Massachusetts Maritime Academy - Muster Yearbook (Buzzards Bay, MA)

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To traRi qualified young men to become licensed officers in the American Merchant Marine: To provide these young men with a college education and to impart to them the necessary academic background and the fundamentals of a practical nautical education essential to a successful career at sea and ashore: To train them in leadership and to instill in them an abiding sense of honor, responsibility, and mature citizenship: To develop in them a pride in their profession and a determination to uphold the traditions of the merchant marine: By effective teaching, training, and guidance, to send him forth to his calling with a deep respect and affection for the Massachusetts Maritime Acadenv

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ORE WORD Men and ships are placed in unstable environments; they want their merits found and their faults hidden. As graduates of a maritime academy, we cannot help but take this statement into full consideration. As men and as ships, we are to commence a long arduous voyage beginning on graduation day. This voyage, no doubt, will bring some to higher levels while others, who lack forethought, courage and perceptiveness will find themselves literally on the rocks . We as men and as captain of a very important ship, ourself, should take pains to see that our merits as men and as ships, embarking on a long voyage, should be displayed and not our faults. Our merits should outshine our faults and in this manner faults will become a dim and vague reflection from our image. We should endeavor first to become the best critic of ourself and second to become a constructive critic of the men who serve under us. In becoming the best critic of our own self, we minimize the possibility of others finding our faults. In becoming constructive critics of our men we become true leaders who strive for the merits of quality. We, as individuals, are different physically, mentally, morally and socially. In the same light we know too that ships are varied in design of engine and hull and in purpose. All ships were designed to do a specific job just as men were created for a specific undertaking. We need, as does the ship, expert handling, conscientious planning and all those very necessary virtues which lead to the successful completion of the voyage. Whether the ship delivers goods and fulfills its obligations depends on the skill of crew and master and their courage, their ability to perceive danger, their wise decisions and expert judgement. We as captain of ourself, wanting our merits found and faults hidden, should strive to give ourself the same expert handling that the master and crew give their ship. We know only too well our best condition and should endeavor to keep goin full ahead in that condition A ship leaving harbor cohferid with maisr UncerWrttii practically, all ships today, due to the high caliber of men and mach overcome all sueh uncertainties. We should try to overcom p t; uncertainties by utilizing the best of ourself at our helm and the best of a willing and aggressive spirit. Let ' s bring ourselves to that a6tr [rir ttti©n, bfe e?twll| Be dlfi a true tribute to those who have helped the man and the ship to its presen state of readiness. On the return trip it is hoped we attain success that w know we have been prepared for by both our parents and our school. When success is attained be it not so far above us to give humble thanks to those who have prepared u 2 7221 Having taken the preceding to heart, we will have little trouble in having our merits found and our faults hidden. 4