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SteamshipWilliam G. Mather

Museum

“The Ship That Built Cleveland”

Educator’s PacketSteamship William G. Mather Museum, 305 Old Erieside Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114

Mather: (216) 574-9053 / Great Lakes Science Center: (216) 621-2400

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.wgmather.org

http://www.wgmather.org/

mailto:[email protected]

SS William G. Mather Museum – EDUCATOR’S PACKET

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome Letter

Fast Facts

William G. Mather (the man)

A Brief History of the Mather

Great Lakes Shipping Overview

Terms To Know

Suggested Activities

• Word Find

• Map Skills

• Scavenger Hunt

• Build Your Own Lock

Topics For Further Study

Field Trip Information

Evaluation Form

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Educator’s Packet.doc 4-3-03/rc Revised: 3.12.08 PAGE -

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Dear Educator,

Thanks for coming aboard the Steamship William G. Mather Museum, Cleveland's only floating

maritime museum. The former flagship of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, this 618 foot-long riveted steel

ship was built in 1925 to carry millions of tons of iron ore and coal until she was retired from service in 1980.

What a tribute to northeast Ohio's Great Lakes and industrial heritage to have a restored lake freighter become

one of Cleveland's premier museums!

Since its May 1991 opening, over 200,000 visitors have toured the historic Mather, including almost

30,000 school children and teachers. In addition to touring the vessel itself, students learn about the history and

importance of Great Lakes shipping through onboard interdisciplinary activities. Designated in 1993 as an

expanded learning site for the Cleveland Public Schools, the Mather has attracted groups from over half of

northeastern Ohio's school systems, as well as Scout troops, YMCA camps and community recreation centers.

In preparation for your visit to the Museum, we have gathered some important historical information, future

design plans and suggestions for pre-visit and post-visit activities that you will want to share with your students.

Also enclosed is a map with directions, parking and tips to make your trip safe and enjoyable, as well as an

evaluation form which will enable us to better meet your needs in the future.

Thank you for your interest in the Steamship William G. Mather Museum, the "Ship That Built

Cleveland." Welcome Aboard! We look forward to your visit.

Sincerely,

Wayne Kehoe Matt Grabski Education Coordinator Docent Coordinator


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FAST FACTSThe Steamship William G. Mather Museum

• The Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan built the Steamship William G. Mather in 1925 during the golden years of American Lakes steamboats. As the flagship for the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company (now Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.), the Mather was state-of-the art with respect to capacity, power, and accommodations, and was noted for her elegant passengers' quarters.

• The Mather is a straight-deck bulk carrier with a 14,000-ton capacity. She is 618' long, 62' wide, and 32' deep (molded depth).

• The Steamship William G. Mather was named in honor of then-president of the Cleveland-Cliffs Company, William Gwinn Mather. William Mather was the son of Samuel Mather, descended from the famous Mathers of New England, and second wife, Elizabeth Lucy Gwinn. William Mather was a leader in the mining and shipping circles for over six decades and was known in Cleveland for his philanthropic work. "Gwinn," his lakefront home in Bratenahl, Ohio, has been preserved as a meeting place for non-profit groups.

• To supply the Allied need for steel, the Mather led a convoy of 13 freighters in early 1941 through the ice-choked Upper Great Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota, setting a record for the first arrival in a Northern port. This heroic effort was featured in the April 28, 1941 issue of Life Magazine.

• The Mather had a distinguished 55-year career (1925-1980) as a Great Lakes freighter, beginning with the installation of radar in 1946, one of the first Great Lakes vessels to do so. In 1964, she became the first American vessel to have an automated boiler system. In 1980, she was laid up in Toledo, Ohio, and was the last ship owned by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. as it divested itself of its Great Lakes shipping interests.

• In 1987, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. donated the Steamship William G. Mather to the Great Lakes Historical Society to be restored and preserved as a museum ship and floating maritime museum. In July 1995, the Harbor Heritage Society, a Cleveland-based non-profit dedicated to the preservation and development of the Mather, assumed ownership of the vessel.

