page_title: SS Stevens
section_title: Maiden voyage and early life
hierarchical_section_title: SS Stevens / SS Stevens (1967–1975) / Maiden voyage and early life
caption_attribution_description: English: SS Stevens stack as viewed from the bridge deck, starboard side. SS Stevens was formerly cruise liner SS Exochorda of the New "4 Aces" fleet of American Export Lines The image was scanned from the original Kodachrome 25 (Daylight) 35mm film image. For other photos, see SS Stevens Gallery
context_page_description: SS Stevens, a 473-foot, 14,893-ton ship, served as a floating dormitory from 1968 to 1975 for about 150 students of Stevens Institute of Technology, a technological university, in Hoboken, NJ. Permanently moored on the scenic Hudson River at the foot of the campus across from New York City, this first collegiate floating dormitory became one of the best known college landmarks in the country.
  Twenty-four years prior to her duty as a floating dormitory, the ship served with distinction in World War II as USS Dauphin, a Windsor-class attack transport vessel. Originally launched in 1944, Dauphin was awarded one battle star and was present in Tokyo Bay for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945.
  Following the war, the vessel underwent significant modifications, and emerged as cruise liner SS Exochorda — a member of the post-war quartet of ships named "4 Aces", operated by American Export Lines. During her eleven years of cruise liner service, from 1948 to 1959, Exochorda — along with her nearly identical sister ships in the "4 Aces" — regularly sailed with passengers and cargo on a 12,000-mile route from New York Harbor to various Mediterranean ports.
context_section_description: On November 10, 1967, with ceremonies similar to those afforded ships on their maiden voyage, the former Exochorda and newly refurbished floating dormitory was moved by McAllister Brothers' tugboats from the shipyard to her new berth at the college-owned 8th Street Pier.  Two of the shipyard's workmen suffered a minor mishap when the gangplank slipped a few feet while being positioned on the pier.
  The ship was rechristened Stevens by Mrs. Jess H. Davis, wife of the institute's president, Dr. Jess H. Davis.  The ship was originally named Castle Queen via a contest run by the student body in 1967. The name submitted by Joe Giacone, class of '69, was changed to SS Stevens, which was preferred by Mrs. Davis The Stute, Fall 1967.  Dr. Davis and William L. Bingham, dean of student affairs, formally took possession of the ship as the institute's flag was hoisted from the bridge.
  Reflecting the technological nature of her namesake, Stevens Institute of Technology, the ship's single cigar-shaped funnel had been painted with an elongated red letter "S", the integral symbol — well known by her student residents through their study and application of the calculus.  The ship's name, "Stevens", had also been painted in black letters on her bow.
  Connection of water, sewer and electric services with the Hoboken land utilities was facilitated by flexible piping (hoses) and cabling of sufficient length to accommodate the motion of the ship resulting from changing tides or severe weather.
  Although she was a complete ship, containing an engine room, wheelhouse, bridge and decks, she was licensed by the State of New Jersey as a residence hall.  Designed to the highest Coast Guard standards (1948), fire safety doors and smoke ventilation systems were functional and met local regulations.
  The first student residents of Stevens, a total of 150, moved aboard her in January 1968.
  On Wednesday, May 22, 1968, an open house was held aboard Stevens in honor of National Maritime Day, commemorating the beginning of trans-Atlantic steam navigation.
  When the first ocean-going training vessel for the Texas State Maritime Program, USTS Texas Clipper was in need of spare parts, Stevens, with the blessing of the U.S. Maritime Administration, answered her call.  As a benefit of their common heritage — Stevens, the former Exochorda, and Texas Clipper, the former Excambion, sisters ships in the post-war "4 Aces" — many parts were interchangeable between the two vessels.  The parts were made available to Texas Clipper during her visit to New York in June 1968, the first such visit since her conversion from Excambion.
caption: Stevens single cigar-shaped funnel painted with the ship's badge, the integral symbol
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