News From Fort Schuyler

July 8, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 33

ATTENTION ALL HANDS - The Class of 1950 is sponsoring a cruise to Bermuda in September 2000 for ALL graduates of Schuyler, their families and friends, to celebrate their golden reunion, a significant college anniversary and (of course) the millennium. Here is a follow-up from GERRY ALBIN, Class of 1950, to the preliminary announcement that appeared in NFFS 3:29:

"SCHUYLER GRADUATES INVITED TO CRUISE INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM - In honor of the 125th anniversary of the founding of New York State Maritime, the Class of 1950 is sponsoring a commemorative cruise to Bermuda following its 50 year homecoming ceremony on September 16, 2000. All graduates of Schuyler, their families and friends, are invited to join '50 Class in welcoming the new millennium in Bermuda and aboard a great cruise ship. Snipes and Apes, spouses and kids, join the fun....swap sea stories, meet old and new shipmates, tour Bermuda with its great beaches and golf courses. Tell your classmates and friends, hold mini-reunions...let's fill the boat !"

For further information on what is sure to be an enjoyable and memorable Maritime College cruise to Bermuda, contact Ed Arndt, Class of 1950, by phone, snail mail, or email. His telephone is: 703-255-2791. His postal address is: 10227 Cedar Pond Drive, Vienna, VA 22182-2906. You can email him at: e.arndt@juno.com

SPEAKING OF MILLENNIAL HAPPENINGS - There was article on the effect of global warming upon New York City in the June 30 NY Times. The bad news was a map showing Throgs Neck as one of the vulnerable coastal areas, i.e. land below 10 feet in elevation. The good news is that it won't be a problem until 2100. And of course, unlike many colleges, SUNY Maritime will have its own ark, aka TS EMPIRE STATE XV, for those rainy millennial days. The study upon which the article was based, commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund, had its genesis with the Nor'easter that hit Fort Schuyler on December 11-12, 1992. Read more about that storm and a worst-case-scenario for the future coastal environment in your area at: http://www.edf.org/index.html

BIG BUCKS FOR WEST COAST MARITIME HISTORY - There is a September 12^th deadline for submissions of papers to the Karl Kortum Endowment for Maritime History. According to a June press release, "The Kortum Endowment encourages research in selected fields of West Coast maritime history by presenting an Award of $1000 every two years." For more information, request 'Guidelines and Information' from: Mark_Goldstein@nps.gov

BY SPECIAL REQUEST - "I cannot recall the words to our Alma Mater," writes JERRY STAATS, "I have slept toooooo many nights since graduating in 1969. In your next 'News from Fort Schuyler' would you be able to publish the words to that song ? It would certainly be appreciated." [Here it is, according to the Graduation Program of May 8 1999.]

'The Bells of St. Mary's'

CHORUS

The bells of St. Mary's at sweet even'tide
Shall call her beloved to come o'er her side;
And dear Alma Mater in sound of the sea,
I know you've been waiting, yes, waiting for me.

REFRAIN

The bells of St. Mary's Ah ! Hear ! They are calling
The old lads, and the new lads who have gone to sea;
Our dear Alma Mater, we hear your voice calling,
The ship's bells shall ring out, ring out for you and me.

SECOND REFRAIN

The bells of St. Mary's Ah ! Hear ! They are calling
The old lads, the new lads who go down to the sea
And so, my Beloved, when blue seas are calling,
The ship's bells shall ring out, ring out for you and me.

ALT-CTRL-DELETE - "A minor correction," writes ERHARD KOEHLER, Class of 1987, referring to an item in NFFS 3:32. "The MERCY [TS EMPIRE STATE III] was converted from a C1-B class break-bulk cargo ship, not a Victory ship."

GONE FISHING - With the flow of news items for NFFS slowing to a mid-summer trickle, your editor is taking advantage of the lull to head off for vacation with stops in Berlin, Weimar, Dreieich and Steinbach - not all of which are big tourist destinations - yet.