Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-26
ABILITY MRS. PATTEN
DID NOT SURPRISE
HER BATH FRIENDS

Bath, Me-, sept. 25.-lt did not sur
prise her many friends in Bath that
Mrs. Charlotte Patten, wife Of the late
Capt. Frank Patten, should have aris-
en- to an emergency which occurred
at Charleston, ). c., recently in which
she took charge OF school where
young men we've being taught seaman
ship.
Inc school at Charleston is gov
eminent school and at the time the
young men were about halt way
thu ouSl thcir course 1t became nee
essary for the head of the school,
Prof. ". ii. Smith, to so to Boston.
Mrs. Patten had been stopping in
Charleston as the guest of her daugh-
ter, who is also we'll known in Bath,
who is married TO a sea captain, Cap
tain Terrell OF the tanker Maryland
! In her spare time Mrs. Patten had
! coached many second and third Off
GERS and mates in navigation by mail,
giving them such excellent instruction
they were able to pass their exams
and obtain better ratings.
1t was through this fact that Mrs.
Iattcn was called on by the United
states government to go to the school
and see to it that the young marin
ers whose services the nation is so
BADLY in need of, received such in
struct!nn in navigation as to enable
chem TO fill positions on vessels So
the government pocketed its pride
about the matter, if it had any, and
ordered the Maine woman to take
charge. She has been as successful
with her class there as she has teach
4iS navigation at various other places
ana under various circumstances.
1t has been about four years since
, Mrs Pattcn visited Faith, although
Fer mother, Mrs. d. c. Shaw, lives
mere, at 344 Front street Mrs. Patten
has passed Is years of her life at sea
and it was during that time she learn
ed navigation. She is able to guide the
course of a ship by taking observa-
tions in the daytime or can steer a
ship by the stars. OF course, she is cor
respondincly able to set course by
chart and succesSfullv follow it,
Some years ago Captain Patten de-
cided to retire from the sea and he
and his wife made arrangements to
occupy a small farm at Byefield.
Mass. When they had been at this farm
OILY ~ SipII tlIiic 'dpJ, l'dItcn Uleu.
His daughter had in the meantime
married. Capt. Patterns first mate of
the sailing vessel kinco, Mr.. Terrell.
The Kineo. purchased by the Stand
/ ard Oil Co, was converted by that
company into an oil tanker propelled
by steam. and with Capt. Patten re-
firing, Mr.. Fcrrell was promoted to be
captain of the oil tanker, whose name
was changed from kineo to Mary
land.
Mrs. Terrell was living in Baltimore
and with the death of Capt. Patten,
Mrs Patten moved to Baltimore to live
with her daughter and later to Charles
ton, when, by the demands of his bust
ness, Capt Terrell had to move his
family to Charleston.
In a short time, as the school has
graduated it's men, for the time being
Mrs Patten will move to Bayonne, n.
J.. which is to be the next place of
residence for Capt. and Mrs. Terrell.
There are many schools for seamen in
the vicinity of New York city and in
New Jersey and it is not likely that the
United States government Will let a
woman who knows navigation not only
as we'll as most captains, but better
than many remain quietly at home
PLAYING with her two grandchildren
when America needs young officers for
+ its merchant marine so badly.