Pennsylvania Nautical School

Pennsylvania Nautical School existed in Pennsylvania, United States, from 1889–1947.

In an effort to meet the nation’s demand for trained seamen, the United States Congress passed an Act on June 20, 1874 giving the Secretary of the Navy the authority to provide a naval vessel and instructors for a nautical school to be established at each or any of the ports of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, and San Francisco. To that end, the Pennsylvania Nautical School (PNS) was established in 1889 by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for 58 years trained young men for careers in the maritime trades and professions. PNS cadets were taught aboard five different schoolships: USS Saratoga (1889-1907); USS Adams (1907-1914); USS Annapolis (1919-1942); USS Keystone State, ex USCG Seneca (1942-1946); and USS Keystone State II, ex USS Selinur (1946-1947). Approximately 2000 cadets graduated from the nautical school before it closed in 1947.

The Pennsylvania Nautical School’s first schoolship was the USS Saratoga, a 47 year old 882 ton sloop of war, named after Battle of Saratoga of the American Revolutionary War. In 1908 the Saratoga was replaced by the USS Adams, a 1,397 ton screw gunboat. The Adams served for five years until the school was discontinued on February 16, 1914 due to local disagreements and lack of funding by the State Legislature. On July 8, 1919 the Pennsylvania State Legislature reactivated the nautical school and renamed it the Pennsylvania State Nautical School. The USS Annapolis was designated as the nautical school's training vessel and until its service ended in 1941. In 1940 the administration of the school was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission and was renamed the Pennsylvania Maritime Academy. In the Spring of 1942 the administration ended and the cadets were transferred to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. The former Coast Guard cutter USCG Seneca became the nautical school's fourth schoolship. In September 1942 administration of the school was returned to the State of Pennsylvania and the Seneca was renamed the USS Keystone State. In 1946, the USS Selinur, renamed USS Keystone State II, became the nautical school's fifth and final schoolship. Lack of State government funding, allegations of cadet's "mutinous behavior," allegations of political corruption, and a decrease in applicants, led to the closure of the Pennsylvania Maritime Academy on June 20, 1947

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