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SS ''Stevens'', a , 14,893-ton ship, served as a floating dormitory from 1968 to 1975 for about 150 students of
Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...
, a technological university, in
Hoboken Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,69 ...
, NJ. Permanently moored on the scenic
Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
at the foot of the campus across from
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, 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 , a ''Windsor''-class attack transport vessel. Originally launched in 1944, ''Dauphin'' was awarded one battle star and was present in
Tokyo Bay is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan, and spans the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. The Tokyo Bay region is both the most populous ...
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945. Following the war, the vessel underwent significant modifications, and emerged as cruise liner — a member of the post-war quartet of ships named "4 Aces", operated by
American Export Lines American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, New York, was the leading US-flag shipping company between the U.S. east coast and the Mediterranean from 1919 to 1977, offering both cargo ship and passenger ship services, until it declared bankruptcy and was ...
. 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 route from New York Harbor to various
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
ports. ''Exochorda'' was retired to the US Navy reserve ("mothball") fleet in 1959 where she remained for eight years. ''Exochorda'''s conversion to a dormitory ship, following her purchase by Stevens Institute of Technology in 1967, required only minor modifications such as the connection of land-based water, sewer and electric utilities. Accommodations enjoyed by many student residents aboard ''Stevens'' included private baths and in-room control of heating and air-conditioning. Featuring portholes, roll-up berths and nautically-themed artwork, ''Stevens'' became quite popular among her residents. Purchased by the institute to fill a shortfall in student housing, the ship's operating costs during the initial years of service were comparable to conventional land-based dormitory housing. In later years, however, the ship's burgeoning operating and repair costs, combined with a more favorable housing outlook, forced the institute to sell ''Stevens'' in 1975. In tribute, one of he
6-ton anchors
was prominently placed on the campus grounds by the graduating Class of 1975. In August 1975, the ship was towed to a shipyard in
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...
, and she was subsequently scrapped in 1979.


Location and design


Setting

From the west bank of the
Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
, opposite mid-town
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, ''Stevens'' offered her residents a panoramic view of the New York skyline extending from the
George Washington Bridge The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee, New Jersey, with Manhattan in New York City. The bridge is named after George Washington, the first president of the United S ...
in the north, to the
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge connecting the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn. It spans the Narrows, a body of water linking the relatively enclosed New York Harbor with Lower New York Bay and t ...
in the south. Located at the foot of the
Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...
campus in
Hoboken Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,69 ...
, her venue afforded viewing of the large variety of
watercraft Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...
that frequented the river. Silently gliding past portholes, river vessels imparted the sensation of motion to residents aboard their stationary home. Notable among the ships witnessed by ''Stevens residents was the great
transatlantic Transatlantic, Trans-Atlantic or TransAtlantic may refer to: Film * Transatlantic Pictures, a film production company from 1948 to 1950 * Transatlantic Enterprises, an American production company in the late 1970s * ''Transatlantic'' (1931 film) ...
ocean liner, , sailing from New York on her final voyage, October 30, 1968. For ''Stevens''' residents, all vessels traveling the river were bestowed
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
's picturesque backdrop.


Moored in place

''Stevens'' was moored at the foot of a bluff, above which much of the campus is situated. With her starboard side adjacent to the Eighth Street pier at River Road, she was secured at her bow and stern by a total of seven mooring lines. With concurrence by the
Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
, four sets of pilings were driven into the river bed, wedging the ship in place and preventing her from drifting downriver in the event the lines were cut. Although she carried four anchors, two on chains at her bow, and two more fastened in place on deck, none were used to anchor the ship. The robustness of her mooring system was often demonstrated during major storms that swept through the New York area. Despite high winds and accompanying storm surge, the pilings and mooring lines held the ship in place, usually without incident, except for minor damage in some rooms caused by toppling of unsecured personal items. In a separate incident unrelated to storm activity, a departing cruise ship — while maneuvering to avoid a collision with two other departing cruise ships — passed unusually close to ''Stevens''. The resulting wake from the passing ship tossed ''Stevens'' and caused the
mooring A mooring is any permanent structure to which a vessel may be secured. Examples include quays, wharfs, jetties, piers, anchor buoys, and mooring buoys. A ship is secured to a mooring to forestall free movement of the ship on the water. An ''an ...
bollard securing the bow line
to break away from its footing
on the pier. The pilings and remaining lines held the ship in place without further incident.


