The Festival Of The Boys' School

THE FESTIVAL OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL

WHATEVER may have been the feelings of the Craft a few weeks back in regard to the prospects in store for the Boys' School in connection with its Anniversary Festival , it is certain there can be but one sentiment now that the result is known—a

feeling of entire satisfaction at what mnst be described as a grand success for Our Boys . The total of the subscriptions announced by Bro . McLeod , the Secretary of the Institution , on Wednesday last , was no

less a sum than , £ 21 , 340 lis Gd , an amount nearly equal to the joint totals of the two companion charities for the current year , the figures in connection with them being : Benevolent , - £ 8 , 293 3 s , and Girls ' , - £ 14 , 011 3 s 6 d , a joint total of - £ 22 , 304 Gs Gd . But

it is not always desirable to pit the Institutions one against the other , they work in unison rather than in opposition , and although each desires to out-cut the other year by year there is no desire for one to profit at the expense of its companions . Recognising this

Ave must dismiss the other totals from our mind when we desire to bring them forward for adverse comparison , and only make use of them , as admitted successes in their way , when we wish to show the bright star of our Boys' School standing out moro

brilliant than its fellows . The Institution has every reason to be proud of its success , and when we look around and see the many claims now made on the purses of the benevolent the marvel is to account for the grand flow of charity

which has again found its way into the coffers of one of our noble Charities . It convinces us that the heart of Freemasonry still beats as heartily for the widow and the orphan as ever it did , while it affords

proof that individual members of the Order are no more desirous of shrinking their responsibility to-day than they have been at any time in the history of the Craft . Nay , more , it is clearly evident that to raise such a sum as - £ 21 , 340 odd in what may bo termed

an ordinary year , with prospects all around us of heavy claims being made in the near future on behalf of the poor and distressed in our midst , the members of Freemasonry must have fully recognised that it is necessary for them to act up to the teachings of the

Order if they desire to retain the favourable opinion of the outside world in regard to their actions . Yefc we hear of no heavy pressure brought to bear on any of the districts that have helped to secure this grand

total—it is made up of spontaneous free-will offerings , a living tribute to the sincerity of the Masonic Craft of England , which , as year by year goes by , endeavours to relieve as much of tho suffering existin g

among its fellows as is possible . Looking through the list of contributing Provinces one can but be struck with the thoroughness of the answer that has been made to the appeal issued in the ' name of the noble Chairman , Lord Brooke , the Pro- ' vincial Grand Master of Essex . Although there are I

The Festival Of The Boys' School

j absentees from the list of subscribing districts such absentees are few and far between , and in most cases very satisfactory reasons could be given for what at first

sight might be considered a neglect , prominent in this direction being the rule which is observed in some districts of giving the support of individual years to a particular Institution . These few absentees are ,

however , nobly made up for by the leaders among those which do appear , prominently standing out to the front being the Chairman ' s Province of Essex , which district sent up a total of .- £ 2 , 235 9 s Od , almost

double the amount collected in Kent , which enjoys the proud distinction of being second , with a total of £ 1 , 177 19 s Gd , only being followed in a four figure total by Derbyshire , the brethren of which Province come

out magnificently in support of their old friend , the present Secretary of the Institution , with a level - £ 1 , 000 . As far as actual comparison of results are concerned , however , it is only necessary to look at

the accompanying summary , which gives the amount subscribed by each of the contributing Provinces , the total number of Stewards representing country Lodges being 321 .

London , with 203 Stewards , has far exceeded the average secured by the countrymen , the contributions from the Metropolitan Lodges being - £ 9 , 292 2 s 6 d as against - £ 12 , 048 9 s sent up from outside . This is very gratifying , and convinces us that the School has as

good an advocate close at home as it enjoys further afield , in the earlier home of its present Secretary . Bro . McLeod must have worked hard to secure such a result , for although we are quite willing to award

honour where it is due , and now thank each individual Steward for his share of the success , we have had experience enough to recognise that in this case at least there is to bo found the " influence of the

one man , to which we have on more than one previous occasion referred in the pages of the FKEE - MASON ' S CHBONICLE . Long may such influence continue , and long may it be used with such beneficial results as have followed the recent

Anniversary Festival of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys . In conclusion we add our hearty thanks to the many showered upon tho noble Chairman at the

result ol his labours m connection with this Festival , and we hope that if in years to come he should again honour one of the Institutions by presiding , as great a success may attend him as has been the case this year . Lord Brooke has now presided at Festivals for

both the Boys' and Girls' ; he has ably advocated the claims of each , and like all willing and zealous workers is no doubt ready to do the same again whenever the necessity arises . On the principle that it is

not fair to work the willing horse to death we hope he may not have to be appealed to again , but if there is any call for it we have no hesitation in saying that he will be ready and willing to aid

and as anxious as ever to do all that lies in his power to secure success . Happily he has won the