The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-07

already regarded by astute political observers as assured, will afford him
 the first remunerative public office he nas ever filied-a recognition which
 his prolonged and unseIfish public services richly merit
 From the comparatively obscure
 post of schoolmaster in 8 little town of Northern New England, the can leading figures of public life of Con-
 necticut. Born in Nashua, New
 Hampshire. he received his early edu-
 cation in the public schools of that city. At an early age he became the
 teacher of an ungraded district school
 in the adjoining town of Hudson, N
 H., giving instruction to pupils rang
 ing from first grade to advanced high
 school studies. It. was during the
 year he served in this capacity that
 he gained his practical knowledge of
 pedagogy that has served him in
 good stead as a member and secre-
 tary of the Bridgeport Board of Edu-
 cation.
 Coming to Bridgeport after his year
 in Hudson, MT. Hallen score of
 years ago entered the office of the
 Bridgeport Forge Co. where his broth
 CT Thomas Hallen was secretary, and
 Alderman Benjamin Fletcher, presi-
 dent of the City Savings Bank. was
 It was not long before he was en-
 trusted with the important duties of
 paymaster, and given charge of the
 entire correspondence of the thriving
 copcerL.
 He had barely time to attain his
 residence in Bridgeport before he was
 tendered the nomination to the board
 of education, and his last election to
 the board was for the seventh conse-
 cutive term. He soon became the
 secretary. serving so admirably in
 that post that the board has insisted
 upon his reelection year after year
 though many times the press of other duties has led him to ask to be re- lieved of the responsibilities. Mem bers of the board regardless of party unanimously demanded his return to the place year after year, declaring that thousands of dollars could not gain for them such as his services. Later in the nineties MT. Hallen en- tered the Yale Law school. taking a special course for three years, and combining many additional studies with those of the regular course in such way as to be ineligible for the many honors which could other wise have fallen to his lot But his tribute being paid to his brilliancy and the Yale Shingle of 1901 declar- ed him the ablest member of his class, and recorded him as the one student who was never unprepared. no matter what the discussion of the day might have been.
 In 1901 Attorney Hallen opened his office in the Connecticut Bank build ing, removing shortly thereafter to
 his present suite of offices in the
 gan to enjoy the fruits of his studies.
 His legal practice has attained large proportions.
 Actively interested in the welfare of the youth of the city MT Hailen continued to devote himself tirelessly oclxS nf rtr of education. 1t was through him that the children of the city rich and poor alike were provided with free text books, for he originated the scheme and framed the bill that was passed through the legislature. He drew the bill and accompanied it to Hartford speaking eloquently for it's passage. It was through him that the present system of selecting teachers for the public schools was adopted. By this the Bridgeport teachers having dem onstrated their fitness by graduation from the Normal Training school, are selected in order of their standing, merit alone being the determining factor in their appointment.
 In 1904 MT. Hallen was unexpect- edly honored by the Democracy of | the Fourth Congressional district by nomination to contend with Congress man E. J. Hill for election to the House. Though the odds were then | regarded as strongly against MT. Hal | len, he made a memorable campaign. He was impressed throughout the state as a speaker, and his masterfu' l treatment of national and state issues | branded him as one of the brainiest | of public speakers of recent years. l His splendid oratory, keen logic and aggressive exposition of what he l deemed to be corruption in the camp of I his enemy compelled widespread ad- I miration. Though he was defeated m the Roosevelt tidal wave, he made a splendid run, eclipsing many of the | others of his party in the disastrous year.
 1 In the Democratic national conven- | ton of 1908 at Denver MT. Hallen at- tending as substitute was the spokesman of the Connecticut dele gation presenting the claims of the state to the other delegations. Upon | the election of Edward T. Bucking- ham as mayor he waited upon MT. HaIlen with the request that he serve | upon the board of police commission | ers Already weighted down with onerous duties both public and pri- yate MT. Hallen, while asking to be | excused if possible. said he was ready \ to accept the responsibilities of the l important post if the mayor insisted. l Realizing the admirable fitness of Mir. 1 Hallen, Mayor Buckingham named 1 him a commissioner, and it was but natural that he was chosen to head the board as it's president. Under the | of President Ha1lHD thn