Lt. Hunter and His Horizontal Wheel the Daybook Volume 6 Issue 2 Winter 2000 in This Issue
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The Da)lbook Volume 6 Issue 2 Winter 2000 /1. '.'11 ----.·-::. --· - ~. ::(/;j ! '/ ,'[ i ~ I: i I ... - - --- _, ·- - i :· I ~ ~ iJ ' ,, ' ] _) _ :, t : X ~ ( ·- 1 • Lt. Hunter and His Horizontal Wheel The Daybook Volume 6 Issue 2 Winter 2000 In This Issue ... Luncheon Lecture Series to Kick Off with Coast Guard Historian Robert Browning, page 3 One Hundred Years of Silence: Museum Opens New Temporary Exhibit on the U.S. Submarine Force, page 4 The Germ Experiment-Lt. William Hunter's Horizontal Wheel, Page 6 Features L o cAl Hi 1 tory. Wo r l J E v en tl. The Director's Column- Those Who Can, Do Teach! ..................2 About The Daybook HRNA1 Staff The Daybook is an authorized publication of the Director Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM). Its contents Book Reviews .................................... 10 Becky Poulliot do not necessarily reflect the official view of the U.S. FDR and the US Navy edited by Edward Government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy Curator or the U.S. Marine Corps and do not imply endorsement Joe Judge J. Marolda. Reviewed by William Wagner thereof. Book reviews are solely the opinion of the Education Specialist reviewer. The HRNM is operated and funded by Commander Bob Matteson Desert Shield at Sea: What the Navy Really Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. The museum is dedicated to Exhibits Specialist Did by Marvin Pokrant. Reviewed by Alex the study of 225 years of naval history in the Hampton Marta Nelson Roads region. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to Museum Tech./Librarian Macensky 5 p.m. Admission is free. The Dayboo/(s purpose is to educate and inform readers on historical topics and museum Ofelia Elba related events. It is written by the staff and volunteers of HRNMLCPO the museum. OSC (SW) Michael Coughlin The Museum Sage ... ... 12 Questions or comments can be directed to the Hampton Editor of The Daybook ·~ If Looks Could Kill: A Look Roads Naval Museum editor. 7he Daybook can be reached at (757) 322-2993, by fax at (757) 445-1867, e-mail at Gordon Calhoun :t at Naval architecture [email protected], or write The Daybook, Special Events ~ plus .... Hampton Roads Naval Museum, One Waterside Drive, Helene Tisdale Suite 248, Norfolk, VA 23510-1607. The museum Director, HRNHF Useful Webpages: USS can be found on the World Wide Web at Salem and Submarine Force http://www.hrnm.navy.mil Maj. Gen. Dennis Murphy, The Day Book is published quarterly with a circulation USMC (Ret) Atlantic (SUBLANT) of I ,200. Contact the editor for a free subscription. • Cover Photographs: Ever since Robert Fulton perfected maritime steam propulsion in the early 19th century, a worldwide race began among engineers and inventors to improve on his work. One such engineer was American Naval.officer and Hampton Roads Lt. William W. Hunter. His designs called for horizontally mounted paddle wheels placed under the ship instead of vertically Rear Adm. Christopher W. Cole mounted where they would be exposed to gunfire. Never Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic could have worked you say? Think he was a crazy dreamer? See page 6. 1 The Daybook Winter 2000 Those who can, do Teach! The Director's Column by Becky Poulliot ant to set sail aboard an 18'h century sailing ship? How about We will soon start a program becoming a WWII gun crew W for Norfolk's sixth graders member? That's exactly what Norfolk about how African-Americans public school 3'd and 6th graders have been have served the U.S. Navy. doing at the Hampton Roads Naval Pictured at left is World War Museum during Spring field trips. Students II Navy Cross recipient Dorie use their imaginations in two hands-on Miller. Pictured below are programs created by the museum to teach sailors training in electronics naval history and requisite Social Studies at the Hampton Institute (n ow Standards of Learning. What makes the Hampton University) in 1945. program so well-rounded is that Nauticus (Naval Historical Center) offers a complimentary segment on Science on the same day. The challenge is to engage the students to interact during the program, and I hopefully, spark further interest. Regarding I the third grade program on the Age of Sail, students learn about life aboard a ship by holy stoning a deck and resting on cots less than two feet wide. Social and economic history blend with geography. Children leave with an understanding of maritime exploration. With the sixth graders, we were asked to complement the Nauticus program on Black Achievers. Staff and volunteers spent January and February, 2000 in development. We wanted to highlight African-American achievements and achievers in the U.S. Navy since the