Thomas Kouttron Garners Howard Munson Scholarship
Thomas Kouttron’s work ethic and ingenuity would make Howard N. Munson proud. The teenager graduated last month as one of the top members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2015 and his academic and co-curricular achievements will always be remembered.
Recognized as a Distinguished Senior after compiling a minimum 90 grade average in every semester over the past four years of high school, Mr. Kouttron is headed to Worchester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts where he intends to study mechanical engineering.
Mr. Kouttron credits his considerable high school success to “organization, time management, perseverance and involvement” and he has a record to prove it. “With these key skills, I have been able to enjoy school, manage work, enjoy after school activities and maintain my hobbies,” he said.
The teenager found time to lead Huntington’s robotics club, participate in the science research program, restore an abandoned, decades old farm tractor, sing opera, complete an Eagle Scout Award project and engage in countless other activities. He is widely regarded as a mechanical genius; just the type of young man that Mr. Munson would love to meet.
Mr. Kouttron wore a wide smile as he was presented with the $3,000 Howard N. Munson Scholarship by Neil D. Getter, the Huntington Fire Department’s ex-chief and current financial secretary, during last month’s senior academic awards ceremony.
While Mr. Kouttron certainly never met Mr. Munson and was probably completely unfamiliar with where his automotive shop was located on New York Avenue in Huntington village, the businessman’s success and generosity will benefit the teenager as he moves on to college.
Although Mr. Munson once admitted that he never really enjoyed school, he knew it was important. So he did what needed to be done, graduating Port Washington High School and keeping his eyes fixed on the future. The award presented in his honor is made payable to the recipient’s college of choice.
Born June 28, 1908 to Frank and Dora Hill Munson, Howard “didn’t like school very much,” Mr. Getter said during the scholarship award presentation in the Huntington High School auditorium. “He liked being around cars and told his dad to forget about the new car he had been promised if he stuck it out and graduated, because he would rather use the money to study engineering at Pratt Institute, which he did, graduating in 1928. After Pratt, he went on to graduate from General Motors Tech.”
Mr. Munson opened an auto repair shop in Huntington in 1930 and continued running it until the very day he passed away on October 22, 1999. “During the almost 70 years he was in the auto repair business he served the local fire department, the rich and famous, the poor who could not pay, the local town folk and those who came from afar,” Mr. Getter said
A telling episode in Mr. Munson’s life illustrated his character and the values he held dear. “On one terribly cold and icy night, when there was a very bad fire in Huntington, he worked all night to keep a truck pumping and got it out of the way when the building started to collapse,” Mr. Getter said.
“Over the years, the business continued to grow, largely due to the fact that he cared about his customers, never once over charged nor cheated them in any way and while he got his hands dirty, he was noted for always wearing a necktie with his uniform and keeping the shop neat, clean and organized,” Mr. Getter said about Mr. Munson.
Mr. Getter closed his remarks at the award’s night by wishing the same type of success Mr. Munson enjoyed on the soon-to-be Huntington grad. “Though he chose blue collar work, he died a wealthy man and we hope that you will do as well in your chosen career,” Mr. Getter said.
This marks the 15th year the Howard N. Munson Scholarship was presented to a Huntington senior.