Access to pier and campus

Access to ''Stevens'' from the campus-owned Eighth Street Pier was facilitated by two gangplanks. A double-ramped covered gangplank provided access from the main "A" deck foyer to a fixed, elevated platform on the pier. Two stairways connected the elevated platform to the pier surface. A second gangplank, an uncovered single ramp, provided access to the lower "B" deck directly from the pier surface. Rollers attached to the end of each gangplank accommodated the ship's motion on the water. Normal walking distance between "the Ship", as she was known by students, and upper campus facilities such as the Student Center was approximately and included a lengthy flight of stairs south of the Gatehouse. An alternative route was improvised by students seeking to substantially reduce walking time and distance. This route, dubbed " Ho Chi Minh trail", or simply, "the trail", required scaling the treacherous bluff directly below the Student Center building on the upper campus and was frequented by the ship's more intrepid residents.


Cabin plan, decks and cargo

''Stevens'' comprised a lower "B" deck, main "A" deck, Promenade, Boat and Sun decks. Students' quarters and public spaces were distributed throughout all decks except for Sun deck which was closed. The main "A" deck, the highest deck to extend the entire length of the ship, included a center section with students' rooms and the ship's main foyer with gangway. The lower "B" deck contained the largest number of students' rooms, recreational areas and the ship's laundry room, equipped with automatic washers and dryers. Promenade deck, immediately above the main deck, contained students' rooms and the ship's more frequently used lounges. The aft lounge, the largest on the ship featured expansive casement windows, oak furniture and rift-cut American oak paneling. French doors provided access to the promenade for open-air strolling and sightseeing. Promenade's forward lounge, paneled in Kelobra wood, was often used for smaller social gatherings. Boat deck carried the ship's six lifeboats, three on each side, including one motorized boat, the center boat on the port side. The ship was fitted with gravity roller track davits for the larger aft and center boats. The curved davit arms extended over the open portion of Promenade deck. Radial single pivot davits were implemented for the smaller forward boats. Sun deck contained the ship's wheelhouse flanked by docking bridges. Outside viewing by wheel house personnel was facilitated by three large forward-looking portholes, flanked by smaller portholes. Areas below "B" deck, not authorized for passenger access and closed for students, comprised "C" deck, engine room, shaft alley, fuel tanks and water ballast areas. The cabin plan shows the following number of students' rooms on the ship: The ship contained six cargo holds numbered 1 through 6, starting at the bow. Hatch location for cargo holds are:


Heritage of ''Stevens''


Adventuresome past

Contrary to her sedentary life as a floating dormitory, the ship's past was filled with travels to numerous ports in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The ter ...
including
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
,
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
and
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
in the Pacific. As Windsor-class attack transport ''Dauphin'' for the
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
, from 1944 to 1948, she was awarded one battle star in the assault on and occupation of Okinawa and earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal for landing cargo and troops in Japan. She was present in
Tokyo Bay is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan, and spans the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. The Tokyo Bay region is both the most populous ...
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945. Following the war, and after significant refurbishment, the vessel became cruise liner ''Exochorda'', a member of the quartet of ships known collectively as "4 Aces" — the replacement for the pre-war quartet of ships with the same names — operated by
American Export Lines American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, New York, was the leading US-flag shipping company between the U.S. east coast and the Mediterranean from 1919 to 1977, offering both cargo ship and passenger ship services, until it declared bankruptcy and was ...
. From 1948 to 1959, ''Exochorda'' regularly sailed a , 45-day circuit from New York to
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
ports such as Casablanca,
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
,
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,
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
,
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and Livorno. Among her passengers were potentates of the East, routinely accompanied by cooks and bodyguards. An
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
ruler once brought his entire entourage on board, complete with swords and machine guns. Notable among her passengers was actress
Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...
, a popular film star and dancer. In 1956, ''Exochorda'' was called upon to assist in the rapid evacuation of 350 Americans from Alexandria, Egypt during a military conflict that became known as the Suez Crisis. At the end of her active service in 1959, ''Exochorda'' was placed in reserve until plans to sell her were announced in June 1967.


