New-York tribune., 1912-01-26
MAYOR TALKS TO PUPILS
Tells Graduates of Public School
100 to Get Study Habit.
WILL GIVE AWAY 124 BOOKS
CITY Head Promises Each Mem
Der of Class Franklin's
Autobiography.

MAYOR Gaynor promised yesterday 20 give
,be f94 members of the graduating class of
Public School 100, at Rivlngton and Suf-
folk streets, copies of Franklin's "Autobi-
ographv" The promise came during the
MAYORS talk to the graduates on the sub
ice, of study"
Tho Mayor arrived at the school in time
,o hear the oratorical efforts of various
members Of the class, which he pronounced
rerv fine He also compimented the prin-
cinal Of the school for his selection of pas
cages in his Scriptural reading. one PROV
,rb i'm the selection especially appealed to
fbe Mayor-"A good name is rather to be
chosen than great rlches'-and before TAX
ng up his chosen theme on Study he ex-
pressed the hope that this proverb might
be burned into the minds of those who had
inst finished their public school course.
The Mayors address in part follows:
You should have acquired while you were
here, and / hope YOU nave acquired, the
stndv habit. You see people in this world
going around at nights TO saloons. and to
ebeap nasty shows In the theatres, simply
because they do not know what in the
world to do With themselves. They have
70 mental habit.
Nov | hope that while you have been
aere YOU have acquired the study habit. |
Gill nTlnG IL DOWN 10 SOintlnlnR less IMAM
ihat-the reading habit. the habit of read
ing good books, because just as soon as
any one gets that habit he is really fixed
for life and happy for life. OF night when
he does not know what 70 do with himself
he has only 10 turn TO his book and take
il down and read II, and IL finally he
comes a habit. Don't get the habit, for
pity'S sake OF reading everything there is
In tho trashy newspapers. Have nothing
20 do with them. Read one or two good
newspapers. Those filed with trash simply
fritter Your mind away all the time that
II YOU have acquired this habit of read
lng serious books. I am willing 10 wager
on your future. You will come out ahead
line you are going into. l desire now 70
say that, TO start YOU in that direction, |
am going 10 give TO each Of you copy or
the Autobiography OF Benjamin Frank
principal. and he can let each OF you have
your CODY when you call for it.
The Mayor next recommended for read
Ing "Plutarchs Lives" and Green's Short
History Of the English People" Then, in
order to impress the value of study upon
the minds Of the pupils, he told of how
Napoleon carried thousands OF volumes
with him during his great campaigns The
Mayor continued;
Some OF you are going TO high school
The high schools of this city teach more
than was taught In Dartmouth College
when Daniel Webster was there. He did
not get taught as much, nor any of the
men Of his time who became so great. as
the boys of this city are now being taught
free in the high schools. Some of you will
pass on 10 the City College, and there, dear
me- they get far beyond anything that
Webster got or any Of the men Of his day.
And yet they became great men.
Some Of you. in place of going 10 the
City College, ought 10 60 to an agricult-
rTal college, and learn all about the soil
ana crops and how TO farm and then go
ont and BEGIN as farmers. Go out and
hire yourself to a farmer, no matter how
much q month YOU get. Then you will be
farmers, and you will he able TO make
money out OF farming and support your
selves and your families. II Is the best
cpering that I know of for boys What
the farmers want is educated boys. boys
such as ! have described TO you. Do not
shrink from II all
Tho Mayor accepted yesterday an invita-
ticn extended 10 him by a committee OF
three young girls 10 attend the graduating
exercises Of Public School 4. "a Rivington
and Ridge streets. next Tuesday afternoon.