Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

OUR SCHOOLS . To the Editor O / T IIE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow mo to say , in reply to Bro . Riach's letter in your last week's issne , that the error in my former letter to which he draws attention , was not mine , but tho printer ' s . In speaking of the Girls' School , tho rate I gave for tho Camden Middle

Class School was four guineas and not five , as it appeared in print . It was , in fact , so obvions a misprint that I did not think it worth while drawing attention to it . As to the second of the points which concern me , I took no account of the interest of the capital expended in erecting tho Schools , because , if my memory serves mo—I have no copy of tho letter by mo at the moment of writing— 1 contrasted

only tbe annual sum it would cost for education alone under Bro . Riach ' s proposed system with the cost under the existing system . I assumed that , as we should continue to clotho , house , and feed them , all the expenditure incurred under such and every of those heads would remain the same . His other remarks do not seem to me to call for any comment , except that I regret if anything I wrote has given him offence . Faithfully and fraternally yours , AN OLD PUBLIC SCHOOL MAN .

BRO . DANIEL ACE AND THE CANDIDATE COX . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In your last issue appeared a letter headed " A Word more for poor Cox , " signed " Daniol Ace , D . D . " This contains gross mis-statomeuts . Hero are official facts . Six months ago a special meeting of tho Committee of Petitions for the Province of Devon was held in Plymouth ; this special meeting was

called for the solo purpose of considering the chances of the boy Cox at his final appeal for election into the School , which election takes place on Monday next , the 15 th inst . At this special meeting it was unanimously agreed that tho boy Cox should have the entire support not only of the Committee bnt of the Province . From the date of that meeting every member of the

Committee has worked with heart and energy for the boy . Thoso connected with the working of our Charities know well the absolute necessity of tho votes of a Province being collected together SIGNED , but otherwise UNMARKED . Does Bro . Ace for one moment imagine that after the Committee

of Petitions had unanimously resolved to support Cox , they would , at the last moment—to use his own words— " throw him overboard , " and , as he alleges , obtain votes under false pretences—viz ., by obtaining them for Cox , but in fact , at tho last moment , using them for some one else ?

These wanton slanders are made in a public journal , by one calling himself a Minister of Christ . Why , Bro . Ace , you havo failed to learn the first teachings of your Divine Muster . Charity of heart with you means nothing , else why descend to such unworthy nnd slanderous statements , under cover of advocating a case of charity . As the representative of the Committee at the elections in Loudon ,

I , at tho present moment , hold every vote collected from the Province of Devon for tho year . These votes are sent to me by Bro . Cover , Secretary , and every ono is signed , but otherwise unmarked . These votes will all bo polled for the boy Cox at tho forthcoming election , but not at your dictation , Bro . Ace , nor as tho effect of your ill . considered remarks .

I am , Dear Bro . Editor , yours fraternally , CHARLES GODTSCHALK P . M . P . P . G . D . Representative of the Committee of Petitions of Devon London , Sth October 1877 .

SWIMMING . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BRO . —The thanks of all interested in Boys' Schools are dne to you for reprinting in your last issue the excellent letter of tho Honorary Secretary to the Loudon Swimming Club , a communication which demands more than a passing notice ; the accomplishment he advocates being , not only a graceful and invigorating

excvcise , but , very frequently , the means of saving life . Whilst the immense importance of bathing as a moans of promoting health is so constantly urged by the medical profession , it is astounding that comparatively few of onr public schools encourage swimming by the boys . Is this because the masters themselves cannot swim ? Then surely thoy might profit by the advice of the writer referred to , they aro not too old to learn . Is it because some

of the boys avo young ? As soon as they can walk they are old enough to swim . Or is it simply the fault of the governing bodieswho neglect the duty of providing the means of learning ? If this be so , lot every school governor 'who lightly estimates the value of swimming as a part of education , resign a position for which he is evidently unfitted , and let another tako his place . Tlie day is not far distant when a boy unable to swim will be con-

Correspondence

sidered as ignorant as ono who cannot read ; and tho responsibility of his want of knowledge mnst rest on those who , having had tho control of his school days , havo neglected to teach him—how to preservo health , enjoy life , and save himself , or others , from a watery grave . Yours fraternally , A LIVE GOVERNOR E . M . I . B . 9 th October 1877 .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am very glad that you found spaco for the reproduction of " the Hon . Seo . London Swimming Club ' s " very able letter to tho editor of the Standard on this subject , and I trust it will receive tho attention it deserves at tho hands of tho authorities of both our Schools , bnt at the Boys' in particular , for

men travel by water moro than women , and run greater risks , therefore , of perishing . The sooner a person acquires this necessary accomplishment tho better , and once acquired it cannot bo forgotten . Comparing matters as they are now with what thoy wero in my school days , I admit that wonderful progress has been made . Then , perhaps , ono boy in a hundred knew something of the ait , and it

