The Quarterly Courts.

continue the allowance until his education was completed ? We do not believe this would entail a very heavy additional burden , as most of the candidates may be expected , in the ordinary course , to be elected , and it

seems doubly hard that a boy should not only lose his chance of admission to the School , but at the same time be deprived of the £ 20 a year allowance he had hitherto enjoyed in celebration of the Centenary .

There is yet another reason why we wish this course could be adopted . We should like to know in how many cases the friends would prefer the £ 20 a year allowance , for education at home , in place of the course now adopted

—at so much greater expense to the Craft—of housing all the pupils under one roof , and this w-buld afford a very economical and efficient means of testing the point ; but in

any case we hope Bro . Attenborough will see his way to make his proposed allowances last until the boys reach the age for leaving school , and that it will be supported in that form when put to the vote of the Court .

The Girls Court will be held the following day , Saturday , 16 th , when the decision in regard to the price for Presentations will come up for discussion , and other business will be disposed of .

In the case of the Boys School twenty-seven children are to be admitted , from forty-nine approved candidates ; while in the case of the Girls there are fifteen vacancies to fill , and twenty-six applicants .

Devon Educational Fund.

DEVON EDUCATIONAL FUND .

SUPPORTERS of the Devon Masonic Educational Fund held their annual meeting at the Masonic Hall , Torquay ,

on Wednesday , 6 th inst ., the chair being occupied by Bro . F . B . Westlake P . M . 70 P . P . G . J . W ., who was well supported . The minutes of the last annual meeting and of the Committee meetings held since were read and confirmed , after which Bro . J . R . Lord P . P . G . T . P . G . D . C . Treasurer

of the Fund presented his annual report . From this it appeared that the subscriptions and donations for the past year amounted to £ 529 8 s 4 d , as compared with £ 435 in 18 9 6 ; balance brought forward from the previous year was £ 416 6 s gd , and this , with the interest £ 30 17 s 4 d , made a

total for the year of £ 976 12 s 5 d . One great factor in producing such a magnificent income for the past year was the great charity concert held in the Plymouth Guildhall . The receipts from the concert were £ 112 17 s 7 d , which , subsidised by the Plymouth Lodges , made a grand total of

£ 134 16 s yd . Payments to children and expenses left a balance of £ 5 61 6 s in the bank , and £ 34 in the Treasurer ' s hands , and this , added to the amount of £ 1 , 300 . on deposit and at interest in the Devon and Cornwall Bank , made the

total value of the Fund £ 1 , 8 95 6 s 5 c ! at the end of last year . The accounts had been duly audited . Receipts this year , as compared with last , were much less , and this was accounted for by the fact of there being no contest . For this year the receipts to date were £ 179 , as against £ 259 last year .

Tne report was adopted after Bro . Powell had expressed the opinion that it would have been better if the Committee before they closed the list had had a fourth nomination , so

as to have ensured an election . He questioned the advisability of the Committee delegating their powers to a Sub-Committee , but reference to the bye-laws confirmed the Committee ' s action .

Bro . E . H . Shorto , of Exeter , in moving the re-election of Bro . J . R . Lord , of Plymouth , as Treasurer ofthe Fund , said that whilst it was satisfactory to them to have a large balance , that was not the ultimate object . They only desired to assure that the candidates elected should receive the benefit promised .

Seconded by Bro . Samuel Jew , of Plymouth , the proposition was adopted . In proposing the election of his old friend Bro . J . B .

Gover , of Plymc nth , as Secretary of the Fund , Bro . W . J . Hughan , of Torquay , said the fact that Bro . Gover had acted as Secretary since the foundation of the Fund , which was now entering on its twentieth year , had proved the

Devon Educational Fund.

success of his able management . Speaking roughly , they had received £ 6 , 000 and disbursed £ 4 , , and of the latter only £ 400 was absorbed in printing and other expenses . So long as Bro . Gover would serve they would re-elect him . Bro . Samuel Jones seconding , the vote was carried unanimously .

Bro . W . H . Dillon , of Plymouth , was re-elected Assistant Secretary , at the instance of Bro . C . S . Stebbing , of Plymouth , seconded by Bro . Chas . Piper , of Exeter .

Bros . W . Allsford and W . Stanbury , both of Plymouth , were elected Auditors . The Committee was re-appointed , with the addition of Bros . G . C . Davie Dep . P . G . M ., of Barnstaple ; and J . Stoker Prov . G . Sec , of Exeter .

The three candidates elected were from Lodges Benevolence 666 , Princetown St . Maurice 1855 , Plympton ; a-nd St . John 70 , Plymouth ; and it was agreed that the Brethren who were deputed to act as guardians should report annually on the progress made by each child .

The Chairman , in moving a vote of thanks to the W . M . and Brethren of St . John Lodge , 328 , Torquay , for their kindness that day , expressed the hope that it would be an augury of further support in the future , and Bro . Stocker , in

seconding , said that was the first time the annual meeting had been held outside Plymouth and Exeter , and its success warranted them in visiting other towns in the Province , a procedure that he believed would be conducive to the greater success of the Fund .

Brother Crowe , in acknowledging the compliment , said he hoped they would again select Torquay for the annual meeting , and the oftener they came the better would the Brethren be pleased . Replying to a vote of thanks for presiding , the Chairman

alluded to the great Charities . Whilst there was room for the three Provincial charities , Devon was much behind the Northern provinces in their support of the great Charities . They were rallying well together that year for the Boys

Institution , after which he hoped they would take up the Benevolent , towards which they only contributed a small sum , and received over £ 700 , one Brother having altogether had £ goo .

At the invitation of the St . John Lodge the visiting Brethren were entertained to lunch on arrival , and to refreshment at the conclusion of the business , the proceedings being of a cordial and harmonious character . — "Western Mercury . "

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

WE have to mourn the loss of a very old friend in Bro . I . P . Cohen P . M . of the Israel Lodge , No . 205 , who died at his residence , at Hackney , on the 31 st ult . We had the pleasure of Bro . Cohen ' s acquaintance and tuition in the earliest days of our Masonic career , and then found him—as so many Brethren of the present age can testify—a

true and zealous Crafsman , ever ready to assist any who came to him for information or help it was in his power to render . We well remember the enthusiasm Bro . Cohen displayed when , twenty-one years since , he occupied the chair of the Israel Lodge . Even at that time he was well

known in Lodge of Instruction work , and we benefited not a little from the clear , forcible way in which he then , as since , rendered different portions of our ritual . For a very long period our deceased Brother had filled the post of Preceptor of the Percy Lodge of Instruction , while he had taken a very

prominent part in the work of the Citadel Instruction Lodge , on the Benevolent Association of which he was one of the Committee of Management . The death of our Brother will be very much felt by a large circle of friends , in North London particularly , for his kindliness of heart and his

willingness at all times to assist in any good work were much appreciated . Personally we regard his demise as the severance of another of the few remaining ties which bind us to the earlier days of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . After upwards of twenty-three years association with the paper it

is hardly to be wondered at that the remaining friends of our first year are but few in number , indeed the wonder is that so many remain , but none the less the death of any one of them is a loss which it is very hard to recognise is a permanent one . Our old friend leaves a widow to mourn

his death , and in saying that that lady has the sincerest sympathy of ourselves and a very large circle of Masonic friends and acquaintances we are but expressing a fact patent

to all acquainted with Bro . Cohen ' s work in the Craft . He had won respect and regard wherever he was known , and will be mourned as one whose place it will be very difficult indeed to fill .