The following letter was read, and it was voted that it be spread on the records :

BOSTON, Nov. 19, 1901.

To the Members of the Old School Boys' Association of

Boston:

GENTLEMEN,

On account of ill-health, I am obliged

to resign as Secretary and Treasurer of this Association, which office I have held the past seventeen years. It is with feelings of regret that I give up the work, as I have enjoyed it more than any I ever did. I hope this Association will continue to grow, and shall always be interested in its welfare. I was one of the first members, and I think, with the exception of two or three, I am the oldest member now living. I will be eighty-five Dec. 3. I hope I shall not be forgotten, and shall be pleased to have any of you call upon me at any time. With best wishes, I remain,

Yours truly,

WILLIAM C. LAWRENCE.

On motion of Mr. Boyden it was voted that the President appoint three members of the Association beside himself to prepare a testimonial of a substantial character, to be presented to Mr. Lawrence. Messrs. W. T. Eustis, L. Foster Morse and M. N. Boyden were appointed.

The meeting then adjourned, and reassembled at the banquet tables, and were called to order by the President. Captain J. S. Damrell asked a blessing; then the feast began, with music by Niles' orchestra, - who played old time melodies, which were pleasantly interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Wm. H. Baldwin, escorting Mr. Booker T. Washington to the tables as a guest. The entire company rose and

gave him a greeting of welcome. In response he said he did not presume to be old enough to have the honor of membership, even if he had been a Boston school boy, and was afraid that he would not be forgiven for this interruption of their feast. He thanked Mr. Baldwin for having brought him, and at his request would make a few remarks. He acknowledged indebtedness to Mr. Wm. H. Baldwin, Jr., who had done much to help the education of his race in the South.

When he began to attend school he was confronted with two dilemmas, one was that he had no name, the other that he had no hat. When he found that other boys had two or three names, he thought he had better be likewise equipped; he believed he had furnished a case where a man asked for a name for himself. Washington was the name I asked the teacher for, and I got it, as to a hat, my mother said, "I am not going to buy you one, I'll make one." She did so, and that first blue jean head-cover was the best I have ever worn. In closing he asserted that no other city in the Union had acted so wisely and generously as Boston in promoting educational work in the South. The easy grace of his diction won all hearts, and on retiring from the room those who could, grasped his hand with right good will and friendliness.

Dinner was resumed, and favorite southern melodies were played by the orchestra during its progress. When it was concluded the President rapped for order, and pleasantly reviewed the history of the Association, mentioning Mr. Lawrence, the retiring Secretary, as one of the few charter members still

living, and commending the faithfulness of his services.

Responding to the call of the President. the following members addressed the company in an entertaining manner :- Mr. B. B. Whittemore, the incoming President; Mr. W. F. Tufts, President of the Training Field School Association of Charlestown; Mr. Curtis Guild, Ex-President; and Mr. H. Winslow Warren, Master of the Henry L. Pierce School, Dorchester.

The last speaker was Master James A. Page of the Dwight School, who on rising was greeted with cheers. He proceeded to deliver a carefully prepared address, which he had previously read at a gathering of former school boys of Boston. It was largely reminiscent, and was listened to with great pleasure and heartily applauded at its close.

The meeting adjourned at 7.55 P. M.

TWENTY-THIRD REUNION.

THE twenty-third annual meeting was held at Young's Hotel, Nov. 21, 1902, President B. B. Whittemore in the chair.

The records of the preceding meeting were read and approved, and the report of the Treasurer was submitted and accepted.

The President stated that the Directors, to whom the matter was referred at the last annual meeting, reported, recommending the printing of a new Register of the members; and on motion of Mr. Metcalf, it was voted that the Association approve of such publication when sufficient funds shall have been raised for that purpose, and Messrs. Boyden, Whittemore and Doherty were appointed a committee for that work.

On motion of Mr. Metcalf, it was

Voted, That the following be sent to the members with the notices of the annual meetings: "No assessment is levied; but members who may feel so inclined are invited to send a contribution of one dollar for the purposes of the Association."

The committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year reported the following, and they were elected: :

WILLIAM W. DOHERTY, President.

WILLIAM T. EUSTIS, Vice-President.

HERBERT W. KIMBALL, Sec'y and Treas.

WARREN RICHARDSON, Historian.

Directors: - Spencer W. Richardson, Thomas Hills, John S. Damrell, Robert B. Williams, Francis M. Bacon, L. Foster Morse, Merrill N. Boyden, George H. Worthley, William Fuller Tufts.

President Whittemore, presiding at the banquet table, called upon the Rev. Frederick A. Bisbee, who invoked the Divine blessing. The Arion Quartette then sang a once popular composition, now as venerable as the oldest schoolboy present, entitled "I see them on their winding way." During the exercises other pieces were interspersed, and were accorded generous applause.

In his introductory remarks of welcome, greeting and congratulation, the President adverted to his school days, especially mentioning the introduction of the study of vocal music in the Hawes School; it was then a pleasure, and in his later life has ever been an enjoyment.

Dr. William Everett, Master of the Adams Academy of Quincy, being called upon, responded by stating that he had counted the years since entering a Boston public school, and, finding himself eligible, he had this evening joined this Society. His further remarks were limited to the Latin School, which he entered in 1852. He told about the vigorous training pursued there, following the course laid out by the wit of wise men backed by long experience; pupils had to learn; there was no turning of study into play; they worked when they worked.