The Boys' School Festival.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

TTNDETERRED by the morning s meteorological prog-KJ nostications which foretold showery weather , upwards of seven hundred brethren and ladies journeyed to Brighton to celebrate tbe Ninety-Fifth Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . For tho benefit of

thoso who wero at liberty to make a long day of ifc a special train left Victoria Station afc 11 o ' clock , bufc the greater number of Masons left London Bridge soon after half-past ono , arriving at their destination after a fine run of seventy minutes . "The company met at the Royal

Pavilion Buildings , which , as on a similar occasion , in 1801 , had been placed at thc disposal of tho brethren by the Corporation of Brighton . His worship tho Mayor himself assisted at the function , and received the Right Hon . Lord Brooke R . W . Provincial Grand Master of Essex , tbe

President of the day , on his arrival . Among the principal guests were Colonel C . K . Malefc de Carteret Provincial Grand Master of Jersey , J . S . Eastes D . P . G . M . Kent , Rich . Eve P . G . T ., Major John Le Fenvre D . P . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wight , J . M . Burgess P . G . S . D . West Lancashire ,

Henry Smith D . P . G . M . West Yorkshire , John Bodeuham P . P . G . W . Staffordshire , Richard Clowes P . P . G . W . Essex and Sussex , William Russell P . G . T . Kent , William Shurmur P . G . T ., Alfred Lucking P . G . Pursvt , Lieut .-Col . A . T . Perkins P . G . D ., T . J . Railing P . G . Secretary Essex , F . J .

Hubbard P . G . S . Bucks , George E . Fairchild , A . C . Spaull G . S . B ., Rev . Dr . Cooper-Smith P . G . C , James Terry Secretary Royal Ma ? onic Benevolent Institntion , F . R . W .

Hedges Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , Oscar Phillipe , James Willing , Dr . Hebb Head Master of tho School , and J . Morrison McLeod Secretary of the Iustitution .

Previous to tho commencement of tho proceedings , Lord Brooko received a nnmber of Provincial Grand Officers in his room at the pavilion , and expressed his pleasure afc meeting them there that day , and hoped the Festival would prove a success . Ho then called on Bro .

Salter , who took advantage of the occasion to hand over a box of papers , minute books , & c , relating to tho Howard Lodge , now of Littlehampton but formerly of London ,

which had been in his possession upwards of twenty years . Bro . Walter Goss , present Master of the Howard Lodge , "which is stated to havo been consecrated in 1785 , returned thanks to Bro . Salter for his kind restoration of the

documents . A full account of this interesting featpve will appear iu our nexfc issue . Tho banquet took place in tho Dome , which presented a very pretty appearance , tho tables covering the ground floor being decorated with flowers and fruit , while the dais

"where tho principal guests were seated was adorned with some handsome palms and foliage plants . While thc company were assembling and during the dinner a capital selection of music was played on fche organ by a brother , whose name we could nofc ascertain .

The customary Loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured , Lord Brooke remarking with regard to thafc of H . R . H . the Grand Master that a pleasant time would now shortly arrive , when tho Duke of York would wed a lad y who was in every sense an English Princess .

Bro . Col . Malefc de Carteret P . G . M . of Jersey as Senior Grand Officer present acknowledged that toast , and observed that while - the Craft expected them to do their duty , they all endeavoured to perform ifc in such a manner that they reflected credit upon the Order .

In rising to propose the toast of success to tho Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , Lord Brooke was received with prolonged applause . He said in coming there that day he felfc deeply the honour which had boon conferred upon him and upon his Province in giving him this

opportunity of testifying his great wish to assist Freemasonry in every way he could . The honour they had conferred upon him was , he considered , throngh him conferred upon his Province , which , though nofc a very large one , had , afc all events , the interest of Freemasonry

very much at heart . Ifc was no doubt owing to thia fact and not to any merit of his own that he had been selected to take the President ' s chair on this occasion . Of course they knew how easy it was to bring together a body of

their country women and country men for the purpose of recreation and refreshment , hut this occasion was , so to speak , different from most public dinners , because it waa the climax of the unremitting aud uutiring efforts which

