<p>Here is a link to the 2009 bell ringing. It should start tomorrow sometime. (for those new parents, the midshipmen ring the bell when they pass their USCG exams) :)</p>
<p>Any timeframe for this? I keep tuning in for a livefeed of a still bell. Still very exciting though!! Am thinking of you 09 Moms & Dads…</p>
<p>Mine was the one in the kilt. Who’s kid was in the toga get up & the other one dressed like a giant banana? :D</p>
<p>Congrats to each of these great kids, on their accomplishment !
Ringing that bell… just has to be… WONDERFUL !</p>
<p>I have 4 years to go so I am a newbie. Could someone fill me in on the story behing this? Thanks and congrats to all who are ringing the bell and those who were at home holding thier breath and being supportive.</p>
<p>I’m not sure of the actual origin of this tradition; however, at Kings Point the ringing of the bell is to signify the completion of the course of study at Kings Point. This is accomplished by passing the Coast Guard licensing exams and so when the results are posted everyone runs to the board and looks for their score. Once they read their passing scores they run out to the Oval and ring the bell like there is no tomorrow. It’s one of the greatest feelings you ever have at KP. Things that come close are graduation and recognition.</p>
<p>The best idea I could come up with is this:
In the days of engine order telegraphs a bell was rung to signify engine orders. I think one bell signified “all stop” meaning the voyage was complete. </p>
<p>Deepdraft might have a better idea as to how it all started. Personally I wanted to break that thing because I was so tired of hearing it every morning for four years, ha!</p>
<p>I know one Mid that rang the international code for “Ship has run aground”. Funny how I think I adore that particular Mid with the great knees. I know another who took a baseball bat to it.</p>
<p>I am left in amazement at these fine young folks who have overcome so much for this day.</p>
<p>For those who missed the live webcam, here’s a link for some of the bell ringing festivities. </p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - USMMA 2009 Bell Ringing - First 5 minutes](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlrCnky1kRI]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlrCnky1kRI)</p>
<p>Congratulations to the class of 2009</p>
<p>This was sent out to the Deckies:</p>
<p>I have the statistics for license exams for the past 23 years.</p>
<p>Here is where the class of 2009 stands.</p>
<p>Class of 2009 First time pass rate 82%. The last time that pass rate was achieved by a class was in 1996. In the 23 years of data there have only been three times that a class has exceeded that percentage. 1993, 1992, & 1991</p>
<p>Rules of the Road First time pass rate was 96%. The last time that pass rate was achieved by a class was in 1996. In the 23 years of data there have only been two times that a class has exceeded that percentage. 1990 & 1989.</p>
<p>Navigation Combined (Terrestrial Nav., Navigation Plot and Celestial Nav. combined) First time pass rate was 87% . The last time that pass rate was achieved by a class was in 1995. In the 23 years of data that pass rate was only exceeded twice. 1987 & 1986.</p>
<p>
Back in the day bells were rung at ½ hour intervals of the watch. Eight Bells marked the end of the watch. I would venture to say, and its just a guess here, that when the tradition started the bell was struck eight times… two rings, slight pause, two rings, slight pause, two rings, slight pause, two rings… then its watch below… </p>
<p>Or for the engineers out there… ring it off and put it on the jacking gear :)</p>
<p>Bell Ringing Video is up:</p>
<p>[USMMA</a> Parents Page](<a href=“http://www.usmma.edu/parents/]USMMA”>http://www.usmma.edu/parents/)</p>
<p>k314sig09, what action should a midshipman take who wants to be part of the 82% who pass on their first try? Any ideas on what it takes to be in the 18% who don’t? Statistics on pass rate for 2nd try?</p>
<p>pfff. He might be a while answering atlsmith as he got stuck in SC for a loooong while due to crazy travel disasters. :D</p>
<p>“k314sig09, what action should a midshipman take who wants to be part of the 82% who pass on their first try? Any ideas on what it takes to be in the 18% who don’t? Statistics on pass rate for 2nd try?”</p>
<p>Participate in a Waterfront activity- 100% pass rate for Waterfront 1st Classmen.</p>
<p>"“k314sig09, what action should a midshipman take who wants to be part of the 82% who pass on their first try? Any ideas on what it takes to be in the 18% who don’t? Statistics on pass rate for 2nd try?”</p>
<p>Participate in a Waterfront activity- 100% pass rate for Waterfront 1st Classmen. "</p>
<p>On the same note I would say join the wrestling team… 100% pass rate for all first class wrestlers…</p>
<p>Seriously though - study the Murphy books for Deck Gen/Nav Gen/Deck Saftey. Make sure you study the correct parts (aka not the Master/CM parts) Take the Lapware tests for those three and Rules as well. My practice test scores jumped from low 70’s to low 90’s after reading the Murphy books.
Rules - take Capt. Hard’s class
For me, the three navigation tests were the easiest… it is the stuff you’ve been learning for 4 years (unlike Deck Gen or Deck Saftey). Tab your Bowditch, and pay attention in the license prep courses to Capt. Tisch and Cdr Hunt. They both know what they are talking about and know how to teach it (although they may be difficult at times). If you REALLY have problems, go see Lt. Klonis, but only if you want to spend 5 hours relearning something (I never did).</p>
<p>The key thing is RELAX!!! Rules (after having Capt. Hard) is a breeze, study hard for the gens/saftey and relax when it comes to the nav… I didn’t study any Nav in the week prior or week during the exams, and I got 100% on all three. Read the question, and do them slowly and methodically, and you will do fine.</p>
<p>Ok how about tips for Engineers? What is their pass rate, etc? No heard much about that.</p>
<p>79% …wasn’t good, normally it is above 90%…it was a bad year.</p>
<p>Just got a note that read all 2009 Mids who appeared for their exams have cleared the USCG Exam! WTG 09!!!</p>
<p>I am the class agent for the 1951 class. I sent a message from the Academy that I forwarded to the 109 classmates and 9 widows that I have on my email list the bell ringing video from the 2009 class with the pass rate of a little over 80%. I was the deluged with emails inquiring how our class rated. Some believed that at least 80% passed, most felt that it was greater.
After some research I have come up with the following figures. In 1951 there were graduating classes in both June and December. The following figures are for the June class only. </p>
<ol>
<li>There were 173 in the June 1951 Class. </li>
<li>160 graduated on June 21, 1951. </li>
<li>One was in the hospital. </li>
<li>Three were held back from the graduation ceremonies for some type of punishment incurred for celebrating their passage of the exam. </li>
<li>Four graduated early in June 1951. </li>
<li>Five failed the exam and subsequently passed and were graduated within six weeks. </li>
<li>Four of the five classmates who failed have now taken their final voyage. </li>
<li>There was no bell ceremony after we took the exams. </li>
<li>Therefore the official USCG pass rate for those of us who took the exam the first time was 97.11%. </li>
</ol>
<p>Four graduated early in June 1951.
Five failed the exam and subsequently passed and were graduated within six weeks.
Four of the five classmates who failed have now taken their final voyage.
There was no bell ceremony after we took the exams.
Therefore the official USCG pass rate for those of us who took the exam the first time was 97.11%.</p>
<p>and you had to walk uphill both ways in snow without shoes :)</p>
<p>haha, j/k. Those are some pretty amazing numbers for the class of '51.</p>