Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-05-24
OUR LADS ON THE SEA.
PennsyIvania's Nautical school Ship OF
for n Long Trip-The Saratoga and
Her Crew.

PennsyIvania's Nautical school Ship OF
for a Long Trip-The Saratoga and
Her Crew.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
A short time ago Pennsyl lvania's nautical
school ship, the Saratoga, with its human
cargo of embryo sailors, was set atioat. The
historical old war vessel has just passed
her 49th birthday and is still hale and
hearty" by reason of her live oak timber
and copper fastenings. She has been loaned
by the government TO the state OF Penn
sylvania or the state of Philadelphia (the
same thing to the mind of Philadelphian,
you know for school purposes, princi-
pally to train boys for the mercantile
marine service, and she is to revert to the
navy when no longer used for such
purpose.
In addition to the methods of navigation
the pupils are instructed in common school
branches, and the records slow an astonish-
ing improvement in the three RS made by
lads most deficient in the rudiments.
School opened the 4th of last December
and 100 names are now on the roll.
The school is supported by an appropria-
ton of S25, 900 yeaIly-sl0 900 by the state
and $4,000 by Philadelphia, which city has
also donated a truly magnificent library of
well selected, prettily and seryiceably
bound books, embracing all the standard
works of prose and verse, of fiction and
history, that would interest boy from 10
to % years old, which, by the way, is the
limit In addition to these books there are
whole shelves of legal looking volumes,
containing nautical lore apparently dry
enough and weighty enough to clog the
brain machinery of the average would-be
sailor.
Boys are admitted ints the school regard
less of color, religious creed or degree of
scholarship, provided he is sound mentally
and strong physically, with no symptoms
of color blindness and no intemperate
habits supposedly incurable by virtue of
ship discipline and seasickness. Drinking
and smoking are positively forbidden on
board. One pupil has been expelled for
bringing liquor on the vessel.
Application for admission must be made
to the board of trust, which is composed
of six men, three of whom were appointed
by the mayor of Philadelphia. The APP
plicant must come recommended by two
weli-known and reputable citizens from his
district, and must enlist for two years;
the only cost to parent or gugrdlan being
the furnishing of wearing apparel. Inc
regular and temperate lives these growing
boys are obliged to live is in itself sur
fcient Recommendation for the school, No
sluggards are allowed on board: "early to
bed and early to rise" is the motto. From
arising at until retiring to their swing
ing cot at 8 life is an active one, mental
and physical training alternating in a way
to make both alike enjoyable aud profitable.
The boys declare themselves satisfied i'll
every particular, especially with the menu,
which, of course, is the first consideration
land il proves them true sons of their
fathersl, and each one interyiewe ed declaT ed
the greatest CT limity that could overtake g
him would be expulsion The boys do all
the "housewoikn eScep cooking; how
@ 'er, each "mess" has Us cook, which
l.ie name Civ en- the one who draws {
r,,Ions from the cook proper This "co.
/, appointed for one week only, and ).
is just seven days too long TO that boy.