Need for student housing

As early as 1965, the idea for buying a ship arose as an interim solution to the potential housing gap following the institute's forecast of an increase in student enrollment. By the next year, 1966, the need for additional student housing on the , Hoboken campus had become more evident. With the student body having grown to 1350 students, an increase of about 150 students over the prior year, a strain was created on the institute's existing land-based dormitory housing. Owning suitable waterfront property on the Hudson River, the institute assessed the feasibility of purchasing a ship for temporary use as a dormitory until additional land-based dormitories became available. The institute expected to recoup its original investment in the ship through its continued operation and eventual sale for scrap.


Purchase of ''Exochorda''

In June 1967, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced plans to sell the former cruise liner, ''Exochorda'', for either non-transportation use or scrap. Assisted by shipbuilding experts, the institute prepared and submitted a bid for the ship. The bid was announced September 28, 1967. Within one week of the institute's bid, the U.S. Maritime Administration awarded ''Exochorda'' to Stevens Institute of Technology for $130,301 — the highest bid and $6,700 more than offered by a scrap metal dealer. The cost of purchasing and refurbishing the ship brought its total cost to approximately $500,000. The total expenditure was not considered excessive when compared to an estimated several million dollars the institute would have had to spend on conventional dormitory housing. "We didn't think a permanent building was a wise investment", said Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations. The institute planned to continue the vessel's operation as a dormitory for several years but intended taking her offline if the student population were to decrease.


Refurbishment as floating dormitory

On October 4, 1967, within a week of being purchased by the institute, ''Exochorda'' was towed by tugboats from the Hudson River Reserve Fleet in Jones Point, NY to the Hoboken Yard of Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Hoboken, New Jersey, where refurbishing work prepared the ship to become a floating dormitory. The ship's engines were deactivated and the engine room and cargo hatches were sealed. External utility service ports were installed to permit connecting the ship's electrical, heating, water and sewage systems to land-based utility services. Deck equipment, including the many kingposts and booms used to load and unload the cargo holds, were removed, except for two masts. The hull was painted pristine white. Final preparation for students included adding rugs, mattresses and draperies. Additionally, the air-conditioning system was overhauled. Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations and boating enthusiast long before the school acquired the vessel, oversaw the ship's purchase and conversion. According to Crisman, the ship was 99 percent in condition for use by the institute, which kept refurbishment costs down.


Comparison with ''Exochorda'''s cabin plan

Formerly occupied by passengers aboard ''Exochorda'', the staterooms located on Promenade deck, "A" deck, and the section of "B" deck forward of the lounge, remained unchanged except for the limited removal of furniture as required to accommodate desks for students. Most staterooms had been designed for three passengers and included upper and lower berths plus a convertible sofa berth. For these rooms, the sofa berth was removed to accommodate a desk. Other changes included replacement of carpeting, draperies and mattresses. Where possible, rooms not occupied by the traveling public, such as the crew and officers' quarters, were made available as rooms for students. Other rooms on ''Exochorda'' not suitable for use as either living quarters or public spaces were permanently closed. ''Exochorda'''s dining hall — on "B" deck, paneled with light, figured walnut and displaying artwork by artist Loren MacIver — became the main lounge on ''Stevens''. The room remained unchanged except for the removal of the artwork and free-standing tables and chairs. Once the location of a table-for-eight on the port side became the site for
''Stevens''' ping-pong table
Despite sloping floors, at times accentuated by weather-induced listing of the ship, the ping-pong table was usually active. ''Exochorda'' contained two suites, both on Promenade deck, that became room numbers 301 and 307 on ''Stevens''. A popular group of rooms, prominently featured in print ads for ''Exochorda'' and known as the
Veranda rooms
were groups of four rooms adjoining a common public area that contained four large exterior windows. Two groups of Veranda rooms were on the ship, one on each side of "A" deck. Veranda rooms, unchanged for Stevens, became room numbers: 214, 216, 218 and 220 on the port side, and 217, 219, 221 and 223 on the starboard. Promenade's forward lounge, the former setting for captain's cocktail parties, and the aft lounge, known on ''Exochorda'' as the "bar and smoking lounge" which included
Saul Steinberg Saul Steinberg (June 15, 1914 – May 12, 1999) was a Romanian-American artist, best known for his work for ''The New Yorker'', most notably '' View of the World from 9th Avenue''. He described himself as "a writer who draws". Biography S ...
's ''Life at Sea'' murals, remained unchanged except for the removal of free-standing tables and chairs. The center section of carpeting in the forward lounge was also removed, exposing a dance floor. ''Exochorda'''
outdoor swimming pool
was located on a small open area of Promenade deck immediately aft of Promenade's smoking bar and lounge. The tiled pool, which measured approximately by , was illuminated from above as well as underwater. For ''Stevens'', the pool was deemed too small to be of practical use and was sealed. Not occupied by passengers on ''Exochorda'', crew quarters were used by students on ''Stevens''. Located aft of the main dining lounge on "B" deck, these rooms were smaller and some lacked amenities such as portholes which were included in the passenger staterooms. The crew cabins, originally designed to sleep six crewmen, were converted into dormitory rooms for two students. Former crew's quarters, also on the aft portion of "B" deck, were used to create recreational rooms. Sun deck which included th
wheelhouse
chart room (immediately behind wheelhouse), tiled kennel and dog run (port side) were all closed on ''Stevens''. Passenger cabin numbers on ''Exochorda'' used a letter prefix to signify the deck location. Cabin number sequencing began on Promenade deck and increased to the next hundreds block for each succeeding lower deck, such as, "P1", "A122" and "B201" for cabins on Promenade, "A" and "B" decks, respectively. Room numbers on ''Stevens'' omitted the letter prefix and were re-designated to begin in the 100s on the lowest ("B") deck and increased to the next hundreds block for each succeeding higher deck, such as "112", "201" and "314" for rooms on "B", "A" and Promenade decks, respectively. Aside from the difference in level designator, plus a few exceptions for new rooms, correlation of room numbers on ''Stevens'' and ''Exochorda'' was maintained. For example, ''Exochorda'''s room "A122" became "222" on ''Stevens''. Captain's and officers' quarters (Boat deck) "A" deck "B" deck


