In addition to being a training station itself, 25 South Street was designated by th e federal government as the official receiving station for the first American m aritime pool ever created. U S Coas t G uardsm en and merchant seamen who finished their trai ning were given dormitory roo ms at the fac ility and instructed to wait for ship assignments. M eanwhile, SC I staff ad m inistered inoculations to seamen as they departed on voyages to fa r-flung parts of the wo rld. The auditorium at the school was converted into a gymnasium for daily calisthenics and muster drills. Thro ughout the war, survivors from ror pedoed m erch a nt vessels arrived at SCI's doors seeking shelter and a place to recover from their experiences at sea. Often arriving at the institute with the shirts on their backs still da mp from their time in li fe boats, the rorpedoed crews served as a stark reminder to the seam en in training at the school of the very real and present danger of going to sea during wartime. Even before the US entered the wa r, SCI was welcoming survivors from Allied vessels to 25 South Street. O n 8 September 1939, a German submarine torpedoed the Bri tish fre ighter Wink feigh, scattering the crew, including several yo ung m essboys,
The "Flying Bridge" on the roof ofthe SCI headquarters at 25 South Street. training necessary to enter the US N avy or US Coast G uard Reserve as commissioned offi cers. Even aspiring pilots came to SCI's Flying Bridge to take courses in aero nautical navigation for entry into the US A rmy Air Force. For as piring merch ant mariners, SCI's M erchant M arine School offered courses for original and raise-of-grade certifi catio ns in the deck and engine departments, and licenses fo r third mate th ro ugh master. Endorsem ents for unlicensed seam en we re available fo r lifeboatm en, able sea men, electricians, oilmen, firem en, watertenders, and pumpmen. Course listings included paid seam anship; celestial, aero nautical, and advanced navigation; pilotage; marine engineering; and a yachtsmen's course fo r ama te ur m ariners. In ro ta!, mo re than 180,000 p eople at tended lectures , a nd 11 ,527 navigators and mariners enro lled in courses at SCI's M erchant Marine School before the end of the wa r. 4
26
SEA HISTORY 144, AUT UMN 2013