United States Merchant Marine Academy - Midships Yearbook (Kings Point, NY)

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Challenging The Sea Since the establishment of Kings Point, midshipmen have been sent out to sea as cadets on many of the great ships of the world. Not only do they learn practical skills as part of their education but they learn also the legends of the sea. From the folk lore of the first ship to the pre- sent merchant ships, the ship’s bell has had a functional purpose in the everyday operations of the vessel. In Karl Wede’s book on the history and romance of the ship’s bell, he expounds on the use of ship’s bells as the rhythm of life on board. It has marked the time, signaled meals, rang for the beginning and the end of watches and chimed for various religious ceremonies.

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Table Of Contents Opening Sea Year Faculty And Administration Rotations And Underclassmen H Midshipman Life WW Wj Sports i Clubs And Activities 1 Year In Review n l | Special Events BPingssr n I Seniors 1 16 50 76 112 160 194 215 226 258

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In the beginning, the bell was known as the main form of com- munication on the sea until mod- ern technology introduced such invetions as radios, lights, and of course the steam engine which added the use of ship’s whistles. Bells were first carried as car- go, to be presented as gifts to the foreigners that the explorer en- countered and as materials for trading and bartering. Up to H twenty thousand bells were car- ried at once, both large and small. Even though they were meant to be cargo, they were of- ten used when holding religious ceremonies. During such reli- gious times, bells were thought to have magical powers. The mari- ners believed that the unpredict- ability of the seas were caused by giant demons and monsters and that the bells could ward off any danger that these sea monsters may cause to the ship. The bells were placed at the stern, the poop, the forecastle and wherever ft.