PREFATORY. THE origin of the Society called "The Old School Boys of Boston" dates from the Reunion of "the Boston Public School Boys of 1830 and prior," who had taken part in the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the settlement of the town of Boston. This was held at Young's Hotel, November 16, 1880, Hon. F. O. Prince, Mayor of the City, presiding. It was then voted to continue the organization, and a Committee was appointed to draft a constitution, and report at a meeting to be held one year from that date. The second Reunion took place November 16, 1881, when the Constitution as reported by the Committee was adopted. The purely social object, as therein declared, has been steadily pursued with gratifying results. Suggestions made at different times of obtaining an Act of Incorporation, and adding benevolent and philanthropic features, have not been favorably regarded. The sufficiency of the original purpose to attract and secure new recruits is evidenced by the annals, which are given in detail in the following pages. It is interesting to note that extraordinary commemorative occasions often suggest some unique idea, which in development leads to some novel organization. This is eminently true of the Boston "Public School Boys," who have twice participated in the grand parades which celebrated, at an interval of fifty years, the settlement of the town in 1630; and of the Franklin Medal scholars, who took part in the ceremonies of unveiling the Franklin statue, on the City Hall grounds in 1856. In each instance the outcome was the formation of a permanent organization. The association of "Franklin Medal Scholars was formed Sept. 17, 1856; membership was limited to those who had received the Franklin medal. The following persons, whose official connection with that Society is indicated below, were among the organizing members of the "Old School Boys of Boston," viz.: Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Vice-President, John C. Pratt, Secretary, Wm. H. Dennet, Treasurer, Isaac H. Wright, L. H. Bradford, Charles W. Slack, and Wm. Parkman, Directors. The list of members of the "Old School Boys of Boston" at the adoption of the Constitution, included 99 names. The accession of new members as they became eligible has been constant. Each succeeding year has shown an increasing number of schools and scholars in our city, which promises well for future accessions. Each recurring Reunion has been characterized by the same enthusiasm which prevailed at the first "Golden Supper." Year after year members living in places quite distant from Boston have returned to greet the school mates of their boyhood The whole number of and join in the festivities. recorded members to date is 646. The Necrology records show the names of 361 who have passed on. The present membership is 285. The Secretary would be pleased to receive information, which would enable him to complete the record of those whose names are printed in italics, or to correct any errors. The Summer Reunions have been occasions of rare pleasure, and have been graced and enlivened by the presence of the wives, daughters or lady friends of the members. They have been held at the Atlantic House, Nantasket (with only two exceptions), under the most delightful weather conditions. But little of formality has marked the exercises; the historians mention the beauties of the trip by steamer, the delightful outlook from the piazza and grounds about the hotel, seaward and landward, the zest with which the stories and reminiscences were told and listened to by various groups of "Old Boys," cluding the account with a stereotyped phrase that this was "the best gathering we had ever had." con The sketches of these Reunions, which have been compiled from the Record Book of the Historian, will, it is hoped, prove of interest to all. HISTORICAL SKETCH. THE two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Boston was celebrated on Sept. 17. 1830. In the grand procession of that day some pupils of the Public Schools of the City paraded as a body. Of the boys then present or in the schools of that date forty-two (veterans) participated as "Boston Public School Boys" in the procession of Sept. 17, 1880, the two hundredth and fiftieth anniversary; their names taken from City Records are as follows: Those marked with an obelisk (†) were among the organizers of the Old School Boys' Association. † Daniels, N. A. † Earl, Hezekiah † Freeman, John S. † Lander, Francis A. Lee, William † Leeds, D. D. † Nichols, Charles H. Parks, Benjamin † Pratt, Caleb † Pratt, John C. Pratt, Joseph | Robbins, George W. Ruggles, Daniel †Shillaber, Jonas G. Simmons, George C. †Souther, Emery Timmins, John † Wilder, J. H. † Williams, W. A. † Wells, Charles G. The organization of the Old School Boys' Association resulted from action taken upon the propositions of the following letter: BOSTON, March 4, 1880. Friend Aaron D. Capen, of old time memory: I notice by the papers that an appropriation has been made to defray the expenses of celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Settlement of Boston. I turned out with the Mayhew School boys, Sept. 17, 1830, and marched with them. I think you were a teacher there at the time. My object in writing to you is this: I think that you know the whereabouts of a good many of the boys of that day, and if we could get together a squad of Mayhew School boys who then marched together with yourself as marshal, it might prove a very pleasant meeting to all. I have the badge worn on that day, and there are others probably who have them, and we could wear them again, "after fifty years have fled." I presume you are in town often, and would be pleased to have you call on me, and see how many of the "old boys" we can find and notify. Yours truly, N. A. DANIELS. Immediately following the suggestions of this letter a call was made in the newspapers for a meeting of pupils of the Public Schools of Boston of 1830 and |