West Technical High School - Technician Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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satisfactory that he was promoted to admiral of a small fleet. Our new captain has proven a still more able seaman. He has had many difficult problems to solve. He received a crew of apprentices who are not yet ready to become seamen, and disposing of them about the ship was a difficult task. The personnel of our officers corps has been changed almost completely in the last four years and first officers Axline, Elmer and Marshal and some of the chief engineers are all of the original corps that are left. We all served our apprenticeship in the hold under engineers Thomas, Klee and McMillan. Some of us liked this kind of work very much and decided to become officers in this line while others of us were more interested in the theoretical handling of the ship or in the explosive department. In our last year we may work in that part of the ship in which we are most interested. Some selected the cooking department, some the drafting department and others the explosive department. Our cooking department is very efficient and our mess hall is the best regulated and we get the best food in the fleet. We have nearly as many yeomen as seamen on board. ()ur commissary department is made up almost wholly of yeomen. They have many activities of their own and their Corinthian society hold dances and plays which the seamen like very much. We have a great deal of fun mixed in with our work for our officers realize that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. There is a great deal of friendly competition between the ships of our fleet. The crews engage in football, basketball, track and debating. Our ship has always had a good record for its athletics and many members of our class have participated. Seamen Schmitz, Sloat, Gaskcll, Cole. Nealon. Laisy and Christopher all did their share towards making our ship victor in many a contest. Although the yeomen did not participate in athletics between ships as the seamen do, they have athletics of their own. They also have a rooting club to cheer on the seamen in their contests. The success of our athletics is due partially to the hearty cooperation of our yeomen. On every cruise it has been the custom to have a ship play. In the last play six of our members played important roles. The debating team also has been especially successful. Led by Clarence Mraz our ship has triumphed many times. Due to

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Btalnrg Our four years enlistment on the good ship West Tech has nearly expired and we who are fortunate enough to reach the harbor in safety look back with satisfaction over our four years voyage. When we first enlisted, there were nearly two hundred of us but many were not fit for so rough a voyage. Many died from the common disease known as laziness. Our casualties were greatest the first year and a majority of those who survived this trip were able to serve out their enlistment. Of those who were frightened by the first stages of sea sickness we remember little. They arc long since at rest in the sea of oblivion. 'Those who could not stand the pace, one by one dropped out and today only picked men are left. Men whom the captain can recommend and who are bound some day to sail the high seas, not as men before the mast but as officers. These men have held their posts through many a gale and when they leave the harbor and launch out for themselves, they will surely succeed. Our four voyages each lasted nine months and we were given three months shore leave in between. A few overstayed their shore leave and some deserted. After every shore leave we attacked our work with fresh vigor and determination to succeed. We all resolved to work hard, that our ship might come to safe anchorage after every voyage and not become a victim of the deadly U-boats. Although these U-boats succeeded in doing a great deal of damage we steered our course courageously and resolved to build our ships faster than they could be sunk, and W(C who have survived, suceeded. On all our four voyages a great deal of credit is due to our officers. For two years and a half our captain was Mr. Short. He was an efficient captain and under his command our ship became one of the leading ships in the fieet. Mis work was so

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quarantine we had only one debate this year. Two members of our class, captain Mraz and Clifford Laisy made good. Our captain believes that music helps the morale of the crew-We have had an orchestra every trip and sometimes a band. Seamen Bohmer. Scott. Hauschild and Mutersbaugh have helped a great deal toward the success of both organizations. During our third year a ship paper was published every month and this trip a weekly has been printed with great success. Six yeomen and three seamen of our class hold important positions on this paper. On our last trip the admiral has ruled that drilling for seamen is compulsory. Mraz and Stcigelmeier of our class have received commissions. Our military companies have become very efficient and compare favorably with any in the fleet. Now that our cruise is ended we must decide whether we shall embark on another four years cruise with a higher training ship or whether without further training we will launch on our own ship “Ambition” on the stormy sea of life. God grant that we may reach the final harbor in safety. GORDON MUTKRSBAUGH.