SS ''Stevens'' (1967–1975)


Maiden voyage and early life

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 Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...
, the ship's single cigar-shaped funnel had been painted with an elongated red letter "S", the
integral In mathematics, an integral assigns numbers to functions in a way that describes displacement, area, volume, and other concepts that arise by combining infinitesimal data. The process of finding integrals is called integration. Along wit ...
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 Maritime Days are holidays typically established to recognize accomplishments in the maritime field. Maritime Days include: * China National Maritime Day * European Maritime Day * Indian Maritime Day (5 April) * Mexican National Maritime Day * Pa ...
, 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''.


Accommodations

In 1968, the per-student cost of a room for one semester ranged from $200 to $265, depending on available amenities such as portholes and private shower. By 1975, the cost for a room with two students had risen to approximately $650 per student, per semester. Rooms were equipped with desks and lamps, many of which were fixed in place, a common feature among seafaring vessels. Heating and air-conditioning were controlled by a thermostat in each room, a significant feature also enjoyed by ocean-going passengers aboard Exochorda, one of the first fully air conditioned ships. Most rooms were fitted with "ingeniously arranged oversize downy berths" — 79" by 34" roll-up beds operated by "an ingenious new device which by the simple turn of a wheel recesses the berths flush into the wall". Prominent in ''Exochorda'''s advertising literature, the roll-up berths facilitated the conversion of rooms from sleeping quarters at night to spacious sitting rooms by day. The two large suites on the Promenade deck, featured twin beds. The teak and dark blue leather chairs, depicted in many print ads and brochures for the "4 Aces", remained in the rooms. While a typical room harbored the usual complement of personal items such as TV, stereo and refrigerator, students aboard the ship were afforded more latitude regarding individual décor as compared to their land-based counterparts. Among the decorative touches found in rooms were oil paintings, hanging plants and a
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
print bedspread billowing from a sitting room ceiling. For convenience, public telephones were available at multiple locations on the ship and were also available in rooms for an additional fee.
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
trim and accents, evoking visions of a bygone era, graced her stairways and passageways. On cabin doors, life jacket and
lifeboat Lifeboat may refer to: Rescue vessels * Lifeboat (shipboard), a small craft aboard a ship to allow for emergency escape * Lifeboat (rescue), a boat designed for sea rescues * Airborne lifeboat, an air-dropped boat used to save downed airmen ...
informational placards, having lost their vital significance to time and circumstance, remained dutifully posted. Reminiscent of her former glory days on the high seas, a mural reflecting the ship's Mediterranean sailing route, by
Miné Okubo Miné Okubo (; June 27, 1912 – February 10, 2001) was an American artist and writer. She is best known for her book ''Citizen 13660'', a collection of 198 drawings and accompanying text chronicling her experiences in Japanese American internment ...
, decorated the main foyer. White-on-black depictions of life at sea — whimsical "doodles" by artist
Saul Steinberg Saul Steinberg (June 15, 1914 – May 12, 1999) was a Romanian-American artist, best known for his work for ''The New Yorker'', most notably '' View of the World from 9th Avenue''. He described himself as "a writer who draws". Biography S ...
— added subtle context to Promenade's bar and smoking lounge. Other artwork, however, such as Loren MacIver's mural portrayal of trade and commerce activities along the sailing route, originally in the ship's dining room ("B" deck lounge), had been removed prior to the ship's use as a dormitory. Sculptress Mitzi Solomon's marble carvings, pictured in promenade's forward lounge in many "4 Aces" print advertisements, were also not seen by students.


