prior, to convene in June. A meeting was accordingly held, and after due consideration a committee was appointed, consisting of one person from each school then existing [1830] to consider the matter further, make arrangements and report at a later meeting. In August, 1880, at a meeting held at the Sherman House, the committee reported that a place had been assigned in the procession to the pupils of the "Boston Public Schools of 1830 and prior," and "Master" Capen was invited to act as marshal. September, 1880, it stands recorded that sixty or more participated in the anniversary procession, and appeared to enjoy it; and by vote the same committee were instructed to call a meeting in October. In pursuance of the above vote a meeting was held at the office of Jonas G. Shillaber, a former pupil of the Mayhew School, and the subject of a GOLDEN SUPPER was discussed; it was voted that one should take place, and the same committee was chosen with full powers to make the necessary arrangements. The following circular was submitted by the committee and approved by the meeting: Dear Sir: BOSTON, Oct. 29, 1880. At a recent meeting of the Boston Public School pupils prior to 1830, to take part in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of the city, a committee of one from each school of 1830 was appointed for that, and any subsequent occasion of special interest to the Public School Boys of that period. This committee propose that we dine together at Young's Hotel, on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 1880, at 5 P. M. The intention is to make this meeting of our old school and class mates pleasant and social, without ceremony. Distinguished graduates of our Boston Public Schools are invited to be present, one of whom will preside. The price of tickets for the dinner has been fixed at $2.50, which can be obtained of J. G. Shillaber, 61 Court St., Boston. Yours fraternally, Benjamin Brown, Eliot, Chairman. John C. Pratt, English High. Thomas J. Allen, Mayhew. FIRST REUNION. "GOLDEN SUPPER." The "Golden Supper " took place November 16, 1880, in Young's Hotel. Mr. Benjamin Brown, who, as Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, was largely instrumental in getting up the Reunion, introduced his honor Mayor Prince as the presiding officer of the festivities, and his honor, after calling on the Rev. Mr. Holland to invoke the Divine blessing, invited the company to attack the dinner which Messrs. Hall and Whipple had provided. After the tables had been cleared Mayor Prince opened the proceedings with a happy little speech of welcome, and then introduced Gen. Henry K. Oliver of Salem, who warmed up the "boys " with one of his admirably witty speeches, replete with reminiscences of early floggings and rewards of merit, and prepared the way for the flow of soul, which continued without cessation during the remainder of the evening. At the conclusion of Gen. Oliver's remarks the Mayor presented a few statistics relating to the public schools of the city, saying that the founders of Boston established the system to prevent "the old Deluder " from capturing the youth of the town. Inasmuch as there were now 171 schools in the city, the adversary, the Mayor thought, stands a poor show of accomplishing his object. He exhibited to the company the first medal ever awarded to a Boston scholar, given in 1792. The names of those present were then called by the Mayor, and each rose. During this interesting portion of the exercises a great deal of fun was indulged in, a running fire of school-day jokes and old-time "gags" serving to convulse everybody with laughter, as one after another, the heroes of Lindley Murray and "Johnny" Snelling's cowhide, faced their compeers and were recognized by playmates whom perchance they had not met since the days of auld lang syne. The Mayor supplemented the rollcall by reading a letter from Jairus Lincoln of Northboro', who pleaded his eighty-six years as an excuse for non-attendance, saying that Mr. Lincoln, who will be remembered in connection with the old Franklin School, is the oldest Grammar-master in the Commonwealth. Mr. Prince also read Cotton Mather's lines on Tutors, and a letter from Thomas R. Gould, regretting enforced absence. Col. Isaac Hull Wright, being called on, made a brief address of congratulation, and took occasion to speak of the great improvement in the school system, and particularly in the matter of military drill. one Peter T. Homer, who was received with great applause, sent to the chair and had read (as testimonials, he said, to his good character when a boy), two certificates of merit which he received from the Public Examiners, October 10, 1816, and one from the teachers of the Centre Writing School, September 16, 1817. In May, 1810, he said, he applied for admission at the old wooden school-house which stood where the City Hall now stands, but was refused because of his not yet being seven years of age. The public schools of those days were "not to be sneezed at," for the pupil was obliged to leave when he was thirteen, and then had obtained all the education he ever got and that was enough to enable him to make his living, all the way through life. At this point Mayor Prince suggested the formation of a permanent association, and on the motion of Thomas J. Allen, the following gentlemen were appointed a committee to obtain the names of all the boys in Boston schools previous to 1831, who would meet annually at a gathering like this: Benjamin Brown, John C. Pratt, Stephen G. Deblois, Samuel W. Clifford, Jonas C. Shillaber, Thomas J. Allen, William C. Lawrence, George W. Robbins, Henry B. McIntosh, Martin L. Bradford and William H. Dennet. Thomas J. Allen made an eloquent speech, recalling the declamations, exhibitions and examinations of his school-boy days, the annual exercises in Faneuil Hall, where they had to drink some sour claret, etc. He said that the penmanship of those days was better than that of to-day, and in closing |