.O . Decker and the Intrepid's US Navy liberty launch. And they met people deeply involved in the study of the historic port and in working the modem port, from ship preservationists and artists to merchant mariners. "Today 's trip was very interesting," Ludy wrote after viewing an immigration exhibit at South Street Seaport, "because a person like me is not that familiar with the past. ... These trips can teach a lot because we actually go out and see it live." Class sessions featured map and chart exercises, discussions, role-playing and journal writing. "For this program to work, we felt the students had to be able to articulate their experiences," Stanford said, explaining the emphasis on the written word. The students came from a summer program run by Hostos Community Students participate in a chart-work session at College in the South Bronx. NMHS the Maritime College . (Photo: Betsy Haggerty) staff developed the curriculum. Paul Pennoyer, a New York teacher who has worked as a professional mariner, was the principal teacher. Karen E. Markoe, chairman of the Humanities Department of SUNY Maritime College served as curriculum advisor. As a professional journalist, your reporter led the writing workshops.
Karl Kortum
1917-1996 Karl Kortum , Cape Hom sailorman and founderofthe National Maritime Historical Society, died on Thursday, 12 September, in San Francisco. Peter Stanford, president ofNMHS, said: "We will miss him enormously and are challenged to carry on his mission . Karl was a great bear, fierce in contention and devoted to the service of the ships he rescued for history and the men who sai led them. " Ships saved through his intervention include the historic fleet in San Francisco, vessels in other American ports-Hawaii's Falls of Clyde , Galveston 's Elissa, New York's Wavertree, Philadelphia's Moshulu -and historic ships abroad, from Australia's Polly Woodside to England'sGreat Britain. He inspired the creation of maritime museums across the country. A memorial service will be held aboard the Balclutha in San Francisco on 27 October. An appreciation of Karl's life and work will appear in the next issue of Sea History. We invite your impressions of him and comments on his contribution to our field for inclusion in this article.
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NMHS.Annuaf Awards Dirmer TOWBOAT NIGHT
honoring the NY Tugboat Industry
Friday, 15 November 1996 at the
New York Yacht Club 37 We st 44 'h Street, Ne w York City
Reception at 5:30, Dinner at 7:00 Cost per person: $150 Call
1-800-221-NMHS
- BETSY FRAWLEY HAGGERTY
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SEA HISTORY 79, AUTUMN 1996