The Boys' School Festival.

had been going on for some time past throughout the country for the purpose of collecting "the needful" iu support of one of the mosfc deserving charities the world had ever known . He could say for all the Masons in that room that they fully appreciated the honour which had

been done them by their presence at that Festival . Ifc was a fact which was hardly creditable , perhaps , that the Craffc had beeu able to keep from the ladies their much-coveted secrets . He was sure that if thoy had been with him ou fcho preceding day , as many of them doubtless were , at the

school's prize-giving , they would have been exceedingly interested in , aud gratified by , both the healthy appearance of the boys and the proficiency they showed iu tho education which was given them in tbe school . It was in the early days of life that characters were formed and

moulded , and it was gratifying to know that thia Institution had been able to smooth somewhat the pathg of so many Masonic children , and he sincerely hoped that in future they would prove themselves worthy descendants of the Order . He was nofc sure thafc ifc would not be a

good thing if , alter the children had left the school , they should still for a timo be kept under observation , and preference given to them by members of fche Craffc who were employers . This institution was founded in 1798 , by Bro . William Burwood , when six children were admitted to

tho benefits of the Charity . In 1801 the Duke of Athol was patron of the School . In 1803 the Athol Grand Lodge made its firsfc contribution of ten guineas to the Charity . This was subsequently increased in 1806 to £ 100 , and in 1888 Grand Lodge decided upon a fixed annual subscription of * £ 150 . In 1846 there were 70 children beinsr

educated , and at the present time there were 268 boys in the establishment . The present school was built in 1865 , and additional buildings have been made from time to time , but they were now somewhat cramped , and in the near future would prove totally inadequate . He trusted

the benevolence of the Craffc would a few yeara hence enable the Board of Management to provide somewhere in the country more suitable and more commodious premises for tbe School . He hoped the brethren would pardon his remissness and trusted the lists would not suffer in .

consequence . Brother Richard Eve Pasfc Grand Treasurer , in fche absence of Bro . Edward Lctchworth Grand Secretary , acknowledged the toasfc and remarked that in tho Jub'leo year the contributions on behalf of fche Masonic Benevolent

institution reached the magnificent total of £ 60 , 000 , and he trusted thafc when fcho Boys' Institution reached its centenary year in 1 S 9 S fcho Secretary would be able to announce that fcho subscriptions had reached £ 100 , 000 . He

wanted lo see the number of boys doubled , and tho usefulness of the Institution increased . The education given was excellent , and under the management of thc Head Master special attention was given to the moral and physical development of the boys .

In responding to the foa ^ t of his health , Lord Brooko referred to the present agricultural depression , which would doubtless have a bad effect upon the subscriptions , bufc all the Lodges in his Province had exerted themselves , aud he hoped they had brought something worthy of acceptance of this mosfc useful Institution .

Tho Mayor of Brighton answered for the Visitors , ancl said ffc spoke well for the energy of fche Freemasons in his town thafc they were always ready , to support the causo of any and every charitable institution , while their o , vu

set a pattern to the world . He knew of no duty more incumbent on us as a nation than the education of children , and ho hoped ifc would nofc be tho lasfc time he should come among them to assist in similar good works .

Bro . J . M . McLeod , the Secretary , then announced tho list of subscriptions . There were 524 Stewards , of whom 203 represented London and 321 Provincial Lodges . Thc amount collected in the metropolis was £ 9 , 293 2 s Gd , aud in the country , £ 12 , 048 9 s Od , making thc splendid total

of £ 21 , 340 11 a 6 d . In the Provincial List Essex , with 53 Stewards , supported their Grand Master with £ 2 , 235 , and Derbyshire , the Secretary ' s Province , sent ; £ 1 , 000 . Bro . Oscar Phillipe , P . M . 1900 , brought up £ 672 , or nearly £ 300 in excess of any other Steward . The lcsulfc , which

is fche third largest list ever announced in connection with fche Boys' School Festival , was greeted wifch prolonged and enthusiastic cheering . Bro . James Terry spoke for the other Masonic Charities , and congratulated his colleague ou the excellent result of the subscriptions , and he hoped thafc as Lord Brooke had