Schoolship Reunion Hears Peter Stanford On National Ship Trust

The Pennsylvania Schoolship Association's 24th Annual Muster (reunion) was held at the Ben Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia on October 14, 1978. The Association represents graduates of the former Pennsylvania Maritime Academy, closed since 1947, but who have actively carried on the lore and traditions of Pennsylvania's former nautical school.

The Association had as featured speaker Peter Stanford, president of the National Maritime Historical Society. He spoke on the development and establishment of the National Ship Trust, of which he is a co-founder. The Historical Society was originally a volunteer effort to bring together groups interested in preserving the maritime heritage of America. It has since been joined by the leading maritime museums in the country. The National Ship Trust was recently organized to provide the country with a national policy in p r e s e r v i n g its maritime "roots." Mr. Stanford was one of the founders of New York's South Street Seaport Museum, and was its president for 10 years prior to taking the helm of the Historical Society. He is also the managing editor of the Society's outstanding publication, "Sea History." The Pennsylvania Schoolship Association was formed in 1955 to preserve the venerable history of the state's former maritime training program. Five schoolships were utilized in the period from 1890 to 1947, to provide structured training to young men from Pennsylvania, to become deck or engine officers on American merchant marine vessels. The school operated under the aegis of the state, until it was closed down. Six such schools still function on each of the U.S. Seaboards, with a Federal Academy located at Kings Point, N.Y.

Persons i n t e r e s t e d in subscribing to the publication "Sea History" can write to Peter Stanford, National Maritime Historical Society, 2 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

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