Removal Of The Boys School.

REMOVAL OF THE BOYS SCHOOL .

THE following is copy of the " Statement of reasons for the proposed removal of the School from its present position , " prepared by the Board of Management , and issued to the Subscribers this week : The Board of Management desires to place before the Subscribers a statement of the reasons which have prompted it to advise the Quarterly Court to remove the Institution from Wood Green into the country .

The Beport of the Committee of Investigation of 1888-9 , presided over by the V . W . Bro . His Honour Judge Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Eegistrar , served as a text-book for the enlargement and re-organisation of the Institution , and the Provisional Management Committee of 1888-91 , and subsequently the existing Board of Management , have endeavoured to carry out the recommendations therein made .

In that Beport ( see Appendix A . ) several structural defects in the school-buildings were pointed out as calculated to hinder the work , notably an insufficiency of class-room , bathing and lavatory and infirmary accommodation , and the absence of proper playing and recreation grounds .

As a striking comparison with the state of affairs existing in 1888 , referred to in the Eeport , attention is drawn to the report of the Medical Officer to the Board of Management on 26 th June 1896 . ( See Appendix B . )

In 1890 the Quarterly Court granted authority for an expenditure of £ 6 , 500 to carry out a part of these necessary works , with the addition thereto of a swimming bath . The matter was constantly before the Committees of

Management , but it was felt that it would be unwise to add to the existing buildings on the present site or to construct a swimming bath , as it would still further curtail the playground accommodation , which was in their opinion totally insufficient .

By a readjustment of the Preparatory School buildings and the conversion of the large assembly hall into a schoolroom , the pressing difficulties as to the class-room accommodation were removed at a small cost , but it is obvious that such temporary expedients could not be of the satisfactory nature required for the increased number of boys .

It will be remembered that at the anniversary Festival in 1891 the Earl of Lathom , M . W . Pro Grand Master , who presided , drew particular attention to the undesirable site on which the School was placed . His remarks , as reported in the " Freemason , " are attached hereto . ( See Appendix C . ) This opinion of so eminent a representative of the Craft

could not be ignored , and confirming as it did the views taken by the various Management Committees from 1888 onwards , the Board of Management brought the matter before the Quarterly Court in April 1892 , and that Court authorised the Board to entertain negotiations for the sale of the Wood Green property with a view to the removal of the School . ( See Appendix D ., Part 1 . )

Since 1892 the matter has received the constant attention of the Board , and in April last , finding no progress could be made without larger powers being granted , the Board asked the Subscribers assembled in Quarterly Court for power to sell the present site , buy a new one , and erect a School thereon , and this was thereupon agreed to . ( See Appendix D ., Part II , )

The Board desires to place before the Subscribers the reasons which have actuated it in pressing this matter to a definite issue , and the foregoing resume of the history of the case will , it is hoped , convince the Craft that the Board has not proceeded in

the matter with undue haste or without due consideration , but that , on the contrary , the question has been a constant source of discussion and anxiety since 1888 , and has been laid before the Craft on several occasions . ( See Appendix E . )

It is contended by some that the extension of the work of the Institution should be to provide grants in aid of education and clothing outside of the Institution , and not to increase the numbers maintained in the School . The Board can only answer

this contention by pointing out that this question was settled as far back as 1851 , when the first school-house was arranged for , the Subscribers of that day condemning the system practiced before that time , which some would now desire to revert to . ( See Appendix F . )

The Board has already an experience on the matter , for by reason of there being accommodation in the School at the present time only for 259 boys , whilst 278 have been elected to its benefits , 19 boys are necessarily educated out of the Institution .

The Board is of opinion that to increase the number of these " out-educated" boys is a waste of energy and of money , and that the mere " grant in aid " system is not the highest form of the work of an Institution such as this . There can be but slight supervision over such boys , or over the " grant in aid , " and that great blessing which the School life

Removal Of The Boys School.

tends to bring to the orphan—the management standing in the position of the lost parent or parents , and endeavouring throughout his career to train him for a position in after-life which they do their best to secure for him on leaving the School—is altogether missing in such cases .

The excellent dietary given and the medical care exercised over the boys in the Institution builds up their bodies , and in this way prepares them best for their work in after-life . Again , the demand upon the Institution is for boys to be educated , clothed , and maintained in the Institution . After election , each parent or guardian has the option given him or her for the boy to be educated in or out of the Institution .

In no case has it been known that preference has been expressed for out-education , a convincing proof that they fully appreciate the . advantages of the public school life given therein . The course of modern education has greatly altered during the present generation , and particularly in the last decade .

To adapt the existing buildings to the requirements of the present day would necessitate the addition of new Class-rooms , Science Lecture-Boom and Laboratory , Shops for Technical Classes to extend the work already carried on of Printing , Bookbinding , Carpentry , and Engineering , besides the Swimming Bath before alluded to ( the absence of which has long been felt to be a blot on the School ) , at a total estimated initial cost of at least £ 10 , 000 .

It is also generally admitted that the present rooms are insufficient for the existing number , and that extensive alterations would have to be made to perfect the work . For the reasons above named , and having regard to the fact that every increase of building lessens the present inadequate playing-ground space , the Board cannot advise the outlay of so large a sum on the present site .

The total area of the property is thirteen-and-a-quarter acres , of which the school buildings and grounds immediately adjacent occupy eleven-and-a-quarter acres , whilst the only playing-field worthy of the name is but two acres in extent . Hence playingground accommodation has to be found at a considerable distance from the School , involving loss of time and discipline . ( See Appendix A ., Note III . )

The Institution is always open for inspection by Subscribers and friends . All who visit the Institution are struck with the undesirable

surroundings . These , in many ways , are not conducive to the health of the boys , both physically and morally , and much expense to ward off illness has had to be incurred in consequence . The School has increased by " leaps and bounds . " Only eleven years ago the number of boys receiving benefit was 215 , now it is 278 , of whom 16 are retained for higher education over the age of 15 years . ( See Appendix G . )

The Board feels that its policy to extend the advantages and improve the educational curriculum has met with the entire approval of the Craft , this being fully shown by the generous contributions given during the past six years . ( See Appendix H . )

We are now face to face with this fact . Forty-four candidates seek election in October , and there are only ten vacancies . To increase this number by four , the Board has had , most reluctantly , to reduce the number of boys to be retained after January next for higher education , from sixteen to twelve .

The Board feels that the Craft in contributing so generously each year is practically asking for an extension of the benefits to a greater number , and thus relieve the list of candidates . This extension cannot be made on the present site , therefore , it is necessary to go further afield .

It is true that the total cost of the present site and buildings extending over a period of upwards of forty years , has been about £ 100 , 000 , and that a loss must of necessity be made in disposing of them . It will , however , be well to bear in mind that in the assets of the Institution they have only been entered as £ 30 , 400 . The Board will use every endeavour to dispose of the property to the best advantage , and it is fully expected that a much larger sum than this will be obtained . The Board is convinced that a removal further into the country will secure the following advantages : —

1 . A School and grounds self-contained with ample accommodation for 50 or 100 more boys than at present receiving benefit , and even more , should the next generation require it .

2 . An extension of the Educational curriculum—( a ) In Science and Art Teaching ,

( b ) Technical Classes , ( c ) In extending to a larger number of deserving boys the advantages of higher education beyond the age of fifteen years . 3 . A saving in the cost per head , viz .: — ( a ) In Management and Establishment charges ;