I got asked about life at a state Maritime Academy.
Graduated in 1970 with a Third Assistant Engineers liciense steam and Diesel wide open. The place has changed a lot so what I know is dated.
When I went there you had to be a male between 17 to 22 and unmarried. You had to live on base. I was a midshipman.
It was a three year 9 trimester program. The training ship was a twin engine room tubo electric ship. The program was heavy in engineering classes and hands on experience, but was not fully accrredited. More pratical classes than a normal colleges.
Now there is no age limit and there are women and married who live off base students. NOw they are cadets (what does that mean). Now it is a four year program. Two training ships later the new ship is a deisel ship and fairly new. Now a lot of engineering classes have been cut to add general ed classes, that is also why it is now 4 years. Now more theroy classes.
We actually ran the training ship. Each 4 hour watch had only one liciensed officer in the engine room and one on the bridge. the midshipmen operated the engines and equipment, we maintained it. We learned by doing, hands on. We got to go to foriegn countries. I got to talk to the Aussie Coast Guard about an oil spill. I was on the firing flat when we almost blew safties with the skypipe broken. If they had lifted at that time 3 men would have been cooked alive, scardest I have been in my life.
I lead a small polywog revolt. Ended up a special case at the equator crossing. Picked the best place to hide, stayed in my bunk. by the time I was called court was over. We crossed the line the next day. I went through the line and became a shellback in the old way.
In my life my longest day was 48 hours, and my shortest day was 0 hours long. We cross the date line.
I remember thinking at the end of my third class year,“man look at how much I learned in one year, but look at how much I still have to learn.” At the end of my second class year I thought, “I do not know how much I have learned, but look at what I have to learn in just one more year!” When I graduated all I could think was I do not know how much I know, but I know it is not enough."
If you have any questions about what it was like ask I will try and answer.
Signing off for now
Just a Greasie Old Snipe