New-York tribune., 1909-06-25
OF Interest -
~ to Uom en-
WOULD CHANGE NAME
Graduates Learn That Normal May
Be Called Hunter College.

ssC7ive US the children OF the foreigners for six
or seven years in the public schools OF New York
and well turn them into good Americans. no mat
ter II their fathers he anarchists. socialists. or
what" said Patrick F. MCGOWAN in his talk 10 the
graduating class Of Normal College the fortieth
annual commencement yesterday.
Nr MCGOWAN made his remarks short remem-
bering he said the criticism OF the wagon maker
On his lawyer sons speech. The longer the spoke
the greater the tire the little he said the
eagle screamed good and plenty. He told the girls
20 instil in their pupils when they became teach
ers the sort OF civic pride which believes that
New York is better than any city in the world, ana
etea6v growing better"
You have difficult task before you he said
Here in New York foreigners from every
cline. and you VINO teach their children must re-
move with as little friction possible the preju-
dices iniTnical 20 America You must impart more
than hook learnine-you must teach honor and
honesty, virtue. charity and civic pride; ana
though secuarisr IS not permitted IN our puohc
schools, the true teacher must be the essence OF
true religion. In your hands the future Of New
York rests and you are going 10 make 1t great
future
Nj MCGOWAN said the fault of the educational
system in New York was imperfect articulation
The pupil ought pass directly from the klnder
earten TO the primary. from that 10 the grammar
grades. from the grammar 10 the hign schooi ana
from that 10 the college Until this is done there
will be injustice 10 the taxpayers, who are very
generous"
commencement showed the need OF ne"
buildings for Normal College There were almost
-u-o hundred graduates against seventy-seven last
year President Davis said that il the last twelve
months the student body had grown from hVe nun
dred and fifty TO eight hundred. Next year. he
said There will he about q thousand. and beyond
that cannot grow until We have the ne" oullu-
inEs I give these numbers to show the growing
demand on the part OF the young women OF New
York for the higher education. demand which
surely iustifes the city the spending Of the
$50 600 il has just placed at disposal and with
which the first section Of the new buildings VIII be
begun next year.
This college is better adopted 70 modern oonci-
tions than many college Of pure culture Al
present the great demand in the educational Worid
IS for vocational training.
Education solely foc information and culture has
been adjudged relic Of mediavalism. Critics Of
the academic training ask, what can the graduates
Of such colleges do in a practical way that can
be done as well better by those who don l 20
through such trairingg' That is unfair ques-
tion for il excludes such answers as lheE can
live more intelligent and satisfying lives
However this college can say truly that II pre-
pares its pupils for definite work in life.
II the Associate Alumne and President Davis
have their u-av II viii be the future not the
Normal College" hut Hunter College IhlS
change Of name" said Mr.. Davis. would per
petuate the memory Of the man whose mind con-
oeived this institution snd whose great ability car
ried il through years Of usefulress and success
Dr Hunters absence was the one cloud on the
commencement die kept away by Illness and
Robert l. Harrison. OF the executive comu1lt'ee'
took his place in reading the Scriptures Eger1oh
Z, Winthrop ir-. presented the scholarship meoals
and prizes. Miss Rose Roll gave the vsledctory'
An the graduates. the teachers and the faculty
,,.-s in can and gown. and each girl wore daisy
tn honor Of Mr. MCGOWAN C'gowan" being Scotcn
for daisy J.