• After three years of intensive restoration, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum opened to the public as Northeast Ohio's only floating maritime museum on May 23, 1991. For this achievement, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum received the Northern Ohio Live Community Event Award in 1991. To date, over $2,500,000 and 250,000 volunteer hours have been invested in the project. Today, the Mather is owned and operated by the Great Lakes Science Center.

• The Mather is listed in the International Register of Historic Ships. It is also referenced in Delgado and Clifford's Great American Ships, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (1991). In 1995, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers conferred National Historic Landmark status on the Mather for the following technological Great Lakes firsts: single marine boiler system (Babcock & Wilcox Company, installed 1954); boiler automation system (Bailey Meter Company, installed 1964); and dual propeller bow thruster system (American Ship Building Company, installed 1964).


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William G. MatherCleveland Businessman and Philanthropist

The Steamship William G. Mather was named for

William Gwinn Mather, born in Cleveland on

September 22, 1857. He was the son of Samuel

Livingston Mather and his second wife Elizabeth

Gwinn. The family was descended from the Mathers of

Colonial New England.

In 1878, a year after graduating from Trinity

College in Hartford, Connecticut, William G. Mather

began working for the Cleveland Mining Company,

founded by his father. He became vice-president in

1885 and president of the firm in 1890 following his

father's death.

In 1891, the company merged with The Iron

Cliffs Company to form The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron

Company. Mather was named president of the new corporation, a position he held for 42 years. In 1933, he was

named Chairman of the Board and became honorary Chairman in 1947. He died at the age of 93 in 1951.

In 1929, at the age of 71, William G. Mather married his widowed neighbor, 38 year-old Elizabeth Ring

Ireland. Mather and his bride left Cleveland on May 18, 1929, for a trip aboard the Steamship William G.

Mather, which was then dubbed the "honeymoon ship."

A student of his Puritan heritage, Mather collected the works of American Puritans. A patron of the arts,

he was active in many civic and business organizations. He was known as the "leading layman" in the Episcopal

Church in America. To the iron ore industry he brought technological innovation, homes for miners at cost of

materials, prize-awarded employees for gardens and grounds, timber conservation and water purity systems,

employee welfare and safety provisions, even shower houses built close to the mines. In all his endeavors,

William G. Mather earned tremendous respect yet managed to put people at ease.


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A Brief History of the The Steamship William G. Mather

When the Steamship William G. Mather was built in 1925 by Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan, she was considered the latest word in ship design, propulsion, navigation equipment, and crew accommodations. She was the flagship of The Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company fleet until 1952.

Cargo

The Mather left the shipyard on July 24, 1925, for Ashtabula, Ohio, to load her first cargo, coal, for delivery to Lakehead, Ontario, Canada. The Mather's principal trade pattern was iron ore from the Lake Superior region delivered to steel mills in lower lake cities such as Cleveland. Sometimes she backhauled coal from a Lake Erie port to a Lake Superior port.

From loading docks built higher than the vessels they service, cargo flows by gravity into a ship's cargo spaces. Cargo flowed into the Mather's four holds through the eighteen hatches on her spar deck. Unlike numerous self-unloading vessels (ships equipped with powered belts and booms to discharge cargo) now plying the lakes, the Mather possesses no unloading equipment. She relied on shore machinery for unloading. At many lower lake destinations, iron ore was unloaded by giant grasshopper-like Hulett unloaders. No longer necessary because of the increase in self-unloaders, much unloading machinery has been dismantled. Though disassembled, two Hulett unloaders can still be found on Whiskey Island in Cleveland, Ohio. Efforts are being made to preserve them as part of the Great Lakes heritage.

