Centenary Of The Boys School.

CENTENARY OF THE BOYS SCHOOL .

THE truth of the old adage that one has to go abroad for home news has been manifested this week , in connection •with the approaching Centenary Festival of the Boys School , the following details in regard to which we cull from a Provincial contemporary . The coincidence is all the more noticeable from

the fact that while this item was being printed in the Midlands a circular was on its way from the Institution to our office , announcing that the Festival would be held in May or June next . Perhaps the following particulars supply another instance of premature publication on the part of some over zealous journalist :

The Prince of Wales as Grand Master of the Freemasons has fixed the Albert Hall as the place , and the last Wednesday in next June as approximately the time , for holding the Centenary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , over which he has promised to preside . Lord Lathom the Pro Grand Master has been invited to act as President , and Lord Leigh as

Treasurer of the Board of Stewards for the occasion ; and this body already includes close upon a score of Provincial Grand Masters and nearly eleven hundred other Brethren of the Craft , so that the hope entertained of raising £ 50 , 000 at this special Festival bids fair to be realised . There is only > one possible

drawback to the enthusiasm which is being displayed in the matter , and that is that as the Albert Hall , though the largest building of this kind fco be obtained , will seat no more than two thousand diners , and there are likely to be that number of Masonic Stewards , the Lady Stewards will nofc be able to dine

wifch the Brethren , as they have done at other Festivals . This was the case in 1888 , when the Centenary was celebrated of the Boyal Masonic Institution for Girls—the Prince of Wales similarly presiding—and the limitation promises once more to be a matter of necessity .

Cheshire Charity.

CHESHIRE CHARITY .

* TTlHE annual meeting of the Committee of Benevolence and I the Committee of Management of the Cheshire Benevolent and the Cheshire Educational Institutions was held at the Crewe Arms Hotel , Crewe , on Wednesday , SJ 4 th ult ., Bro . John Clayton presiding . The first business was to elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the Committee of Benevolence .

Bro . Clayton , who was retiring from the position of Chairman after holding that office for three years , and fche office of Vice-Chairman for some years previous , referred to the prosperity of the Province during the last few years , and after giving a detailed account of its voting power said he had the

honour and pleasure of asking them to support his dear friend and Brother Colonel Dean , as Chairman . Colonel Dean had been the Vice-Chairman for three years , and his ability and worth were well known to them , and to the whole of the Province .

Bro . P . Davies , in seconding the proposition , said he should be lacking his duty if he did not refer to the very eminent services which Colonel Dean had rendered to Freemasonry in general , and the Committee of Benevolence in particular . He

would be a worthy successor of Brother Clayton . The motion was carried unanimously with hearty applause . Bro . Clayton congratulated Colonel Dean on his appointment , and said he had every confidence in him , and believed that under his guidance the Committee would work harmoniously together .

Colonel Dean warmly thanked the Brethren for their kind expression of opinion and " goodwill , and promised to do his utmost to fill the position of Chairman with satisfaction to them ,

and to the benefit of the funds which they had to administer . He asked for the co-operation of the Brethren , and expressed the hope that the work would nofc suffer in any way through the change in the Chairmanship .

Bro . Lilly Ellis said it was his lot fco propose Colonel Dean as the Vice-Chairman nearly three years ago , and their choice on thafc occasion showed thafc they had elected a very capable man , who had discharged the duties with satisfaction , and they had now shown their confidence in him by electing him their

Chairman . He had equal confidence now in proposing Bro . Henry Jackson as Vice-Chairman , believing he would make an equally good officer as his predecessor . He had been a Mason over thirty years , and a Past Master over twenty-live ; had

always taken a close and deep interest in fche Charitable Institutions of the Order and Masonry generally , and he felt sure would make a suitable and worthy successor to Bro . Colonel Dean .

Bro . Cookson , in seconding the resolution , heartily endorsed the observations of Bro . Ellis . Bro . Jackson ' s services to Masonry were well known over the Province of Cheshire , and he ¦ Was also knowu and highly esteemed in commercial circles .

Cheshire Charity.

They could not make a more suitable or satisfactory for elections the position of Vice-Chairman . Colonel Dean said he would like to say he had had the pleasure of working with Bro . Jackson on the Committee , and he

did not know anyone m the Province with whom it was more easy and pleasurable to work . He had a thorough knowledge of all matters connected with the Charitable Institutions of Masonry .

Bro . Jackson thanked his proposer and seconder , and also Col . Dean for the kind and , he thought , very flattering remarks . He also thanked the Brethren for having unanimously elected him to the position of Vice-Chairman , and said thafc his

sympathies and interests with the Charitable Institution extended for a period of over twenty years , and he could assure them that in his position as Vice-Chairman he should do his best in assisting to maintain the dignity and usefulness of the Province of Cheshire .

The Charity Council was then elected for the various divisions of Cheshire , after which several applications for grants were made from the Board of Benevolence , and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman . — " Staiybridge Reporter . "

Devon Educational Fund.

DEVON EDUCATIONAL FUND .

PLYMOUTH Guildhall was crowded to excess on the 17 th ult ., when a grand concert was given in aid of the Devon Masonic Educational Fund . The object being an excellent one , the promoters are to be congratulated on the success which attended their efforts , says fche " Western Morning News . " The concert was under the patronage of the Hon . Sir H . Stafford

Northcote , Bart ., C . B , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Devon and President of the Institution , and the Provincial Officers , Worshipful Masters , and Officers of the Lodges of the Province . The Hon . Secretaries of the movement are Bros . J . B . Gover and W . H . Dillon , and the Hon . Treasurer Bro . J . R . Lord . Many of the Brethren were present in Masonic clothing , a special dispensation having been granted for the purpose .

lhe chief contributors to the programme of fcwenfcy-one items were the Royal Naval String Band , under Bro . E . Binding P . M . P . P . G . O . Inspecting Bandmaster R . N ., and the St . Andrew ' s Quartette ( by permission of Mr . H . Moretoii , Mus . Bac , F . R . C . O . ) .

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