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Article PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL. Page 1 of 2 Article PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL. Page 1 of 2 →
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Proposed Extension Of The Boys' School.
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .
THE first step rendered necessary by tho laws of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , prior to a discussion as to the advisability of an increase in the present accommodation afforded at this Institution , was taken at the last Committee Meeting , when Bro . Raynham W .
Stewart formally gave notice of a motion , to be brought forward at the December meeting , to the effect that the House Committee be instructed to obtain plans and esti . mates for the erection of a school house , with convenient offices , on the vacant space of ground in front of the
present building , for the purpose of ultimately accommodating 150 children , but that only so much as will accoradate fifty be erected at present . Considering tho action recently taken by the Committee of the sister Institution , where , during the present year sufficient additions have
been made to allow of an increase of twenty-five in the number of inmates , it is not surprising that such a project as that indicated in Bro . Stewart ' s motion ^ should be put forward ; and while we hail with gratification any proposal which may tend to lessen
the number of those whose fate it is to be sent back from the several elections as unsuccessful , we think the Craft should very carefully consider the subject ere they decide on making a permanent addition to the already large amount annually required for our three Institutions . Our
views as to the advisability of continual additions being made to the buildings erected by our Charities are well known ; but lest any should misunderstand our opposition , we take this occasion to point out some of the arguments we have urged from time to time in support of
our views , and more especially we refer our readers to the articles published in these columns last year , when the proposal to purchase Lyncombe House for the Girls' School was before the Crafb . Our main argument then was , and is to-day , that those of the present generation who support
the Masonic Institutions have no right to pledge the liberality of their brethren of the future to a greater extent than is already done , unless they provide a means by which in case of need—either from national calamity or other unforeseen cause—a reduction may he effected without loss , cither of
money or position . This , however , it is impossible to effect if all the available funds are devoted to the extension of buildings which entail considerable expense to main tain , and would prove an enormous tax on our resources if , at any time , it were found impossible to provide sufficient funds to carry on
the work for which they were erected ; while the thought of the loss of prestige -which would follow a compulsory closing of a section of one of oiir Schools is to our mind sufficient to justify any action tending to prevent such a calamit y . As matters stand at this moment £ 40 , 000
per year will nob do more than enable our Institutions to continue the benefits they at present confer , while any addition , either to the number of beneficiaries , or to the property of either , necessarily entails an increase in the minimum required to be subscribed . It is very well for a brother to
propose this or that addition , but let him also point out the means by which the necessary funds are to be raised , not only for this or next year , but for the future generally . Freemasonry undoubtedly is very prosperous at the present
time , but how long will such a state of things continue ? It would not be the first Institution that has collapsed , nor do we imagine there are people so bold as to say that no reverse could affect the good name , repu-
Proposed Extension Of The Boys' School.
tation , and standing of our ancient Order . Were it absolutely impossible to attain the desired end , without first increasing the accommodation of the Boys' School , we should be the first to support and advocate tho proposal now put forward ; but such is not tho case . The object
could bo very much better and more cheaply attained by placing at schools in the neighbcmvhood of their parents' residences as many lads as the funds at the disposal of the Committee might warrant . This way of dealing with the great number of candidates which at
present have to be rejected has the great advantage over the course proposed by Bro . Stewart of entailing no outlay for buildings , nor would it leave the Charity with a white elephant , in the shape of unoccupied premises , wero it ever found necessary to reduce the number of those taken
charge of by tho Institution . Moreover , it is a course which every year is becoming more popular in the Provinces , in not a few of which there are now lads whose schooling is being paid for , either by Pi'ovincial Grand Lodge , private Lodges , or one or other of the
Committees connected with them . Thus it would be easy to ascertain how the system works , oven if it were not decided to try it in connection with the central Institution —which , if the funds would allow of such a step , would certainly be the best course to adopt . Let us
count the cost . According to the report the average outlay per boy for the 215 in the Institution during the year 1879 was £ 43 10 s 5 | d , or for 50 a total of £ 2 , 176 3 s 11 * 3 , and this without reckoning anything towards cost of land or buildings , which according to particulars given in the
same document amounted at the end of 1870 (!!) to £ 47 , 116 6 s 4 d , on which it is at least fair to reckon five per cent , interest as rent . This would give £ 2 , 355 16 s 4 d , or an average on the above number of pupils of £ 10 19 s If d , to be added to the cost of each lad's maintenance , making
a total of £ 2 , 724 Is 3 d for the fifty lads on which to base our calculations , and this is reckoned on the assumption that the cost of a building for fifty lads would not average more than has the one now occupied by 215 . This expenditure then represents the annual
charge on the funds rendered necessary by providing accommodation for fifty more inmates , and again we ask , Where is it to come from , next year and hereafter ? Once having built the School and furnished it , it would become incumbent on the brethren to provide the funds
necessary for its maintenance , and if unfortunately that could not be done , what would be the value of the proposed building ?—Nil , unless we desire to dispose of it as old building material . Its close proximity to tho existing School would render it an unsaleable property ;
and , so far as we can see , it would have to remain empty until such time as matters improved sufficiently to again warrant the annual expenditureitsoccupation would require . On the other hand , supposing the above named sum of £ 2 , 176 3 s Hid—being the annual cost of maintaining fifty
lads in the School , without reckoning anything in the way of rent—were equally divided among [ say ] the 54 rejected candidates of the last election . It would give to each the sura of £ 40 6 s to be applied towards the payment of their education and maintenance in their respective
families ; all would reap immediate benefit , and we are sure there is not one of their number but would rejoice . The amount of good that such an expenditure would afford
is incalculable . Were this course to be adopted , there would be no necessity for a long wait until premises were erected , no heavy outlay for building , material , and furniture ; and should a day of misfortune arise , it would be very easy
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Proposed Extension Of The Boys' School.
