SUNY Maritime College - Eight Bells Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

Page 104 text:

MWE ARE GATHERED HERE TO MOURN THE PASSING hush of the wake passing hy, the hum of machinery helow, the lookout's cry distant in the ears, the click-click of the ustool pigeon, a stilied yawn, a muted shuflie from within the darkened wheelhouse: the clouds, the stars, and moonlight that caressed the night: the gentle heave oi the deck and the phosphorescent lights dancing away from the hows: and the hlows'-the hlack scud sweeping the horizon: the lash of rai-n and spray: the sea grey, everywhere froth and fury. And down helow-the roar of the hlowers hlending and softening the noises ahout: the dungaree clad engineers, their pockets sagging with the implements of their trade, casually, yet carefully checking valves, maintaining levels, watching readings: the smell of toast and coffee: the Uthrottle par- sandwich hastily swallowed, the coffee hasti- ly gulped, the few quick drags on th ette: then laying topsid-e to muster: Y0u're relievedf, and you lay helow. The sounds as loelore in the grey of the false dawn: the navigators stumloling topside for morning stars: the scurry of feet, the cry of Mark on the signal hridge: they lay helow, and the dawn lolossoms, slowly and gently at first, then with a sweep that leaves the sun lying hot and low on the horizon, as if pausing helore continuing its leap into the C cigar- zenith and heyond. The day-the sun higher, the ship Stir- ring, the smell of loreakfast from the galley and the wardroom: morning muster, the di- visions in ranks, a laugh cuts the morning air, the suhdued whisper of jovial talk: the llirst crack of chipping hammer on steel deck, another and another, until the air rings dis- cordantly, the nerves recoiling when they stop at noon: the sun climhs higher, the hours toiled hy the ship's hell, the passage of time punctuated hy the pipes that lourst forth over the PA system: watches are re- lieved, the day passes. Knockotf and the shouts of the cadets as they lay helow to wash and to shift into uniform: the after- noon passing quickly for the dogwatches: then the long shadows of sunset, amher, golden, purple, with infinite and gentle shadings of each: supper is eaten, and then the groups of cadets are seen to congregate all ahout, to talk shop, of the day, the last liherty and the next: helow, others sit and write letters, some read, play cards: the mid- watch turns in: an accordion splits the air, or else the dance hand holds sway some- where: on numher two, the movie detail . 1 f I . M' 'O ,lent Ani A lf warll iseri do 1 QQ tlis W0 I ftfflllilll filing else Pl so emls flonng, l 'i lriel wol :wi foncemi :lafl ol s tat is wor , Mill, FC fm, that l :welter ol xml, lui t ' tlantlwm .v Nl? anrl -J low we v70lUj in If X Rf ties on the CE's platform: the heat, dry and reeking: the taste of salt sweat. Watch relieved-fthe reliefs pulling themselves wearily from their sacks, in the sallow glow of the hattle lamps to crawl into clothes: assemhling in the messdeck, the HOLD THAT ANCHOR 5- HMM. BOY-THAT'S WHAT I CALL A turns to, and later on, when the sun has set and the sea is cloaked in darkness, movies are shown: there is a running commentary which is half the entertainment, and the night is split with peals of spontar1C0l1S laughter.

Page 103 text:

S H I' OI' Ji- rk he CS Ilty lier to ire rol' :res ,nd ous so? ad- :all ees ges tlie lien we rim No per- eclc. ads and :een CADETS AND NATIVE FRIEND lst Classman in cbarge of Mast floolc- ing over report slaeets quiclclyl: VVell, all tl1ese seem pretty straiglat forward to me. Cant see as any plausible excuse is possible. 'lliat will be five demerits apiece. Any com- ment? New fnods to 4tl1 Class Repj. 4th Class Representative: Mast, band salutel Twol Dismissed. lnstead, tlaings loolced up. Watches grew more interesting, tlie labor not so menial. We became objects of potential value, rewarded witla some responsibility and one l1our's extra liberty. Tlae engineers, safely ensconced between a llarried first class and laboring mugs, did notliing and Waxed Plump and prosperous. Declclaands, recall the Weight We lost And after stud ing . , ' Y piloting all year, llow snowed we were by celestial navigation, X RAY os'rc D First Class cruise and lcings of tlie lleap. Recall tlie saclc sieges, and tlie successful tliougla desperate efforts to salvage a worlc- able toaster. Recall tlie weiglit we gained. All this under tlie direction of our Cap- tain, a man of exceptional as well as exten- sive ability. A seaman, an artist,.I1is capa- bilities include tliat of jurisprudence, being the possessor of a unique and imaginative legal mind. And close by, somewliere along tlie line on any trip, could be found Artlaur Tode wlio is to NYSMU and tlie Propellor Club what tlie Great Vvliite Fatlier was to tlle Indian. He lilies to give speeclmes and tlmrow coclctail parties and on tliat score llis exist- ence is a blessing. There is mucli more to remember: tlie niglits at sea on a midwatcla-tlie sibilant Q I W fan

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it the tir- Iey di- ing the ck, is- ei' the -2 of irst re- the ' to ter- ies: her, itle hen ate last and rid- air, ne- tail set 'ies ary the Jus HBA!-Ll DQWN OYI Then taps, the ship is darlcened and falls silent. Another day. ln the wardroom the officers do what- ever officers do in wardrooms. Below. the unrlerclass sleeps, and the first class coolcs. All this we rememher, any one or all matting everything worth while when per- haps nothing else did. And so ends my little tale. ln closing, l should like to say a few thousand hrief words, and they are: First. concerning this little opus. Either through laclc of space or failing memory much that is Worthy of mention has re- mained unsaid. For this I am truly sorry. llrnow,'too, that as soon as this goes to press, a welter of incident and detail will Come to mind, hut then c'est la vie. Other than that, I don,t give an inch on anything, SQCOIKHY and profoundly, time alone will reveal how We are to fare, and what is 10 llecome of us in the bright days ahead. CISW The days of our having heen shipmates grow fewer and fewer, until the time will come when the prospect of all of us ever heing under the same roof again is highly im- prohahle. We will meet occasionally, singly and severally, in odd and exotic places throughout the world. And twenty or twen- ty-five years hence, losing aloft, adding amidships, married, domesticated, and grim- ly determined parents, We shall proloahly foregather to prove something or other. I sincerely hope all hands will he present. In any event those who do show should have fun reminiscing and discovering just what did happen to the class of 1952, an outfit which is the recipient of some dire predic- tions as of now. Whatever happens, I shall personally recall them all as needing two to start a party and four a jovial riot, good ship- mates and grand fellows. And if for no other reason, pray remem- her me as the guy who tried to do service by suhstantiating our lies with facts.