The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-11
BREAKING INTO THE NAVY
Blue Jacket Of Today is a Trained and
Modern Mechanic.

BIuejacket Of Today is a Trained and
Modern Mechanic.
The bluejacket of today is no long |
er the sailor OF old days, but trained
and modern mechanic. He operates |
the engines of the mighty battleship |
the turrets, the guns, the torpedoes
the dynamos and wireless outfit, you
see him swinging down the street and
little you think that perhaps he is the
man who steers the ship during tick |
fish maneuyers at sea, says Ruth Me
Nair Hoax IN Leslie's
To tran men in the various trades
for the fleet, schools are maintained
at the several navy yards and sta
tons. There are electrical schools
at New York and Mare Island Cali.
fornia The classes are divided into
four parts two for electricians
(generaD and two for electricians
(radio) Men must have had some
previous electrical experience have
knowledge OF mathematics, and do
elementary work in mechanical draw
ing and sketching The length OF the
course is eight months.
An artihcer class is maintained at
Norfolk for blacksmiths. ship-htters.
shipwrights and painteds. The
course is six months in length, and
applicants must have rudimentary
knowledge of the trade in which they
desire instruction.
At Charleston S. c., there is q
class for machinists' mates. Students
are at the school sixteen months.
Applicants must have some know
ledge Of the trade and be men OF con-
tinuous naval service Glasses for
coppersmiths and for the instruction
of men in gasoline engines are also
maintained at Charleston.
There are also schools for musici
ans at Norfolk. Great Lakes, H., and
San Francisco: classes for cooks
and bakers at Newport, X. l., and
San Francisco: classes for commits
saIy stewards and hospital appren.
tees at Newport and San Francisco,
and advanced classes are also held
for ayiators, deep-sea divers and tor.
pedomen
The first naval aviation school was
at Pensacola, Fla, and the course
was eighteen months in duration.
Since the declaration OF war numer-
GUS other aviation stations have been
opened.
The greater body of men, however,
for the navy must be deck force, the
men who man the guns and fight.
They come mostly from the appren-
tice seamen, usually boys just out of
school For training these boys four
| great training stations are main
tanned; one each at Norfolk, Va.
Newport. r. l., Great Lakes, ILL., aud
on Goat Island in San Francisco Bay,
Cal
Upon the apprentice seaman's en-.
| listment, he is sent to the nearest of
these stations. and placed in training.
Every precaution is taken to guard
| the recruits health A receiving
building is equipped with large
| bath room fitted with a number of
showers, and here they must first
battle, bidding farewell to their ciyi.
| liam clothing
Upon completion of the course OF
training, the boys are usually granted
a few days leave to visit their homes
before being ordered to sea. Some
times their friends find il difficult to
recognize them, so wonderful has
been their development during these
few months of training,
There is a wonderful feeling in the
boys heart when he is first ordered
to sea to take his place as one of the
crew of a battleship. He goes to dc
a mans work to fill a mans billet.
to fit into the life on board ship and
to continue his training along differ
ent and more advanced lines, for the
training Of a bluejacket never ends.
Every days drill is a continuation OF
training, training for battle, training
fol- that moment when the cross
wires of his telescope sight will bear
upon the sides of the enemy battle.
ship, and the fourteen.inch gun, at
his trigger pull, will speak with the
voice of victory.