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .
THE first step rendered necessary by tho laws of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , prior to a discussion as to the advisability of an increase in the present accommodation afforded at this Institution , was taken at the last Committee Meeting , when Bro . Raynham W .
Stewart formally gave notice of a motion , to be brought forward at the December meeting , to the effect that the House Committee be instructed to obtain plans and esti . mates for the erection of a school house , with convenient offices , on the vacant space of ground in front of the
present building , for the purpose of ultimately accommodating 150 children , but that only so much as will accoradate fifty be erected at present . Considering tho action recently taken by the Committee of the sister Institution , where , during the present year sufficient additions have
been made to allow of an increase of twenty-five in the number of inmates , it is not surprising that such a project as that indicated in Bro . Stewart ' s motion ^ should be put forward ; and while we hail with gratification any proposal which may tend to lessen
the number of those whose fate it is to be sent back from the several elections as unsuccessful , we think the Craft should very carefully consider the subject ere they decide on making a permanent addition to the already large amount annually required for our three Institutions . Our
views as to the advisability of continual additions being made to the buildings erected by our Charities are well known ; but lest any should misunderstand our opposition , we take this occasion to point out some of the arguments we have urged from time to time in support of
our views , and more especially we refer our readers to the articles published in these columns last year , when the proposal to purchase Lyncombe House for the Girls' School was before the Crafb . Our main argument then was , and is to-day , that those of the present generation who support
the Masonic Institutions have no right to pledge the liberality of their brethren of the future to a greater extent than is already done , unless they provide a means by which in case of need—either from national calamity or other unforeseen cause—a reduction may he effected without loss , cither of
money or position . This , however , it is impossible to effect if all the available funds are devoted to the extension of buildings which entail considerable expense to main tain , and would prove an enormous tax on our resources if , at any time , it were found impossible to provide sufficient funds to carry on
the work for which they were erected ; while the thought of the loss of prestige -which would follow a compulsory closing of a section of one of oiir Schools is to our mind sufficient to justify any action tending to prevent such a calamit y . As matters stand at this moment £ 40 , 000
per year will nob do more than enable our Institutions to continue the benefits they at present confer , while any addition , either to the number of beneficiaries , or to the property of either , necessarily entails an increase in the minimum required to be subscribed . It is very well for a brother to
propose this or that addition , but let him also point out the means by which the necessary funds are to be raised , not only for this or next year , but for the future generally . Freemasonry undoubtedly is very prosperous at the present
time , but how long will such a state of things continue ? It would not be the first Institution that has collapsed , nor do we imagine there are people so bold as to say that no reverse could affect the good name , repu-
Proposed Extension Of The Boys' School.
tation , and standing of our ancient Order . Were it absolutely impossible to attain the desired end , without first increasing the accommodation of the Boys' School , we should be the first to support and advocate tho proposal now put forward ; but such is not tho case . The object
could bo very much better and more cheaply attained by placing at schools in the neighbcmvhood of their parents' residences as many lads as the funds at the disposal of the Committee might warrant . This way of dealing with the great number of candidates which at
present have to be rejected has the great advantage over the course proposed by Bro . Stewart of entailing no outlay for buildings , nor would it leave the Charity with a white elephant , in the shape of unoccupied premises , wero it ever found necessary to reduce the number of those taken
charge of by tho Institution . Moreover , it is a course which every year is becoming more popular in the Provinces , in not a few of which there are now lads whose schooling is being paid for , either by Pi'ovincial Grand Lodge , private Lodges , or one or other of the
Committees connected with them . Thus it would be easy to ascertain how the system works , oven if it were not decided to try it in connection with the central Institution —which , if the funds would allow of such a step , would certainly be the best course to adopt . Let us
count the cost . According to the report the average outlay per boy for the 215 in the Institution during the year 1879 was £ 43 10 s 5 | d , or for 50 a total of £ 2 , 176 3 s 11 * 3 , and this without reckoning anything towards cost of land or buildings , which according to particulars given in the
same document amounted at the end of 1870 (!!) to £ 47 , 116 6 s 4 d , on which it is at least fair to reckon five per cent , interest as rent . This would give £ 2 , 355 16 s 4 d , or an average on the above number of pupils of £ 10 19 s If d , to be added to the cost of each lad's maintenance , making
a total of £ 2 , 724 Is 3 d for the fifty lads on which to base our calculations , and this is reckoned on the assumption that the cost of a building for fifty lads would not average more than has the one now occupied by 215 . This expenditure then represents the annual
charge on the funds rendered necessary by providing accommodation for fifty more inmates , and again we ask , Where is it to come from , next year and hereafter ? Once having built the School and furnished it , it would become incumbent on the brethren to provide the funds
necessary for its maintenance , and if unfortunately that could not be done , what would be the value of the proposed building ?—Nil , unless we desire to dispose of it as old building material . Its close proximity to tho existing School would render it an unsaleable property ;
and , so far as we can see , it would have to remain empty until such time as matters improved sufficiently to again warrant the annual expenditureitsoccupation would require . On the other hand , supposing the above named sum of £ 2 , 176 3 s Hid—being the annual cost of maintaining fifty
lads in the School , without reckoning anything in the way of rent—were equally divided among [ say ] the 54 rejected candidates of the last election . It would give to each the sura of £ 40 6 s to be applied towards the payment of their education and maintenance in their respective
families ; all would reap immediate benefit , and we are sure there is not one of their number but would rejoice . The amount of good that such an expenditure would afford
is incalculable . Were this course to be adopted , there would be no necessity for a long wait until premises were erected , no heavy outlay for building , material , and furniture ; and should a day of misfortune arise , it would be very easy