“And all knowledge is vain save when there is work.” – Kahlil Gibran
From 1976 to 1980, the 76 apprentices who compose the 19th class commissioned to provide the ship repair facility with best skilled workers, underwent well-rounded experiences both in the classrooms and assigned shops.
From among the 7,000 who applied for the command’s yearly apprenticeship program in 1976, the group, now known as class ’80, completed more than 1,350 hours of schooling and another 6,138 hours of shop training. The members of the class have delightfully and exasperatingly known what are entailed in Electronics, Shipfitting, Dry-docking, Welding, Forging, Painting, Rigging, Electricity, Machineries, etc. Training on these trades were well supplemented with studies in Physics, English, Math, Technical Drawing and Trade Theories.
Beginning as individuals with varied educational backgrounds, skills and ambitions, they easily established among them camaraderie. In a short time, and in spite of the differences in their trades and work, the class became a team working towards a common goal, that which it has chosen to be its theme for the graduation. “For the greater glory of the navy” is indeed fitting and apropos.
One of the most significant achievement class ’80 has, is winning the top prize in a Most Outstanding Booth contest during the Fil-Am Fiesta last March 1979. Third year apprentices then, they put up an exhibit of the different trades at SRF and received a cash prize for their effort. The prize eventually became a class fund where expenses for its activities were derived from.
Earning while learning and training has also made the years rewarding, no day can compare to the time when they were renumerated for the effort and work they put in. And the bonuses—Those can’t be beaten!
The class also reminisces about last year’s aborted field trip it had planned as a farewell get-together. It was the last year of schooling, told that transportation could not be made available due to priority requests from ships in port, they just settled to stay in their rooms.
The last and fourth year was devoted to attending OJT classes. Also a few months before graduation, officers became busy with preparing for the ceremony, yearbook, etc. A new graduation month was also established in accordance with a change in the start of a new fiscal year from July to October. Hence, after petitions of the graduating class were heard and considered, October 24 was set as the commencement date.
Another consideration that was granted was the promotion of some apprentices to journeymen before graduation, as long as they have completed the required number of man-hours and are recommended by their Group Superintendents.
With their endeavors to finish the program almost realized, class ’80 can now begin to look back to this history with pride and to the future with the hope that they have contributed a part of themselves for the glory of the U.S. Navy.
from The Pillars 1980