Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27
TO OPEN FREE
 SCHOOL IN MYSTIC
Opportunity for Connecticut Seafaring
 Sons to do Their Part.

Boston, July 26. - Opportunity for Connecticut's seafarfng sons to do their part in the great war, where skill and experience will count for the utmost, is presented to it today by the Ma tionai Government. The headquarters of the United States Shipping Board Recruiting Ser vice, at the Custom House, Boston, to- day definitely announced that 9 free government school in navigation will be opened at Mystic, if a sufficient number of qualified men apply. c. NJ. Congdon, assistant section chief in New England, said today that after careful investigation he finds an earnest demand for one of the naviga- ton schools in Connecticut. The Mystic school will be the ninth opened in New England; the others are already making excellent records, and at the custom house here the new free Sea Service Bureau is daily placing their graduates in responsible posi- tions at increased pay. Application for enrolment in the Mystic school are to be received by A. L. Pitcher of Mystic, secretary of the local com mittee that is cooperating; or Hen ry Howard, director of recruiting for the United Staates Shipping Board, at Boston.
 Eventually 30 free navigation schools will be running on the Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and West coasts.
 An applicant is not asked to enlist, in the navy, but is expected, IT ac- cepted for training to sign on in the Merchant Marine, where present waS es are very high.
 As soon as student receives his pa pers he will. if selected go on pay as junior officer in a coastwise or South American vessel, where he will remain two months at s75 a month. He will then be at liberty to go on full pay at the rate prevailing in the trans Atlantic service.
 Pay in the transatlantic trade at present ranges from s9o per month to s250, together with war bonuses. Cap taius are receiving as high as s350 month.
 The school shoyld graduate its first men in six weeks.
 The minimum qualifications for en tering are:
 l. At least two years experience in the Deck Department of ocean or of coa stwise steam vessels.
 ?. At least three years experience in the Deck Department of ocean or coast sailing vessels.
 2. At least three years experience in the Deck Department of sailing yes sells engaged in the ocean or coastwise fisheries.
 f. At least one years experience as mate of steam vessels engaged in the ocean or coastwise fisheries.
 ,, Two years experience as master or chief mate of ocean or coastwise sailing vessels of 200 gross tons or over.
 g. Two years experience as master or pilot of lake, bay. or sound steam vessels.
 '. A graduate from the seamanship class of a nautical school ship. The knowledge of navigation is desirable. but not necessary. Knowledge of the plain rules of arithmetic is necessary.
 The opportunities now offered Amer ican seamen qualified to serve as of ficers are expected to lead to Derman- ent. positions. The L. s. Shipping Board plans to add not less than four million tons of shipping to the Mer- chant Marine in the next IS months. including the 1000 cargo carrying blockade runners.
 Scarcity Of American merchant off, There was discussion of a possible ne cessity of admitting foreign officers to aid in handling the new American ships. It was to obviate the latter course, and to prevent the shortage Of officers from becoming acute, that the United States Shipping Board, took a look ahead. started it's training sys- tenn for producing watch officers from the abundant material of American citizens with nautical experience to be found at the various ports of the country.
 Five thousand men will he trained in navigation alone. Another 5000 are to be trained in seven marine en- giueering schools that are already run ming The Mystic school will be given wholly to the study of naviga tior.