may bo one in a thousand was an expert swimmer . Now tho ratio ot swimmers to non-swimmers is wonderfully reduced , thanks to the establishment of baths in London and tho largo provincial cities and towns . When at a seaside resort , I havo frequently seen great strong men afraid to advance further than knee deep in the water . Such a man , however , if he would only muster up courage to visit one of our

metropolitan baths would very soon learn . What is wanted first of all is nerve to plunge in . The longer a man stands looking at tho water , the less ho likes the appearance of it . Let him drop or walk in , and then follow the instructions of his " coach . " He should not allow himself to get flurried , because after the first few strokes , he finds himself , through ignorance , with his head under water . Ho

has tested its depth , and knows that when he is standing up it does not reach his armpits , and tho only harm he is at all likely to snsta in is the gulping clown suddenly a few mouthfuls of water . Let him take the same interest in learning this as he would in learning billiards or cricket , and he need have no fear about succeeding . And when he can swim a few lengths of the bath , or a mile or so in a

river or the sea , let him try swimming with some clothes on , so that , in the event of his being upset out of a boat , he may not bo disturbed in his mind abont being able to keep himself up as well dressed as undressed . I trust the day is not far distant when every boy and girl in the United Kingdom will have swimming included among the subjects of training , especially when it must be remembered that we are essentially a maritime people . As to " Our Boys , "

the School is fortunately situated within a few minutes walk of the excellent open air baths in the Alexandra Park , and , no donbt— in . deed I have heard something about such a scheme—arrangements conld be made with the lessees by which they conld use this on certain days in tho week . I hope it will be so , and that very shortly we shall be able to boast that the pupils of our School at Wood Green are as good swimmers as they are scholars .

I subscribe myself , Yours fraternally , ATHLETE .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of North And East Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE .

A GREAT Masonic celebration took place at Richmond on Wednesday , the occasion being the animal meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire . The Right Hon . tho Earl of Zetland , R . W . Provincial Grand Master , presided over the gathering , which was held in the handsome new Freemasons' Hall in Ncwbeggiu , and presented a brilliant and imposing spectacle . His lordship was supported by Bros . J . P . Bell

M . D . J . P . D . P . G . M ., George Marwood J . P . P . D . G . M ., the Hon . W . T . Orde-Powlett S . P . G . W ., W . Waller J . P . G . M ., Rev . W . Busswell M . A . P . G . Chaplain , J . Tyburn M . D . P . G . Registrar , R . W . Holton P . G . Treasurer , M . C . Peck P . G . Secretary , J . Soittherst S . P . G . D ., H . Preston J . P . G . D ., T . N . Marwood P . G . Superintendent of Works , J . S . Moss P . G . Sword Bearer , Major R . G . Smith P . G . Director of

Ceremonies , C . H . Hunt P . G . Organist , & c . The usual business of the Province was transacted , including grants of money to several necessitous brethren , besides which £ 100 was voted to the Indian Famine Relief Fund . The new officers for the ensuing year wero appointed and invested as follow : —Bros . G . W . Elliot M . P ., 1337 , Provincial Grand Senior Warden , J . Godfrey Croft J . P ., 123 , Prov .

Grand Jnnior Warden , Rov . C . B . Camidge M . A ., Vicar of Thirsk , 1416 , Prov . Grand Chaplain , F . Snmmers , 57 , Prov . Grand Registrar , II . W . Hnllon , 236 , Prov . Grand Treasurer , M . C . Peck , 1010 , Prov . Grand Secretary , Aug . Fricour , 1248 , Prov . Grand Senior Deacon , Henry Haigh , 250 , Prov . Grand Junior Deacon , T . Marshall , 294 , Prov . Grand Director of Ceremonies , Thomas Clongh , 660 , Prov . Grand

Siipurintcndeutof Works , A . Fraiser , 200 , Prov . Grand Sword Bearer , John Stevenson , 57 , Prov . Grand Organist , J . Ward , Prov . Grand Pnrsuivant , Thomas Crier , Prov . Grand Tyler . The R . W . Prov . Grant ! Master addressed tho Provincial Grand Lodge upon topics interesting to the Order , but iu consequence of domes , ic bereavement WPS unable to preside at the annual banquet , whi ; h was subsequently

held at the King ' s Head Hotel . Groat prn ? v w . i . s due to Bro . C . Norman , W . M . o ' f the Lennox Lodge , Capf . Ma ; on P . M . P . P . G . D ., ind the members of tho Lennox Lodge , for their kindness and lospifality to the many visitors from different parts of the Province , who thoroughly enjoyed their visit to tho ancient town and beautiful listrct . There was a large muster of brethren from York , tho Eboragum Lodge , constituted last year , showing up iu great force ,