The Panama Canal Review MIDSHIPMEN ENJOY SPORTS, HOBBY CLUBS
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UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LIBRARIES Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/panamacanalrefeb1968pana FEBRUARY 1968 Pfro W. p. Leber, Governor-President Robert D. Kerr, Press OflBcer Publications Editors H. R. Parfitt, Lieutenant Governor Morgan E. Goodwin and Tomas A. Cupas Editorial Assistants Frank A. Baldwtn Eunice Richard, Tobi Bittel, Fannie P. Official Panama Canal Publication Panama Canal Information Officer Published quarterly at Balboa Heights, C.Z Hernandez, and Jose T. Tunon Printed at the Printing Plant, La Boca, C.Z. Review articles may be reprinted in full or part without further clearance. Credit to the Review will be appreciated. Distributed free of charge to all Panama Canal Employees. Subscriptions, $1 a year; airmail $2 a year; mail and back copies (regular mail), 25 cents each. Postal money orders made pa\able to the Panama Canal Company should be mailed to Box M, Balboa Heights, C.Z Editorial Offices are located in the Adn^inistration Building, Balboa Heights, C.Z. cTfbout Our Cover Sndiex EIGHT FAMILIAR highlights of the Canal Zone scene, Kings Point Academy 3 from the Atlantic to the Pacific and points between, grace the cover of this issue of The Panama Canal Artist-Sculptor-Teacher 6 Review. Panama Open Golf Tournament 8 The townsites of Balboa and Gamboa, Summit Gardens, Gaillard Cut, Gatun Dam and the lockage of a ship all Federal Aviation Administration 10 represent integral parts of the work and play on the Anniversaries 13 Isthmus. The two photos taken at night showing the Thatcher Ferry Bridge and a hghted ship in Canal Container Ships 14 waters also fit into this overall pattern. Shipping Statistics 14 On the facing page is an article dealing with the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, many of whose grad- Guardia Nacional Highway Patrol 16 uates perform vital roles in the Canal operation. Accord- Canal History 18 ing to a recent survey of approximately half of the Tour of South America 19 academy's 12,913 graduates, 2,806 are in the maritime Economy industry, including 1,511 men who are currently sailing Shipping Notes 22 as licensed officers in the U.S. Merchant Marine or serv- ing as officers in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. A total of 205 American vessels have Academy graduates. One company. United States Lines, employs almost as many as the Academy now graduates in a year 33 shoreside employees, including 3 vice presidents and 132 licensed mates and engineers at sea, many masters and chief engineers. The Federal Aviation Administration's task of keeping the airways safe throughout the Panama area is discussed in words and pictures starting on page 10. For sports fans, we are previewing the 1968 Panama Open Golf Tournament which is to be held this month. It will be the 14th renewal of the Open, a tourney that has earned popularity with the visiting and local amateurs and professionals. A pair of Canal employees who made a 10,000-mile economy tour of South America returned with interesting experiences. An article beginning on page 19 describes their trip and has a few words of advice for anyone considering a similar journey. Other articles in this edition pertain to: the Panama Guardia Nacional Highway Patrol, a relatively new Abandon ship! It's only a drill at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy organization of highly trained men whose job it is to where midshipmen are being prepared for their lifeboat certificates aid the motorist; a multi-talented Canal Zone art teacher; issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. This is part of the extensive training of midshipmen. An article begiiming on page .3 gives a closer look and reports on shipping activities. at the education of the young men who attend the Academy. February 1968 Kings Point Builds Men And Mariners THE PANAMA CANAL, the U.S. Gov- ernment in general and the Nation's shipping industry are harvesting rich crops annually from a 65-acre plot of land on the north shore of Long Island, N.Y. This is the site of the U.S. Mer- chant Marine Academy, provider of highh -trained men who look to the sea for their careers. Frequently called Kings Point after its location name, it is one of the five Federal academies and is operated as part of the Maritime Administration of Merchant Marine Academy is a colorful event, llie academy of Commerce. In A regimental review at the the U.S. Department Deutermarai, Commander, Eastei^ flags are lowered in salute as Vice Admiral Harold T. short, it is to the Merchant Marine what MiUtary Staff Sea Frontier and Chairman, United States Delegation to the United Nations West Point is to the U.S. Army and