Rules and regulations

Rules and regulations were loose except for prohibitions against excessive noise or vandalism, including breaking into refrigerators. For safety reasons, those on board were warned: "Students will not be allowed to climb, hang or swing from any of the riggings, lifeboats or railings." Resident dormitory representatives could often remedy such infractions with measures that included requiring the offending student to leave the ship. Other rules stated that visitors were not permitted to be on the ship between 4 and 7 am. Although women students were first admitted to the institute in 1971, they were prohibited from living on the ship until 1974. Commenting on the effect of women living aboard the ship, student resident Tom Poncho said, "Not much." By 1975, nine women shared the ship with 91 men.


Popular with students

Despite the quiet and remote location of ''Stevens'' relative to the center of campus, rooms on the ship remained very much in demand. Many of ''Stevens'' residents were delighted with their living arrangements and preferred the ship over conventional dormitory housing. Institute officials postulated that ''Stevens''' popularity may have been due, in part, to the ship's appeal to "loners", a supposition consistent with students' statements. "It's quiet down here, more secluded and peaceful", said ship resident Kenneth Levy. Expressing a similar sentiment, resident Frank Condi said, "It's away from everything." Other students, however, recognized the social advantages offered by their unique dwelling. Ship resident Martin Mercorelli remarked that the ship was "definitely a social asset. It seems to go over better with the girls." Other students indicated their preference for the ship by their unflattering characterization of other dormitory rooms as "cells". In 1975, when announcing that the ship was to be sold, Kenneth C. Rogers, president of the institute, commented that the ship was "so popular with the students." Linda Soldati, one of the nine women students living on the ship said, "If I had $100,000 I'd buy her. I just don't want to go back to living in a house. The view is fantastic. I love the ship."


Escalating costs

During the initial five years of operation, maintenance and repair costs for ''Stevens'' were comparable to those of a land based dormitory. In early 1973, the institute had anticipated operating ''Stevens'' for another five years. Within the next two years, however, declining enrollments, rising costs of heating the vessel and needed repairs prompted the institute to reassess the economics of maintaining ''Stevens''. In 1975, heating for the steel-hulled ship, which was delivered from land via steam pipe, cost the institute $40,000 per year. As explained by institute president Kenneth C. Rogers, "Heating that ship is like trying to heat the whole Hudson River." Adding to the financial burden, the need for extensive water system repair work became evident when the interior of a six-inch (152 mm) section of the ship's water pipe was found to be nearly completely encrusted by rust. After allowing for necessary painting and electrical wiring upgrades, the cost estimate for repairs totaled $100,000, forcing the institute's decision in April 1975 to sell the ship.


Farewell

In May 1975, shortly before ''Stevens'' was to be closed and sold, she "hosted" a large and memorable farewell party held in her honor. A "For Sale" sign on her bow — for students, a melancholic reminder of her impending fate — had been posted by a prankster. On the day following graduation, May 23, 1975, the last student to leave the country's only floating dormitory, William Walendzinski, a graduating senior and ''Stevens'' resident for the prior 3 years, descended her main gangplank for the final time. On August 26, 1975, at 3:00 PM, the last of her mooring cables was burned away. Without fanfare, tugboat Helen McAllister and two other Tony McAllister's '21 tugboats, part of the same fleet that brought ''Stevens'' to her berth in Hoboken in 1967, towed her to a
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...
shipyard. Students of the Class of 1975 presented funds to the institute for the preparation of a site on Wittpenn Walk, overlooking the ship's berthing area, where one of ''Stevens six-ton anchors was placed in tribute to "the Ship", their "floating dormitory". Recounting the events and sentiments on the day ''Stevens'' was towed away, the institute's alumni association expressed in its journal, "She disappeared into the fog and into our hearts." After bein
partially dismantled
in
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...
, ''Stevens'' was resold to scrappers in Kearny, NJ, in March 1979. Later, the remaining hulk was towed to the
Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by Per ...
port for final demolition, bringing an end to one of the most unusual careers of a ship.


