New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
HUNTER BOYS " GUEST
Old Pupils Of Aged Teacher Give
Annual Dinner.
NOTABLE MEN PRESENT
Study the Lad and Learn His
Attitude" Is Echoolmaster's
Word of Advice.

More than three hundred boys who
] went to school to Thomas Hunter In
Grammar School IS in the years between
1855 and 1870 gave dinner last night at
the Hotel Aston to their ootogenarian pre-
ceptor They brought In the old reading
desk and tho Bible that DR.. Hunter used
IN the SOS" in No. IS just to give the
dinner an atmosphere of bygons days.
DR.. Hunters boys" include captains OF
industry, Supreme Court justices, bankers
and clergymen. James W. Hyde, presi-
dent OF the Thomas Hunter Association,
| presided. II was the sixteenth annual
dinner and the largest in the history Of
the organization.
Or. Hunter has been principal OF the
Normal College. He Is eighty-four years
old In the course Of a brief talk he said
1t was a great mistake that parents made
nowadays to compel their boys TO take up
a profession just because they wanted the
boy To become a lawyer, doctor or a
clergyman.
Study the boy, learn his attitude" de-
clared the venerable schoolmaster. It's
, mistake to put square boy into
round hole, or vice versa. Make him your
friend and you'll find what his bent is.
| It's better TO be n sood carpenter In the
world than a poor doctor"
DR. Hunter didn't follow the maxim OF
| spare the rod, etc.
IT abolished corporal punishment" he
said because | wanted my boys 10 fear
| God. and found that thrashing them
made them fear man, and It's impossible
| TO love God and fear man at the sans
time" The diners geve their teacher
three cheers and n lusty tiger.
John Purroy Mitchell. president OK the
Board OF Aldermen, whose grandfather
John Mitchell. SO fred Dr. Hunters fsther
by his teachings in lIeiand mat the eiaer
Hunter emigrated to America, was one or
the speakers. He touched on the prob
lem OF financing the education OF 'V'"o
preaent day boys and girls In New YORK
schools at a cost Of $500, 900 a year
'Tt was because We were put into once
pledged TO give the people business
government that We instituted the so
called school inquiry said Mr. Mitchell
I'VE found the educational institution
had no constructive programme OF prog
Tess. without which the Board OF Es'l-
mate. for business reasons, could not ap-
propr!ate a dollar. ! say this In no spirit
OF criticism OF the Board Of Education
although my remarks are nearly always
m!sconstrued as such. I realize mat IN
such a vast development OF New Yorks
educational institution II Is impossible 10
bring down 20 the city Hall exact detail
on which the Finance Board can predi-
cate intelligent Judgment as 10 appropria-
tons.
Although there has been failure In one
instance al least. the specialists employed
10 investigate education will soon evolve
complete report, which will result In
great advance In the quality Of education
and give facts 20 the governing board
that will do away with wasteful appro-
priauOns."
other speakers were Judge Robert
Carey. Of Jersey city; J. Van Nechten
Olcott president Of the Republican club
and one Of DR.. Hunters pupils. and the
Rev. W. W. Giles, Of the Reformed
Church IN East Orange, y. J.
Among those present were Judge war
rem W. Foster. Of the Court OF General
Sessions: Nelson H. Henry surveyor OF
the Port OF New York. Sheriff julius
Garburgcr Frank Moss. Assistant Dis
samuel Tnterrnyer. Barlow 5, Weeks,
Horace G.. Hamburger, Daniel = HAYS,
Thomas Mulry. John F. O'Rourke ana
y r. ClCott