Hunter

also greatly interested in the education of his
nephew, Muscoe Russell Hunter Garnett [g.z/.],
the son of his widowed sister.

[D. R. Anderson, "R. M. T. Hunter," in The John
P. Branch Papers of Randolph-Mac on Coll., June
1906; A Memoir of R. M. T. Hunter (1903), by his
daughter, Martha T. Hunter; L. Q. Washington, "Hon.
R, M. T. Hunter," repr. from Richmond Dispatch, Dec.
e 1897. in Southern Hist. Soc. Papers, vol. XXV
('1897); T. S. Garnett, Ibid., vol. XXVII (1899) J C.
H. Ambler, "Correspondence of R. M. T. Hunter, 1826-
76" in Ann. Report Am. Hist. Asso.t igi6f vol. II
(1918); J. F. Jameson, "Correspondence of J. C. Cal-
houn," Ibid.f 1809, vol. II (1900) ; John Savage, Our
Living Representative Men (1860) ; A. R. Micou, in
Richmond Dispatch, Dec. 13, 1891; obituary in the
same journal, July 20, 1887; information as to cer-
tain facts from descendants, through W. G. Chisolm,
New York City.] C.H.A.

HUNTER, THOMAS (Oct. 19, iSsi-Oct 14,
1915), educator, son of John and Mary Ewart
(Norris) Hunter, was born at Ardglass, Ire-
land, of a family in comfortable circumstances
the members of which had been prosperous
fanners and daring sea captains for generations.
He was educated in the private schools of the
village and at Dundalk Institute and Santry Sci-
ence School, Anglican boarding schools of
neighboring towns. Although he was enthusi-
astic about his studies and ranked high in his
classes, he did not enjoy boarding-school life. At
Dundalk, where discipline was maintained by
corporal punishment, he found the masters brutal
and the boys cowardly. Santry suited him bet-
ter. For one thing, no corporal punishment was
permitted there, a prohibition which he consid-
ered sufficient reason for the higher tone of the
school. He never forgot the experiences of these
years, considering them, as he often said, a great
influence in shaping his later educational theo-
ries. In 1849 he left Santry to become a teacher
in the Callan School, which was under the super-
vision of the Ossary Diocesan Church Educa-
tion Society* There he taught for seven months
at a small salary, supplementing his income by
acting as parish clerk. His career at the Callan
School was a brief one. Thoroughly in sympa-
thy with the "Young Ireland" party, he worked
and wrote for the independence of Ireland. In
his newspaper articles, he expressed views on
the Established Church and the relations be-
tween England and Ireland which so incensed
the government that the principal of the school,
and the constable of the town as well, advised
his leaving Ireland. On Feb. 3, 1850, he sailed
for New York, where he arrived after forty-one
days a lad not yet nineteen whose worldly pos-
sessions consisted of a few dollars and a box of
books, but with a good education and a great
courage. Absolutely unknown, he found it diffi-
cult to secure employment, and for days walked

Hunter

the streets seeking work of any kind.
he succeeded in getting a position for a three
months' trial as teacher of drawing in the Thir-
teenth Street School, later known as Number 35,
and ever after associated with his name. He
worked his way from this subordinate position
to the principalship of the school (1857), by
sheer force of character and remarkable teach-
ing ability. Number 35 under him became known
throughout the city, not only for its scholarship
but also for its discipline. Many of his "boys"
became leaders in all walks of life, and always
to his training did they attribute much of their
success. The Thomas Hunter Association, or-
ganized in 1897 and composed of the graduates
of the school, bears eloquent testimony to this
fact,

Great as was his influence within the doors of
Number 35, it was equally great outside. He it
was who, with other educational pioneers, advo-
cated reforms in methods of teaching; who in-
sisted upon the abolition of corporal punishment;
and who worked for tenure of office for teachers,
for properly trained teachers, and for adult edu-
cation. While engaged in his usual school work,
Hunter's attention was called to those people
who for various reasons were not able to attend
the regular school sessions, but were eager for
an education. For these, he first organized spe-
cial classes and, in 1866, founded the first eve-
ning high school in New York City. He gradu-
ally became interested in secondary education
for girls, for whom there was in New York City
no public education beyond the grammar grades.
He was acutely conscious also of the need for
properly trained teachers. With the aid of the
board of education, he worked upon the problem,
and after overcoming much opposition, succeed-
ed in starting in 1869 the Normal and High
School, the name of which was changed in 1870
to Normal College of the City of New York. In
the service of this institution he spent the rest
of his life, adding first one year and then another
to its course until, in 1902, it gained full colle-
giate rank Then, in 1906, satisfied with his
acnievements, he resigned as president In 1914
the board of education, in compliance with an
overwhelming demand, gave the Normal College
its present name, Hunter College of the City of
New York "With others he edited Home Cul-
ture A Self-Instructor and Aid te Social Hours
at Home (1884); A Narrative History of ike
United States for the U& of Schools (1896).
His wife, Annie McBride, whom he married in
1854 died several years before him, as did ms
only SODU Three daughters survived Urn.

IThe Artobiog. of Themes Kw*t*r (193*)• *& ^

405