The Approaching Festival Of The Boys' School.

THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

"VTOT many weeks hence and the last of the Festivals of JL 1 our Charitable Institutions will have been held . True we are only this day entering on the month of June , and the Festival in question will not take place till the 8 th of next month . But the announcement that the first meetinsr of the Board of Stewards was held on Thursdav , the

23 rd ult ., and the statement that H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , who will occupy the chair this year , had fixed the day for this annual gathering must have reminded our readers , if they needed any such reminder , that the time for considering the preliminary arrangements , as well as

for forming some estimate of the degree of success which may result from the Festival is at hand . It is possible to put off the preparations till what should be the completest regularity and order becomes inevitably a perfect chaos ; but , on the other hand , it is well-nigh impossible to make

too early a beginning . We have every confidence that the Stewards who have already signified their intention of acting in that important capacity , and their indefatigable Honorary Secretary , will exert themselves with the same energy and zeal as at previous Festivals of this Institution ;

but we are likewise anxious that the brethren should have the earliest opportunity afforded them , so that they may bring their valuable assistance to bear in supporting the Boys' School . There are several reasons , indeed , why we think ifc desirable that attention should be called to the

anniversary of this Institution even at an earlier date than usual . In the first place , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has graciously signified his intention of presiding , and ifc is well known that the many claims on his Royal Highness ' s time prevent him from taking so active a part in the

business of Freemasonry as he could wish . Therefore the Craft owe it as a duty to His Royal Highness , and to themselves , that they should exhibit more than their usual energy , in order the more worthily to second his efforts on behalf of the School . Again , the occasion will possess an unusual

degree of interest in one particular respect . The day selected happens to be the thirteenth anniversary of the opening of the present School building . Brethren , therefore , may glance with just pride at the magnificent success which has been achieved in that brief term of years , and

regarding this as ominous of good for the future , they will doubtless resolve upon making still more determined efforts in support of a School which has fulfilled its important duties so admirably . There is , however , a third , and , if possible , a still greater reason why a supreme effort should be made this year for the

Boys' School . The Governors have greatly extended its sphere of usefulness , and in a very short space of time there will be 211 boys borne on the strength of the School . Its funded property , however , is limited , and must be of little or no account in the event of any great emergency . Before

the new buiding was constructed , the invested Funds of the Institution amounted to £ 13 , 100 stock , which was sold towards defraying its erection . The successes of the last two or three Festivals have enabled the Governors to invest £ 8 , 000 . It follows , then , that a further sum of over £ 5 , 000

is necessary in order to raise the amount of the investments to what they were somewhat over thirteen years since , and if the Craft work well , there is , in spite of the general commercial depression , and the weighty political anxieties of the moment , no reason why the amount should not be forthcoming , especially when we bear in mind the unusually

The Approaching Festival Of The Boys' School.

favourable circumstances under which the Festival will this year take place . Nor must we leave out of the reckoning one other and most important consideration . Last year , owing to the almost overwhelming number of candidates who presented themselves for election at each of the

half-yearly ballots , and the very limited number of vacancies for which they competed , it was resolved on building additional premises , with a view to raising the number of pupils to about 215 or 216 . For this purpose ifc was determined to expend a sum of £ 3 , 200 , such being the estimated

cost of the additions proposed . This of itself constitutes an important reason why , if we had been unable to enumerate those we have already mentioned , the assistance of Craftsmen should be forthcoming more abundantly at this year ' s Festival than in ordinary years . We trust all these

circumstances will be taken into account and weighed seriously as they deserve to be ; and if the Craft will but bestir itself , as ifc can do when the emergency is great , wo shall have no fear as to the measure of success which it will be our duty to announce some time during the first half of Tnlv .

It remains for us to say a few words as to the arran gements made , or in contemplation , for the auspicious day . As at the later Festivals of this Institution , ladies will dine with the brethren , and tho place chosen is the Alexandra Palace . Bros . Bertram and Roberts , with the liberality

which distinguishes them , have kindly consented to place at the disposal of the Stewards the Concert Room , in which the dinner will be served , and which is capable of accommodating a thousand persons ; the Italian Garden , which will be opened for the recreation of the visitors ; the

Conservatory , m which tea and coffee will be served ; and the Picture Gallery , in which the guests will assemble . In the evening the Garden and Conservatory will be brilliantly illuminated , and there will be both vocal and instrumental music on the occasion , to enliven those gathered

together . There will , in fact , be a garden fete to supplement the Festival proper , while , though primarily and essentially a Masonic assembly , there will be no display of Masonic paraphernalia . The gentlemen will b » in ordinary morning dress , and the ladies

are to wear bonnets . That , as far as possible up to the present time , all the preliminary steps have been taken in order to make the Anniversary Festival of 1878 a grand success cannot for one moment be doubted . Further details

will , of course , be g iven as the day approaches , but the arrangements , even as they are now defined , will , in their general aspect , remain unaltered . That is , the scheme will remain , though the details here and there may undergo some slight modifications .

We trust we have said enough to excite in the minds of our readers , a just amount of enthusiasm for the approaching event . The Institution is one which , of course , like its two sister Institutions , must commend itself to the friendly offices of all worthy Craftsmen , and afc all times . But since

the memorable year in which the Prince of Wales presided , there has been no such conspicuous piece of good fortune awaiting the Boys' School as , it may be anticipated , will result from the kindly presidency of the Duke of Connaught . Hence it is Ave speak somewhat earlier than usual ,

so that brethren who think it possible they may be able to find an opportunity for contributing their assistence directly or indirectly , may , at all events , have sufficient

time allowed them for making one . There are now 222 Stewards , and if this number is increased , as it can and should be , to 300 , then the Eightieth Anniversary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will stand a mag-