Pennsylvania Nautical School

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.

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.

In the spring of 1942, the administration ended and the cadets were transferred to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

During sea terms, the schoolship sailed to ports in the United States, Europe, South America and the West Indies.

The ship stayed a short time in each of the ports visited so that the cadets could go on shore and see the countries and their people.

During the sea terms, cadets devoted most of their time to practical work such as steering, heaving the lead, and handling boats under oars and sail.

[9] The Lookout was written and edited for many years by Class of 1930 graduate Captain Ray Eisenberg, and served as an official news vehicle for the PSA.

It featured alumni profiles, articles related to the merchant marine, and reports of association meetings.

As of September 2016, alumni are working to move the USS Annapolis bell from over the bar at the Riverside Yacht Club in Essington, Pennsylvania to a Navy-approved location or a museum collection.

Lastly, the legacy project donated funds to support further cataloging and online access to the PNS/PMA collection held at the J. Henderson Welles Archives and Library.