Engines

As built in 1925, the William G. Mather was powered by a four-cylinder quadruple expansion reciprocating engine of 2,300 horsepower. Steam was produced in coal-fired boilers. The ship was repowered in 1954 with a two-cylinder cross-compound steam turbine that developed 5,000 horsepower. The boiler is now fueled by oil. The system was designated as a historic landmark in 1995 by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

In 1964, the Mather became the first Great Lakes vessel to have fully automated boiler controls which were developed and produced by Bailey Meter. They were monitored and operated by the engineer on watch from an engine room console. The installation was so successful that Cleveland-Cliffs made similar modifications on its other ships, and other shipping companies undertook similar projects. This is also a part of the historic landmark designation.

The Mather also received a bow thruster in 1964. This is a reversible propeller near the bow that forces water to one side of the ship or the other, thus moving the ship's bow. A bow thruster increases maneuverability and reduces the need for tugboat assistance. Once again, this is also a part of the historic landmark designation.

Crew

Originally, the Steamship William G. Mather was designed to accommodate a crew of 38 plus the captain. In her later years, the switch to oil fuel, engine room automation, changes in the maritime requirements, and economics reduced the Mather's crew to 28 in 1954. Educator’s Packet.doc 4-3-03/rc Revised: 3.12.08 PAGE -

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A Brief History of the The Steamship William G. Mather (Continued)

Ships' crews are grouped into three departments: deck, engine, and galley. The captain (or master), although officially in the deck department, is at all times responsible for the safety of the vessel, crew, and cargo. The deck department handles navigation, loading, and unloading. The deck crew includes mates, wheelsmen, watchmen, and deckhands.

The engine department maintains the ship's engines and other machinery. Engineers, oilers, and wipers make up the engine department. Most members of deck and engine departments on the Great Lakes stand watches. That is, they work four hours and have the next eight hours off, around the clock.All these people depend upon the galley department to prepare and serve three meals a day and provide clean linen. The galley department includes the steward, second cook, and porter(s).

End of Career

Over the years, the number of self-unloaders grew. New 1,000 foot long ships dwarfed 600-footers like the Mather. Economics and changes in ore-carrying contracts caused the Mather's usefulness to dwindle. After 55 years of operation, at the end of the 1980 season, Cleveland-Cliffs permanently laid up the Mather in Toledo, Ohio.

In 1985, Cleveland-Cliffs sold its two remaining operating steamships to Rouge Steel Company, and gradually sold off its idle vessels until only one remained. In December 1987, the Steamship William G. Mather, the last vessel owned by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (Formerly Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company) was donated to The Great Lakes Historical Society.

Restoration

The Great Lakes Historical Society began preparations for the Mather's new career as a museum ship. After she was brought to Cleveland and funding acquired, restoration began. In October 1990, she was moved to her berth at the East Ninth Street Pier, and work continued. In 2005, the Mather was moved to Dock 32 behind the Great Lakes Science Center.

Fire damage to the Mather's galley and after cabin spaces required a major restoration effort. All over the vessel, most of the elbow grease was supplied by volunteers who repaired, cleaned, chipped, and painted in order to restore the Mather to her former elegance.

Future

On July 22, 1995, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum was acquired by the Harbor Heritage Society, a newly-formed nonprofit corporation organized to preserve and develop the Mather as a maritime museum and lakefront attraction at its East Ninth Street Pier location.

The Great Lakes Science Center and the Steamship William G. Mather will soon be linked by the Cleveland – Cliffs Connector, which is the first phase of an eventual plan to make the Mather a year round attraction. A grant funded by the Ohio & Erie Canal Commission allowed the Mather to produce new signage and graphic panels to tell the fascinating history of this unique maritime museum. Future plans include new exhibits, hands – on displays and special programming.


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Great Lakes Shipping: A Brief Overview

Thousands of years ago, glaciers covered what is now Canada and the northern United States. Sheets of ice and snow were as much as six miles high in some places. The glaciers carved deep depressions hundreds of feet below sea level, scooped out five huge hollows, and uncovered deposits of minerals. When the ice and snow melted, the hollow places filled with water, and the five Great Lakes were created.