Timeline of vessel

* USS ''Dauphin'' (APA-97) **December 22, 1943 — Laid down (as cargo ship) **June 10, 1944 — Completed as Windsor-class military attack transport and launched by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard,
Sparrows Point, Maryland Sparrow's Point is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, adjacent to Dundalk. Named after Thomas Sparrow, landowner, it was the site of a very large industrial complex owned by Bethlehem Steel, known for steelm ...
**September 23, 1944 — Transferred to
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
and commissioned as ''Dauphin'' **September 2, 1945 — Present at the Surrender Ceremony of World War II in
Tokyo Bay is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan, and spans the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. The Tokyo Bay region is both the most populous ...
**April 30, 1946 — ''Dauphin'' decommissioned **1948 — ''Dauphin'' sold for commercial service * SS ''Exochorda'' **1948 — Refurbished as passenger-cargo ship, SS ''Exochorda'', for
American Export Lines American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, New York, was the leading US-flag shipping company between the U.S. east coast and the Mediterranean from 1919 to 1977, offering both cargo ship and passenger ship services, until it declared bankruptcy and was ...
**November 2, 1948 — Maiden voyage of ''Exochorda'' **1948–1959 — ''Exochorda'' served as passenger-cargo ship sailing from New York to the Mediterranean **March 15, 1959 — Exochorda towed to Bethlehem Steel Corp. for preparation to be placed in reserve fleet **1959–1967 — Returned to the
US Maritime Administration The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. D ...
and mothballed in Hudson River Reserve Fleet at Stony Point, NY **June 1967 — The U.S. Maritime Administration announced plans to sell the former cruise liner, ''Exochorda'', for either non-transportation use or scrap **September 28, 1967 — Announcement of the institute's bid of $130,301 for ''Exochorda'' **October 1967 — US Maritime Administration awards ''Exochorda'' to Stevens Institute of Technology for $130,301 to be used as a floating dormitory **October 4, 1967 — ''Exochorda'' was towed from the Hudson River Reserve Fleet in Jones Point, N.Y. to the Hoboken Yard of
Bethlehem Steel Corporation The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For most of the 20th century, it was one of the world's largest steel producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its succ ...
in
Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...
to be refurbished as a dormitory **November 10, 1967 — Vessel towed from the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For most of the 20th century, it was one of the world's largest steel producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its succ ...
to the school-owned Eight Street Pier,
Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...
, Hoboken, NJ *SS ''Stevens'' **November 10, 1967 — Maiden voyage (unpowered) **November 1967 — Christened SS ''Stevens'' **January 1968 — First student residents of ''Stevens'' moved aboard **May 22, 1968 — ''Stevens'' hosted an open house in honor of
National Maritime Day Maritime Days are holidays typically established to recognize accomplishments in the maritime field. Maritime Days include: * China National Maritime Day * European Maritime Day * Indian Maritime Day (5 April) * Mexican National Maritime Day * Pa ...
**June 1968 — ''Stevens'' donated parts to her sister ship, USTS ''Texas Clipper'', the former ''Excambion'' **September 1974 — First women students permitted to reside on ''Stevens'' **April 1975 — Rising heating and repair costs forced the institute to sell ''Stevens'' **May 1975 — Farewell party held aboard ''Stevens'' **May 23, 1975 — Last student leaves ''Stevens'' **August 26, 1975 — Last Voyage: towed from Hoboken NJ to a shipyard in
Chester, PA Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...
**1975–1979 — Partially dismantled in Chester, PA **March 1979 — Resold to scrappers at Kearny, NJ **1979 — Demolished at Raritan Bay port NJ


Notes


References


External links


Stevens Institute of Technology
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens Dormitory ships Ships of American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines Stevens Institute of Technology Ships built in Sparrows Point, Maryland 1944 ships 1968 establishments in New Jersey 1975 disestablishments in New Jersey