Page 40 - Historical Study of Yerba Buena Island, Treasure Island and Their Buildings

The normal daily schedule for apprentices was extremely regimented. The following depicts an
average day:

• 6AM - Reveille
• 6:30AM- Wash
• 7 AM- Inspection by Master-at-Arms, with shirts off to see they were clean
• 7:30AM- Breakfast
• Cleaning the ship
• 9: I SAM- Quarters inspected (including: clean clothes, blackened shoes)
by the officer of the day
• Two drill periods
• 12:00PM - Lunch
• I : I SPM - Two more drill periods
• 3:00PM-Those with dirty clothes were required to scrub their clothing
and sea bags were inspected
• Every afternoon, every apprentice was required to go over the masthead
• 9PM-Taps

The course of study included six months at the on-shore training facility and a six month tour of
duty on a training ship. The training resulted in a transfer to positions of seamen and petty
officers in the fleet. The required courses and drills taught to the apprentices at the training
facility were:

• Knotting and splicing
• Names of parts of ship, sails, spars and different ropes
• Exercise at setting, reefing and furling sails
• Instruction in four inch rapid fire guns, a number of smaller rapid-fire pieces
• Setting up exercises, facing and marching, (without arms and with arms)
• Signaling, wigwag with small flags, taught Army and Navy codes, general
Navy signaling and International code
• Instruction in reading, writing, geography, American history, and arithmetic
(taught by the Chaplain)
• Instruction in pulling and sailing (in boat crews of twelve)

The Naval Training Station usually had a full complement of landsmen and apprentices. It
replaced its first training ship, the USTS Adams with the USTS Alert, then added a second
training ship, the USTS Intrepid. Basically, until the outbreak of World War I, the island
maintained its growth rate without much difficulty. Reports indicated that the 1906 San
Francisco Earthquake spared the island from damage. San Francisco quake victims in need of
emergency care were sent to the Hospital at Goat Island. Less seriously injured victims were
sent to the Naval Hospital at Mare Island.

The start ofWorld War I had two long range effects which (1) resulted in a major building
project that vastly increased the capacity of the Naval Training Station, and (2) demonstrated the
size limitations ofYerba Buena Island (approximately 150 acres, not all usable). Many
buildings were erected during this time. See Figures 12 through 27. Tents of the landsmen
covered the island in neat, orderly rows separated by wood walkways. The Lighthouse Service

September I, 1995 Historical Study ofYerba Buena Island, 1-19
Treasure Island, and their Buildings