The southern shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie appeared first, about 8,000 years ago. It took another 3,000 to 5,000 years for the northern lakes to emerge. In their present form, the Great Lakes are only about 3,500 years old.

The five Great Lakes stretch over 12,000 miles and have a surface area of over 95,000 square miles. Together, they contain about one-fifth of the world's supply of fresh water. There is enough water in the Great Lakes to fill a swimming pool the size of the United States with 15 feet of water.

Native Inhabitants of the Great Lakes

As the glaciers melted, nomadic tribes from northeast Asia crossed the Bering Straits, between what is now Russia and Alaska, and traveled east and south into what is now Canada and the United States. Many settled around the United States. By the sixteenth century, more than 20 tribes lived along the 7,900 miles of shoreline around the lakes. At the time of the American Revolution, there were about 60,000 native inhabitants, or Indians, living around the Great Lakes.

Native villages were located near water - along streams, sheltered bays, or springs - and traveling was part of Indian life. They traveled the lakes in canoes made of birch bark, which were lightweight, fast, stable, and well suited to traverse the interior wilderness, where rapids and waterfalls were common. Canoes could also be carried, or portaged, around hazards or from one river to another.


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Great Lakes Shipping: A Brief Overview (Continued)Europeans Come to the Great Lakes

Almost 500 years ago, explorers from Europe began to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, and some of them came to the Great Lakes. In 1604, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded a French Colony at what is now Montreal, Canada. He sent others to live among the natives and explore the region, and they "discovered" the Great Lakes.

Europeans soon adopted the canoe to explore and to transport the valuable furs that were shipped back to Europe and sold. Then in 1679, the Frenchman Robert de La Salle built a sailing ship called the Griffon, the first commercial vessel on the Great Lakes, to carry furs. But the Griffon sank in a storm on its maiden voyage, and sailing did not appear again on the Great Lakes until the French and Indian War of the 1750s and 60s.

Ships on the Great Lakes

By the 1800s, both sail and steam ships sailed the Great Lakes. At first both types of vessels were built of wood. The first iron steamships on the lakes were built in the 1860s. Steel later became the preferred construction material.

During the 19th century, immigrants were coming in large numbers to the United States, and many made their way to Buffalo where they embarked in steamboats for towns like Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Then copper and iron ore were discovered around Lake Superior, and ships were needed to carry the ore to factories. At that time, sailing ships had bigger cargo holds than steamboats. So for many years, passengers on the Great Lakes traveled mostly in steamboats and cargo was carried mostly in sailing ships.

As American industry grew in the late 1800s, and steel factories demanded more and more iron ore and coal, more and bigger ships were needed to carry iron ore from Lake Superior to steel factories in cities like Cleveland. Wooden sailing ships could not be built large enough to do the job, so larger steam vessels appeared to carry bulk cargoes such as iron ore, coal, and grain on the Great Lakes.

Since that time, the story of Great Lakes shipping has been a story of the attempt to build bigger, faster, more efficient boats. Improvements in engines, navigation, loading, and unloading systems have made transportation safer and cheaper. Vessel length has increased to the point that there are now vessels sailing the lakes that are over 1,000 feet long and carry over 60,000 tons of cargo.

Great Lakes shipping has also had to overcome the lakes' natural obstacles. The St. Mary's River rapids were a barrier to navigation between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Likewise, Niagara Falls presented a formidable obstacle to water travel between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In the St. Lawrence River, rapids obstructed navigation.

To bypass Niagara Falls, the first Welland Canal was opened in 1829 and over the years was enlarged and rerouted. Today's Welland Canal is the fourth Canal. Eight locks raise or lower ships a total of 326 feet between the levels of Lakes Erie and Ontario. In 1844, the Soo Locks opened at Sault Ste. Marie, and that navigation barrier was also overcome. Before the Soo opened, cargoes of iron and copper from the Lake Superior region had to be unloaded from the vessels that had carried them across the lake, then pushed or pulled for a mile around the St. Mary's River falls, and loaded onto another ship. As ships became larger, the locks were replaced.