American Revolution. Sixth graders will not sit still for a lecture, so the presentation aircraft, and in the process learn about now range from bus advertising to had to be engaging. The topic of heroes (like Dorie Miller here in the temporary banners and directional signage. segregation and its effect within America photograph), and how history is made If any of these items interest you, please had to be addressed in a thoughtful, through the efforts of ordinary seamen. give me a call at (757) 322-2990. balanced manner together with the If either of these educational efforts institutional breakdown of Jim Crow. All interest you, perhaps you should consider See you at the Museum! of this was to be addressed in a 20 minute signing up with the Hampton Roads Naval time slot- not too ambitious! Museum. We are looking for volunteers The program has proven to be a great right now to assist in giving tours and in learning experience for both staff and other venues. We need assistance in volunteers. We decided to focus in on a dispersing our activity book to elementary. period of time as the catalyst for change; in aged children in Hampton Roads, public the case of segregation, the period is WWII. schools, private schools and home learners. This war was the last in America that The museum ' s goals for the year 2000 encouraged two navies- one black, one include a campaign to create increased white. So sixth graders become members awareness of our institution- who we are, of a 5" gun crew, learn to spot enemy what we are, and where we are. Ideas right 2 The Daybook Winter 2000 The Museum Presents Chief Historian for the U.S. Coast Guard Dr. Robert Browning n March 9, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum will present Coast OGuard historian Bob Browning. Dr. Browning will talk about the North Atlantic Blockade Squadron. He has written one of the definitive books on the subject, From Cape Henry to Cape Fear, and his talk will highlight some of the items included in the book. The North Atlantic Blockade Squadron was one of four major squadrons assigned to the task of enforcing Lincoln's blockade proclamation of Southern ports during the American Civil War. Despite having superior numbers, the squadrons had a JFro-vn Cape Charles monumental task of to C'ape Frear attempting to seal The North Atlantic Blockading thousands of miles of Squadron during rhc Civil War coastline. Adding to the difficulty was Rnhrrt M . flrownmJ:. Jr. determined and prescient efforts by the Confederate The speaker is the Historian. He is a graduate ofNorth Carolina States Navy to run chiefhistorian for the University, earned his masters from East and break the U.S. Coast Guard and Carolina University, and received his Ph.D. blockade. The North he held that position from the University of Alabama. Atlantic squadron since 1991. He has The talk will take place at Club Pier 26 at patrolled the southern previously been the Naval Station Norfolk on March 9 at noon. tip of the Delmarva curator for the A lunch will accompany the talk. Peninsula to the battleship Texas in La Reservations are required. To make southern end ofNorth Porte, TX and the reservations or for more information, ca11322- Carolina. ... editorofTheSouthern 2992.D HRNM Co-Sponsoring a Traveling Reproduction of CSS H.L. Hunley he Hampton Roads Naval Museum, conservation and study of the original Powered by hand, the boat sank twice THampton Roads Naval Historical vessel. during trials. However, a third crew was Foundation, and Nauticus: The National The original CSS H.L. Hunley was a assembled. Hunley successfully attacked Maritime Center are co-sponsoring a submersible torpedo boat that operated out and sank the steam sloop USS Housatonic traveling reproduction of the Confederate of Charleston, S.C. during the American in 1864 using a "spar torpedo" for a submersible CSS H.L. Hunley. This Civil War. Designed by the boat's weapon. This was the first successful attack travelling exhibit will be at Nauticus from namesake, she and several other by a submersible on a surface ship in world May 9 through May 31 , 2000. The Cbnfederate boats were built as an history. The crew and the boat, however, reproduction is being used by the Friends innovated way to break the U.S. Navy's mysteriously sank on the way back to port of the Hunley group to raise money for the blockade of Southern ports. after her mission was complete. D 3 The Daybook Winter2000 100 Years A New Exhibit he Secretary of the Navy has announced 2000 to be the T hundredth anniversary of the Submarine Force. To mark this occasion, the museum is teaming up with Submarine Force Atlantic to open a new exhibit on the history of the U.S. Submarine Force. With assistance from Newport News Shipbuilding and submarine veterans from all different eras, this exhibit is just a small look at one of the Navy's vital branches.