Committee, passes the color guard Annapolis is to the U.S. Navy. degree-granting instill the students Kings Point is a Point can be traced to the efforts of life is designed to institution fullv accredited by the Mid- of efficiency, leader- its superintendent. Rear Adm. Gordon with the standards dle States Association of Colleges and McLintock, USMS, who has been at the ship and skills needed aboard ship. relatively welfare Secondar\- Schools. Though a academy's helm for the past 20 years. These are essential for both the Marine Acad- of the new school, the Merchant The atmosphere at Kings Point is one of the crew and the effectiveness destined to be emy has graduated men of military discipline. The regimental ship's operation. high ranking officers of the U.S. Navy, Each 300-man entering class is made commanding officers of merchant ves- up of voung men between the ages of sels, presidents of shipping companies 17 and 22 who are in excellent ph>-sical and many in other equally prominent condition and who have completed high positions. school with sufficient credits in English, More than two dozen Kings Point mathematics and science. Nominating graduates are filling key positions with authorities—members of the U.S. Con- various units in the Panama Canal gress, governors of the Canal Zone, organization. The largest concentration American Samoa and other areas—sub- serve as pilots—the registered ship mas- mit names of youths to be considered ters who take command of transiting for admission. Quotas of appointments vessels and guide them through the are assigned each region. For example, waterwav. Others have been in manage- the Canal Zone has a quota of t^vo. ment positions in the organization's In addition, all applicants are requir- shipyard facilit)', the Executive Plan- ed to qualify in the College Entrance ning Staff, on the General Counsel's Examination Board tests. No waivers staff and in the Safety Branch. are granted for the general, scholastic The attractive campus with 38 build- or ph\sical requirements. Candidates ings and marine facilities is situated on are carefully evaluated so that the the former Walter P. Chrysler estate most promising )-ouths are awarded where the Chrvsler mansion, renamed appointments. Wile\- Hall, serves as the main admin- Once admitted, the young man is istration building. designated a cadet-midshipman and for Dedicated in 194.3, the academy was the first year is considered a plebe. He made a permanent institution bv Con- learns military' courtesies, marches to gress in 1956. Kings Point rapidly ma- class, practices close-order drill, stands Shooting the sun. A midshipman uses his tured into a school that has earned the watches and has daily inspections. He sextant to observe the altitudes of the celes- respect of educators, U.S. Navy officials to keep his uniform and tial bodies to find his ship's position at sea. is expected shipping industry. and the country's This is the classic method of obtaining a (See p. 4) Many of the accolades won by Kings ship's position at sea. The Panama Canal Review MIDSHIPMEN ENJOY SPORTS, HOBBY CLUBS (Continued from p. 3) room, which he shares with another cadet-midshipman, in a high degree of neatness. He is, however, free from hazing. The pace at the academ\' is a stren- uous one. The day starts at 6 a.m. with reveille and ends with taps at 11 p.m. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., allow- ing 1 hour for lunch. From 4 p.m. to dinner time at 6:30 p.m. the midship- man ma\' engage in athletics or extra- curricular activities; the evenings are reserved for study. A welcomed change of pace comes after the noon meal on Lt. Commander A. Stwertka, Professor of Nuclear Physics, demonstrates a problem patch Saturday when the academic week ends. bay on one of the two analog computers associated with the NS Savannah main control A wide range of intercollegiate and console simulator in the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory. intramural sports gives a needed extra dimension to this routine. Also, there related subjects. He studies college level Reports from the ship's officers concern- are numerous extracurricular activities English, mathematics and .science. ing his work are also taken into account. such as publications, glee club, debating His second or sea year is spent aboard The last 2 years of study at Kings team, hobb\' and special interest groups a merchant ship, with a classmate, gain- Point are devoted to extending practical plus social affairs. Chaplains attend to ing practical experience in the operation experience in the laboratories as the mid- spiritual needs. of ships. It is during this phase of his shipmen further their knowledge of The academic curriculum emphasizes training that he is given a sea project, theor\ in professional subjects.