In 1959, completion of the two US and five Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway locks on the St. Lawrence River between Lake Ontario and Montreal, Quebec opened the Great Lakes to ocean vessels. Now ships up to 730 feet long and 76 feet wide could travel all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to Duluth, Minnesota, a distance of about 2,300 miles. The entire system is known as the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System.Educator’s Packet.doc 4-3-03/rc Revised: 3.12.08 PAGE -

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Terms To Know

Aft, Astern Toward the back end, or stern, of the ship (where the propeller is).

Boatswain, Bosun Coast Guard certified Able-Bodied Seaman (AB) who is the foreman of the deck gang.

Backhaul Cargo carried on the return half of a vessel’s trip.

Bollard, Deadman Post on the dock to which mooring lines are secured. (Also called “Spiles")

Bow The front, or forward, part of a ship.

Bow thruster A reversible propeller located transversely near the bow that forces water to one side of the ship or to the other, thus thrusting the bow, used to maneuver the vessel in locks and ports.

Bulkhead An upright partition separating parts of a ship (wall).

Bulk cargo Unpackaged material delivered dump truck style.

Bunk, Berth Bed. Berth can also refer to a person’s position as member of the crew.

Captain, Master Person who has full responsibility for a ship and its safe navigation (also unofficially referred to as Skipper or the Old Man).

Cargo Goods carried by a ship; freight.

Cargo hold Storage area for freight.

Chief Engineer Overseer of engine room operations and all the ship’s mechanical equipment.

Coast Guard A branch of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation that oversees the operation of merchant vessels, insofar as safety, licensing, and inspection are concerned. Also attend to search and rescue and aids to navigation.

Crew All personnel on a ship.

Deadweight tonnage The weight of the water that the ship pushes aside; same as displacement.

Deck The floor area of a ship, any floor aboard a ship.

Deckhands General maintenance crew on deck.

Downbound Vessel generally traveling in the outward direction toward St. Lawrence Seaway, in the direction from Lake Superior toward Lake Ontario. (Also called “Down Below”)

Engineer Crew member licensed by U.S. Coast Guard to operate and repair vessel machinery.

Fantail Rounded open area of the after end (stern) of ship.

Fathom A depth measure of water. 1 fathom = 6 feet

Fireman Person who monitors the boiler in engine room, Coast Guard certified, not licensed.

Fit-Out The time in the spring when a ship is readied for another season of sailing.

Forward Toward the bow (front) of a ship.

Flagship The lead, or most prestigious, ship in a fleet.

Gross tonnage Measure of space, not weight. Measure of the interior spaces of a ship’s square footage divided by 100.

Hawser Line used in mooring or towing made of rope material (nylon, manila).

Hatch Any opening on a ship where man or material can be passed, also describes the door to seal such an area.

Head Toilet on a boat.


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Terms To Know (Continued)

Hulett Unloader Shoreside unloading device. Clamshell-type bucket with operator actually aboard machine directing its movement. In groups of 2 to 4 at docks of steel mills or trans-shipment docks. Invented by Clevelander George Hulett near the turn of the Century and first operated at Conneaut, OH. Hulett Unloaders were the epitome of unloading devices until self-unloading ships captured most of the business.

Lay-up The time at the end of a shipping season when the vessel stops sailing for the winter and repairs are made to prepare for the next season.

Long ton A unit of measure containing 2240 pounds, also called Gross ton.

Mates Personnel licensed by the Coast Guard to navigate the vessel and oversee unloading and deck work.

Merchant mariners Personnel who work aboard commercial cargo or passenger vessels.

Mess The dining areas or eating space aboard a ship.

Navigation The science of plotting the course and position of a ship.

Oilers Crew members certified by the Coast Guard who assist engineers in operating vessel machinery.

