The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-14
HOW MARINE
ENGINEERS WIN
y Y lllL WAN
Intensive Training in the
Colleges Established
OVER 1900
ATTEND SCHOOL
Section Chiefs Aid in
Securing Recruits

Washington, Sept. 14-When the
United States Shipping Board de-
cided that bridge of ships was nee
essary to keep the men "Over There"
supplied with the things they need
ed for winning the war and determin-
ed to build and equip 1000 merchant
ships for the purpose, further prob
lem faced them than that of getting
the yards, materials and men for
such construction. This was, the
manning of the ships with seamen,
officers and ngineers-especially ma
rine engineers.
The Board, at the outset, proceed
ed on the theory that there was plen-
ty of material in the country for an
adequate supply Of marine engineers.
1t believed that all that was lacking
was bit of training, after such men
had been made to see the necessity
for their adopting such work, at
least for the period of the war. 1t
estimated that there were several
thousands of such men in the engine
rooms and firerooms of existing mer-
chant ships-oilers, water tenders and
fremen-who could be made into
capable engineers by little encour-
agement and instruction. 1t estimat-
ed further that there were many
hundreds of marine engineers follow
ing other callings ashore, who could
be interested in returning to sea. FL
nally, it was estimated that there
were thousands of stationary engin-
GERS, locomotive drivers and machin-
lists who had worked on marine en-
gine construction or repairs ashore
who could be quickly trained to be-
come marine engineers. The big nee
essity was making them see that their
services were needed in the emer-
gency, to give them some pointers
about saltwater practice in engin-
eering and to give them their "sea-
legs" before starting them off on voy-
ages across the Atlantic.
Here the college came in and a
an54originated with Henry Howard,
of Boston, the Boards Director of
Recruiting was adopted, under which
men of these three classes are sent
to various colleges for brief, in
tensive training in marine engineer
ing before being sent to sea.
The idea of a college education
was a novel one for the marine men,
Heretofore marine engineers were
graduates of their own engine rooms
beginning as oilers or water tenders
or even coal passers-and learning
how to handle ga ships vitals by
watching their chief do it and profit
ing by his often not-too-plain instruc-
tions. The idea was so novel thai
the grimy-handed mechanic who haC
followed the sea was, at first, inclin
ed to shy at it. college stuff" seem
ed bit too much for him and hi
generally believed that it was no
worth much to a man at sea. But the
plan was carried on nevertheless
and it had not been in operation long
before the mechanics began to se'
something in 1T. The firemen ant
oilers took to it; and they came ou
of the courses with second or thir'
assistant engineers licenses in sucl
a surprisingly short space of tim
that the method of their advancement
commanded respect. Now the Boar
is able to train plenty of engineer
to handle it's ships; even men VIII
are equipped to care for the delicat
turbines and Diesel oil-burners tina
are part of the equipment of tn
most modern type of construction
Prof. Edward F. Miller, head of TIL
engineering class of the Massachus
etts Institute of Technology, holde
of marine engineers license and a
authority of marine practice, wa
named instructor of the first clas
which was assembled at the Masss
chusetts college. The first class ha
not been at the college a week b,
fore the value of the course was d.
monstrated and the seamen had 81
seal of hearty approval on their il
structor. Prof. Miller then was d.
signed by the Board as chief instru
tor and classes were opened at T.
lane University, New Orleans, A
mour Institute, Chicago; Case Scho
of Applied Science, Cleveland; Un
versity of Pennsylvania, Philade
phia; John Hopkins University, Ba
timore; Washington University, Sea
tie; University of California, Berk
ley; Pratt Institute, Brooklyn; al
in New York and Jersey City. tt
attendance at these schools to da
has been more than $500.
Some of these schools hold bo
day and night sessions, the studen
of the night classes following the
customary occupations during t
daytime They are first tested
mathematics and, if competent, l
ceive thorough course of instru
tion in handling all the special a
paratus in the engine room of 4
ocean-going vessel. They also G
instruction andlaboratory work sho
ing them the action of water-espt
tally salt water-under heat and q