as attested by the experience of General Oliver, and sat down heartily applauded. George O. Carpenter was introduced as the youngest school-boy present. He said he felt embarrassed at being among so many old fellows. After giving some account of his experience in the Eliot School under Masters Tower and Conant, and as a "North Ender," he continued : "In the present company I see my first employer, Mr. Barbour, and my last, Mr. Pratt." His humorous allusions to the gentlemen were heartily applauded. This gathering gave him much satisfaction, and he was more disposed to listen than to talk. Other speakers were John C. Pratt, John M. S. Williams, John N. Barbour, an Eliot school-boy of 1811, Peter T. Homer, James A. Dupee and Henry B. Mackintosh. Each, in a genial spirit, related incidents of school life, giving credit to their teachers for excellencies, but sadly remembering the vigorous use of cowhides, ferules and rattans as instruments of punishment, claiming nevertheless to have received more thorough training than prevails in the same grade at this date. The following hymn was contributed by John K. Hall: Should auld acquaintance be forgot And our old school boy days? No never! let us meet as now, In auld lang syne they formed We come to mingle our respects And auld lang syne shall be Who meet together here to-night, And oft may we in friendship meet Our teachers we will ne'er forget Our steps in Wisdom's paths that we Then, lads of old, fill up a glass, For auld lang syne, etc. Messrs. J. W. Black & Co., invited the members of the Association to sit for a photograph, free of charge, any day in the next two months. A vote of thanks was passed and many members accepted the invitation; a large number of individual pictures are in the possession of the Association as the outcome of this liberal offer. THIRD REUNION. THE annual meeting, Nov. 21, 1882, was held at Young's Hotel. Stephen G. Deblois, Vice-President, in the chair, regretfully announced the serious illness of Gen. H. K. Oliver, the President. A vote was passed to increase the number of Directors to nine members. The Committee to nominate officers for the coming year, 1882-1883, reported the following list, who were elected:. Directors: STEPHEN G. DEBLOIS, President. JOHN C. PRATT, Vice-President. JONAS G. SHILLABER, Treasurer. Benjamin Brown, Henry P. Mackintosh, Martin L. Bradford, Thomas J. Allen, John Capen, Samuel W. Clifford, William C. Lawrence, George W. Robbins, George O. Carpenter. One hundred and five members were present, and merriment and good cheer prevailed. The boys quite forgot their count of years, and were allowed by the presiding officer the Quaker's right to speak as the spirit moved. The record reads: "The old boys revived their youth in memory, and acted like juvenile pleasure-seekers; some proudly exhibited the medals they had won in school, and the collection of photographs taken by J. W. Black was eagerly examined by all." The collection is still the property of the Association, and is exhibited at the Annual Meetings. FOURTH REUNION. It THE annual meeting was held at the Quincy House, Nov. 15, 1883, President Deblois in the chair. was voted that Article III of the Constitution be amended by adding after the words " Public Schools of Boston" the words " and its annexes." Officers elected for 1883-1884: JOHN C. PRATT, President. JOHN M. S. WILLIAMS, Vice-President. SAMUEL W. CLIFFORD, Treasurer. Directors: Martin L. Bradford, George W. Robbins, George O. Carpenter, William C. Lawrence, Stephen G. Deblois, Alpheus M. Stetson, William Noble, James M. Burgess, Thomas J. Allen. The dinner was served in the new dining room of the Quincy House. President Deblois sat at the head of the table. A blessing was asked by Rev. Edward E. Hale. At the close of the dinner the President called the party to order and stated that one hundred and seventy-five members were enrolled, and that eight names had been entered in the Necrology. The following letters were read: : WM. H. DENNET, ESQ. Dear Sir: NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 1883. In reply to your note of the 9th instant, I am sorry to say that I expect to be in Washington, in attendance upon the Supreme Court, on Monday next. I hope some day it may be in my power to attend one of the anniversaries of the Old School Boys of Boston. With my thanks for your kind invitation, I am, Yours very truly, W. M. EVARTS. SALEM, MASS., Saturday, Nov. 10, 1883. To Wм. H. DENNET, Secretary Old Boys' Association of Boston Public Schools. My Dear Sir: Through you I address the dear " Old Boys of the Boston Schools," of the days we never, never more shall see. How glad am I that there are so many of you, since, were there but one, my address of "Dear Old Boy,” under the heading of Salem, might suggest that, as in years long past, communication was yet had with one who is occasionally known by that familiar title, for alleged communication with whom many an innocent hereabouts (one of my own distant kith included) was sacrificed: so then, "Dear Old Boys" of the dear old town wherein I was reared, and of which, when I was a boy, I knew every nook and corner as well as a chicken knows the way to its mother's wing! what memories sprang up as I read the notice of your "Fourth Annual Meeting," and what deep regret that I cannot be with you. |