Pilot house The navigation center of a ship, also called Wheelhouse.

Port side The left side of the boat looking forward while aboard.

Porter Entry level crew member in galley department; generally performs clean-up duties.

Porthole A round window in the side of a ship.

Rudder A large, almost flat plate mounted vertically behind the propeller that swivels to direct propeller wash so that the vessel can be turned.

Second cook The assistant to the steward in food preparation; prepares all rolls, breads, donuts, salads; baker.

Ship time Ships use military time or the 24-hour clock. Great Lakes ships are always on Eastern Standard or Daylight Savings Time.

Short ton A unit of measure containing 2000 pounds, also called Net ton.

Sound powered phones Intra-ship phones with crank bell; no electricity is needed to power these phones.

Spar A pole, such as a mast.

Spar deck The main deck where the hatches are located.

Starboard While aboard the ship looking forward, this is the right side.

Stern The back part of a ship.

Steward The chief cook; overseer of food services, meal preparation, linen, food stores, and sanitary supplies.

Upbound Vessel traveling into the Lakes system, generally in a northward direction; from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior. (Also called “Up above”)

Watches The periods of time when crewmen do their work. The three-watch system includes four hours of work, then eight hours off. Shifts would be from 12-4, 4-8, and 8-12 o’clock day and night.

Watchmen The people who keep watch on deck.

Wheelsman The person who steers the ship by the command of the Captain or Mates.

Windlass A lifting device for anchor chains.

Wipers The personnel in charge of general clean-up in the engine room.


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Suggested Activities

1. Read Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling and follow Paddle's journey on a map from the upper reaches of Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, learn about industries on the lakes, products that the region produces, and the vessels that carry them.

2. Using the map included in this packet, have the class map out routes the Mather used to carry iron ore to Cleveland and backhaul coal.

3. Study the vocabulary and diagrams of the boat that are included in this packet.

4. To demonstrate how a lock works, build your own locks out of milk cartons. (See enclosed activity.)

5. To show how the lakes were formed, spread clay on a table or tray, varying the thickness of the clay in different areas. Put rocks or pebbles in paper milk cartons, then fill them with water and freeze to make "glaciers". When frozen, remove the cartons and move the blocks of ice across the clay. Then allow the ice to melt to form lakes.

6. To give students an idea of the size of the Mather, unroll a ball of string 618 feet long down the hall or outside. Using a stopwatch, time how long it takes to walk the length of the string. Ask students if they can hear their classmates at the other end.

7. To give students an idea of when the Mather was built, have them look for pictures of clothing, cars, buildings, etc., from the 1920s. Ask them who they know who is over 75 years old (grandparents, neighbors, etc.).

8. Conduct an interview with that person. Was their school building built before the Mather?

9. Ask students to list things in their classroom, building, home, etc., that are made of steel. Suggest that the Mather might have carried the iron ore that made that steel. Find about how steel is made.

10. Have students research one of the tribes of native inhabitants of the Great Lakes region and report on location, dress, customs, eventual fate, etc.

11. Have students research one of the early native leaders or French explorers or missionaries and report on his/her contributions and importance.

12. Bring a compass to class and let students practice finding directions. Then teach them to "navigate" using a watch - point the hour hand at the sun and due north will be between the hour hand and the 12.

13. Ask students to research and report on one of the connecting waterways or canals that connect the Great Lakes to each other and to the ocean, e.g.: the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Welland Canal, the Soo Locks, the Straits of Mackinac, the Detroit River, the Erie Canal, the Ohio and Erie Canal, etc.

14.Research the MATHER and Great Lakes shipping starting from the MATHER website at www.wgmather.org or through the Ohio Historical Society’s “Ohio Memory Project” at www.ohiomemory.org.


