Norwell High School - Shipbuilder Yearbook (Norwell, MA)

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THE SHIPBUILDER 11 this: The ship set out from New York and thence headed due south. On her journey she met but four ships until she reached the Horn and these four ships were at least seven miles away. Therefore there is little wonder that 'men were so cruel to each other, and often-times would go stark mad from the glare of the sun upon the water. lf the men mutinied they would be put in the already over-cramped hold, El- thy, unsanitary, ill-lighted, and with its awful stench in the air. Here they would remain for the rest of the trip. whereupon they would immediately leave the ship. But T am too far ahead of my story: it required brute strength to stand the ordeal of hard tack and fish, along with the storm winds, and hard work to pass around the Ho-rn. As soon as the Horn was passed the sailing again became easier until California was reached. Some of the Clipper Ships went into the trades and one especially was so fast in coming from China to London that when it did arrive all of the build- ers of England were there to take its lines. The Red Jacket was built by the George Tho-mas Yards, and she enter- ed the service of the Cunard line, being the most popular ship among the col- lege 'students who were then training in Europe. The Donald McKay,' built in hon- or of the great builder, was launched with Captain Alden Gifford christen- ing her, but sinking seemed to be her luck as she sank three months later while being outfitted in New York. A rather amusing incident concerns the Stag Hound. ' She was being christened on a cold winter's day, and after she had been named Stag Hound all the blocks removed, and the chains ready to hold her, she re' fused to slide, so the workmen took grease and spread it over the runs, whereupon she immediately coasted down the ways into the water. These ships were very hard-pressed for room: instead of sleeping in hunks the way they had done previously, now they slept in hammocks. The lower deck and hold were filled to the utmost, so that the captain and mate might make a little cash, since they were giv- en so much cargo, and all that they took extra they were paid for. But although the hold was filthy the upper deck was holystoned until it shone like a wash-board. -Xlthough these ships were so import- ant only a few years ago. but a very few are preserved: one of these, the Cutty Sark is over in England. Mr. XYilson, from whom l gained much of this knowledge, inspected her and he had some snap-shots taken of it with him posing as the captain. ,Xt the time the Cuttv Sark was sailing to England, De Lesseps was closing the door of opportunity for the Clippers. and steam and the Diesel en- gine have since turned the lock. Clip- per Ships have gone, but even though they have they will not be forgotten for some years to come. The seas still roll around, but the sails are not vented to the winds: in- stead the steamships pass around the globe in a fast but ungraceful manner. XVilder A. Gaudette '32, The Norwell High and Grammar School is verv proud of the fact that this school led in the Thrift Record in its division in Massachusetts during the first half of the school vear and as the pupils have continued verv well during the latter half, there is little doubt but what it will hold the record for the entire year.

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10 THE SHIPBUILDER A p the right thing. Shrimp DeFabio. She dances di- vinely. VYhat she thinks she nobly dares. Red Maxwell. Her color is like the rosy morn, sweet she is but not forlorn. Waning Mesheau Klargarets life- time marcel is the envy of all the girls and perhaps some of the boys. Gertie Strachan, always smiling and in for fun: nothing worries her un- der the sun. Bunny Hardwick. A pretty girl we all agree. an artist too, some day she'll be. livelyn Henderson. The best actress in the class: also a poet of note. Russell Peterson '32. 'bfi' SALUT THE CLIPPER SHIPS The old clipper days are over And the white winged Heets no more, XX'ith their snowy sails unfolded, Fly along the ocean floor. Sails! Since before the beginning of recorded time men of the sea have used them. They were spread in an- cient days above the venturous craft of Tyre and Sidon. They drove Pho- enician merchant vessels to distant liuxine ports. They urged Greek war galleys on to conquest and coloniza- tion. Sails aided the merchants and warriors of unfortunate Carthage, and in turn benelited the sturdy conquerors of Rome. Crusader and Viking, dis- coverer and pirate. all have raised their sails to the honest winds of lleaven and fared forth confidently upon the track- less sea. Some of these ships that had sails were called Flipper Ships, which coast- ed along the shores of the .Xtlantic he- tween 1822-1378. .Xnd many of these were built right here in New lfngland. This clipper ship era reached its peak in the years I8-W-Fil when gold was discovered in California and the only safe way to the XYest coast was by the sea. Not only did the passengers get TORY off at the Gold Coast but also most of the crew, therefore it was almost in- evitably a stay of at least three weeks before the ship sailed back whence it came. The ships previous to the building of the clipper ships had trim lines, but were slow in going from New England ports to the XYest coast as they were tossed about by the strong winds while going round the Horn. The first real clippers were built in Baltimore. and although they were thicker and drew more water, the speed was increased. The first man to build and design a clip- Ver was lsaac llcliini. Soon, however. the scene of ship-building changed from llaltimore to the Donald McKay yards at lloston, and it was here that most of the fastest ships were turned out. Xorwell's yards were the Block' house, XYanton and Chittenden. .Xnd although this town did not produce any prize-winners it certainlv did make some creditable clippers. The George 'l'honias Yards at 'Nlaine were the next important lu those of lloston. lionald Mcliay built the Surprise, a ship which went from New York to Frisco in 06 days and 15 hours. One must reineniber that at that time there was no canal at l'an:una. and a trip around the llorn meant something like

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