The Boys' Preparatory School.

THE BOYS' PREPARATORY SCHOOL .

THE Royal Masonic Institution for Boys is at the present time in a somewhat critical position ; it may be said to be passing through one of the most important stages in

its history—one of those points which in an Institution such as that established and supported by the Craft for the benefitof its necessitous lads goes far to influence its

career for many years , even if not for all time . A considerable addition has recently been made to the buildings of the Institution , in the form of a Preparatory School , which it . is intended shall provide accommodation for some

fifty additional lads , and as we have recently stated , thi-Preparatory School will bo ready for occupation during tho current year . But ono very serious obstacle stands

in the way of its being made immediately available ; the necessary funds are not forthcoming , or , afc least , they have not yet heen subscrihed . The Festival of the yearwas not , _ s much of a success ns the existing claims on tho

Institution may be said to demand , but when it is remembered that tho addition already referred to calls for ever larger returns , it will be seen how serious a matter a falling off at the present time mallv is , and what an effect

ifc may have on the future of the Institution . Indeed , if the Committee keep within the strict limits of propriety , they will perhaps act wisely in recommending that the Preparatory School should remain vacant until a more

satisfactory state of affairs occurs , although snch a course would hardly be approved of by the Craft . The Preparatory School has been provided in accordance with the expressed desire of the English brethren , but without , funds to carry

it on it is worse than useless , and accordingly strenuous efforts are being made to alter the present unsatisfactorv state of affairs . It is proposed that every Life Governor of the General Fund shall receive double votes for each five

guineas he presents to the Special Building Fnnd before the close of the present , year , and a fitting opportunity offers itself for a display of that charity which forms so distinguishing a feature in English Freemasonry . On the

11 th August next , the Baroness Bnrdett-Coutts will fix the corner stone of the new building , and it is hoped the brethren will not only then assemble in largo numbers , but that such an amount of donations will be announced

as will enable tho subscribes to immediately avail them solves of tho , * ieonr . modah ' on afforded by the Preparatory School , if not , to its fi . lle--. fc extent at least partially We have spoken so far as though the Preparatory School

to bo allowed to remain idle for the present , and we hivo done so becanse . as we have said , the Committee would almost be justified in recommending such a course , bnt they do not , fro to this extreme , as the notice of motion

given b y Bro . Edgar Bowyer , to be considered afc the Quarterly General Court of Governors and . Subscribers to be held on Monday next , shows . Bro . Bowyer ' s motion is to the effect .. — "That fifteen Boys be elected at

the Quarterly General Court on Monday , 12 th October , for admission to the Preparatory School , over and above the twenty-two Bovs to be then elected to fill the number of vacancies in the present establishment . " There is little

doubt that this proposition will be carried , and that tbe fifteen additional vacancies provided for by it will be filled up in October but the question again arises , —Where is the money to come from to maintain these fifteen lads ?

The Governors and Subscribers of the Institution are hardl y the class of men to rush wildly into expenses they do not see their way clear to meet , while there are many brethren who have a voice in the management of the

School who will put the matter in tho most practical form , and will even go so far as to upset any arrangement they may think injudicious from a financial point of view . We do not write thus strongly with any idea of holding out

threats to the Craft , bnt to make the matter appear in the forcible light it must really be looked at from , and in the hope that we may convince some of our readers of the

urgent state of affairs , thereby securing from them that sympathy and support which we feel must follow an understanrtirg of the matter .

Again , the offer of double votes forms perhaps the most attractive bait the Institution can offer for increased donations but this is not more than it is justified in

offering when we consider existing circumstances . It is , however , a resource to which frequent application must not be made , and we questi on if this special inducement for extra support will be offered again for many years to come .

The Boys' Preparatory School.

Ordinary subscribers would soon enter a protest , too strong f o be ignored , if the system of giving double votes in cases of emergency was carried to too great an extent , or if it was ton often resorted to . Emergencies will arise , and special

•••tops are justifiable in connection with them , but there must always be a strong line of demarcation between ordinary requirements and emergencies . However strong may become tho claims on " ordinary " account , thev mnst

never be swollen into " emergencies , " as by so doing they lose their distinctive character , and become tha strongest possible proof of panic . The mere offer of double votes is in itself evidence of panic , unless the clearest proof of

emergency can be shown , and although fche line which divides panic from sound policy is someh ' m <\ . a very narrow one , it is , on tho present , occasion , clearlv defined . Wo have an additional building for the reception of pupils ,

bnt the funds at the disposal of the Institution are not m so flourishing a condition as to justify us in filling it or even opening if , without some anxiety . It is for the purpose of removing this anxiety tbat a special appeal is made to the

Draft for subscriptions , and a most favourable opportunity presents itself in connection with this special appeal . As wc have already mentioned , the Baroness Bnrdett-Coutts will fix the corner-stone of the new building on the 11 th

proximo , and it is hoped she will not only perform the ceremony , but that she will be able to announce that her efforts have been endorsed by the Craft to such an extent as to allow of the opening of the new School without the anxiety

which at present must accompany any large addition to tho calls on the Institution . Of course the time is too short to allow many of our Lodges to take part in the ceremony , or to swell to any extent the donations we

hope to hear announced that day , and accordingly it is proposed that the arrangement for giving double votes shall remain in force until the 81 st December next , up to which time any Lodge presenting ton guineas or upwards

to the Special Building Fnnd will be entitled to the special privileges offered . Not only will they secure these privileges , bnt they will also have the gratification of knowing they did good service to the Boys' School at

a critical period of its history . A good or bad start has very often an influence on tho fut . uro of any human undertaking , and we venture to think there are few matters in which this principle would be more

appnrent than in snch a one as that under consideration . If the Preparatory School can bo opened without any attendant anxieties , its supporters will be able to devote themselves during the next few years to

tho work of extending its usefulness , but if otherwise , they will have to struggle ancl manoeuvre to free ifc from the burden under which it started—a task far more difficult than enlisting support for fresh operations , as the

feeling is very strong in all quarters against allowing Charitable Institutions to run into debt or to anticipate in any given year the income of the future . We have purposely refrained from any mention of the claim the

Boys' School has on the Craft—that is admitted , admitted so fnr as this Preparatory School is concerned to such an extent as to prevent any misunderstanding on the point . Tlie members of the Craft , and not the Institution ,

demanded the increase , and by so doing afforded the strongest possible proof that the increase had their approbation . They are now asked to contribute the amount need ; d to start the addition as it shonld be started , ancl will they

neglect the call ? Certainly not . We feel convinced < diat tho call will be nobly responded to , and that the meeting over which the Baroness Bnrdefr-Contts has kindly un

lertaken fo preside , on the 11 th August , will be among the most successful of the many successes achieved in connection with the Masonic Boys' School .

All Honour To The Foundations.

ALL HONOUR TO THE FOUNDATIONS .

XSTHEN Bro . Captain ( now General ) Warren , of the V ? English Roval Engineers , . ome years ago exp lored tho site of King Solomon ' s Temple , and made excavations at the south-east corner of the Sanctuary wall , sinking

shafts to the depth of fifty-three feet , he discovered the foundations of the Temple as originally laid by the Tynan builders . His discoveries were remarkable in more respects

than one . They not only revealed the actual substructions of the Temple as they were laid three thousand years ago , but showed as well , tlie Masons' Marks upon the stones , as