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http://www.wgmather.org/


WORD FIND

Magnetic CompassLifeboatMastSteam TurbineCrew’s HeadStarboard SideStackRadarSafe

Map TableRivetFantailDishwasherCargo HatchHatch ClampGyrocompassPort SideLaundry Room

FreezerEmergency WheelAnchor ChainChadburnSteward’s RoomCrew’s MessSteering Gear


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Map SkillsHave students locate and label the items of the following list on a map of the Great Lakes region. Items may be chosen according to grade level.

• Lake Ontario • Lake Erie • Lake Michigan • Lake Huron • Lake Superior • Minnesota • Wisconsin • Michigan • Illinois • Indiana • Ohio • Pennsylvania • New York • Ontario • St. Lawrence River • Welland Canal

• Detroit River • Lake St. Clair • St Clair River • Georgian Bay • Straits of Mackinac • St. Mary's River • Quebec • Montreal • Toronto • Hamilton • Buffalo • Erie • Ashtabula • Cleveland • Lorain • Sandusky • Toledo

• Detroit • Bay City • Alpena • Gary • Chicago • Milwaukee • Green Bay • Escanaba • Sault Ste. Marie • Marquette • Ashland • Duluth • Superior • Silver Bay • Taconite Harbor • Thunder Bay • Mesabi Range • Gogebic Range


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Scavenger HuntBelow is a list of items for students to look for when they arrive at the Mather. Throughout their tour they should be able to identify the places where each item was found. To help them understand better what they are looking for, assign one or two items to each member of the class to research and explain.

• Magnetic compass • Steam turbine • Chadburn • Cargo hatch • Hatch clamp • Gyrocompass • RADAR

• Safe • Laundry room • Freezer • Rivet • Mast • Anchor chain • Chart table

• Dishwasher • Crew's head • Steward's room • Crew's mess • Steering gear • Port side • Starboard side

• Stack • Life boat • Emergency wheel • Fantail • Plimsoll Line• Bow thruster

tunnel


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Build Your Own Lock

Follow these step-by-step instructions to build a working model of a lock.

1. Cut two milk cartons as shown in the diagram below:

2. Connect the two cartons as show below. Use modeling clay or heavy tape around the edges to make sure that water will not leak out where the cartons are joined together.


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Build Your Own Lock (Continued)

3. Add water to a sink or stream to make a “lake” about one inch deep. Put your model locks into the water with the open sides up and all doors tightly closed. You may need to use a bit of modeling clay or a large paper clip to keep the doors fully closed.

4. Pour water into Carton B until it comes up to meet the bottom edge of Carton A. Then pour about 1 ½ inches of water into Carton A. Place a small toy boat into Carton A. You may need to prop up the end of Carton A with a small block of wood or clay as shown.

5. Slowly open the doors of Carton A to let the water levels in both cartons become the same. Move the boat downstream into Carton B.

6. Open the doors of Carton B slowly to let the water levels in Carton B and the “lake” become the same. Move the boat downstream into the “lake.”

7. To move the boat back upstream, open the doors to Carton B and move the boat in from the “lake.” Close the doors to Carton B and open the doors to Carton A. Add water to Carton A until the water levels in Carton A and Carton B are the same. Move the boat into Carton A.

SOMETHING TO PONDER: Where does the water for filling a real lock come from? When can a boat move into or out of a lock chamber?


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Topics for Further Study

Navigational Studies:

• Tools of navigation • Meteorological studies • Mapping journeys, plotting courses • Harbor/port issues – River navigation, Signaling

devices, Lighthouses, Locks • Governmental issues – local, interstate,

international

Environmental Studies:

• Sanitation on the lakes / water chemistries, oil / chemical spills

• Harbor dredging • Animal life / preservation • Lake effect on area economies • Lakefront development • Government regulation (EPA)

Social Studies:

• Life of a merchant mariner - real (research) or imaginary (creative writing)

• Jobs on an ore boat, ocean liner, etc. • Who runs the harbor / port • William G. Mather, the man

Math / Spatial Perception:

• Measuring (length, area, angles) • Comparing. e.g. boat sizes, lake areas / depths,

cargo / tonnage • Creating problems related to distance / speed / time

needed to travel from one place to another • Map-making • Ship designing (architecture) • Lake levels

English/Language Arts Studies:

• Vocabulary studies • Writing for information - • Communicating with people in neighboring lake

communities • Governmental agencies / port authorities • Historical perspective of Great Lakes shipping and

development of Cleveland• Perils of the lakes, traveling on the lakes today• Geographical studies - cities / areas (locations,

economies) • Boats – today vs. any other period in history • Future of the lakes • Creative writing, e.g. about sailors and sailing

vessels, science fiction (creative thinking in terms of technology of the future)

• Fiction – read stories about the lakes (especially Paddle-to-the Sea by Holling Clancy Holling)

Science:

• Turbine engines • How steel is made • How glaciers formed the Great Lakes • Simple machines - lever, pulley, wheel, inclined

plane

Computer: www.wgmather.org


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Field Trip InformationDIRECTIONS: The Steamship William G. Mather Museum is located at 305 Old Erieside Avenue

North Coast Harbor Park near downtown Cleveland. We are located behind the Great Lakes Science Center and near the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum and next to Cleveland Brown’s Stadium. You can follow highway directions for those attractions to find the Mather: from I –71, I-77, I-90, or SR-2, exit at East Ninth Street and head north.

PARKING: AMPCO Parking at the Port Authority of Cleveland provides paid parking at the North Coast Harbor for school and tour busses. It is west of the Great Lakes Science Center off of Old Erieside and is next to the Mather.

ATTIRE: Visitors should dress appropriately for the weather (rain or shine) since there are many portions of the tour conducted outside. Please remember that in the Spring, the lakefront tends to be about ten degrees cooler than inland temperatures. Flat, rubber-soled shoes are recommended for all visitors and in sunny weather, please remember hats, visors, and sunscreen.

SAFETY: Please put safety first at all times and maintain discipline with your group. There are steep stairways, raised thresholds, and uneven decks. Please remind students to walk carefully, use the handrails, and listen to the guides to ensure a safe, educational visit. Visitors who cannot follow safety procedures will be asked to go ashore.

FACILITIES: Our “Ship-Shop”, the museum store, is located in the Cargo Hold where you enter and carries a variety of merchandise. There are plenty of working bathrooms onboard. Students can eat their lunches in Voinvich Park or at Great Lakes Science Center.

RESERVATIONS: Please contact the Great Lakes Science Center to book your visit to the SS William G. Mather and the Great Lakes Science Center. Reservations can be reached at (216) 621-2400.

Welcome Aboard! We look forward to your visit.


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Steamship William G. Mather Museum Evaluation Form

Please complete this form and return it using the enclosed envelope so that we may improve our tour programs. Space is included below most questions for you to elaborate and suggest improvements.

Your Name: ________________________________________ Date of Visit: ______________

School/Group Name: ________________________________ Work Phone: ______________

Number of Participants - ADULTS: _____ CHILDREN: ____ Age/Grade Level(s): _________

1. How did you learn about the Mather Museum? ________________________________________

2. How was your trip funded? (Please check one) ___ PTA ___ School budget ___ Individually ___ Other

3. Was our Educators’ Packet useful? (Please circle one) YES NO

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Which activity did you use? ______________________________________________________________________________

a. Did the activity meet your needs? (Please circle one) YES NO

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Were the staff and volunteers friendly and informative? (Please circle one) YES NO

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Was the program a positive experience for your students? (Please circle one) YES NO

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Would you bring a group again? (Please circle one) YES NO

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Please explain any other suggestions for improvement: _________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Overall rating of your Mather experience (Please circle one) EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR POOR

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Please list any student comments you would like to share: _______________________________

_________________________________________________________________Please use back for additional comments

RETURN TO: Steamship William G. Mather Museum, 305 Old Erieside Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114Ph. 216-574-9053 • Fax: 216-574-2536 • E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.wgmather.org


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